UK TikTok users are 1.6x more likely to go Christmas tree shopping than non TikTok Users1 (26.7% vs. 16%)
45.2% of UK’s TikTok users celebrate the winter holidays through parties and get-togethers with friends and families, and are slightly more likely to than nonTikTok users1 (45.2% vs. 36.9%)
UK TikTok users are 1.4x more likely to take a holiday for the winter holidays than Non-TikTok users1 (24.4% vs. 17.9%)
‘Men’s Gifts’
is the #1 ‘gift’ related search, followed by ‘Gifts for her’, then ‘£1 or Less Gifts’2
#ChristmasGift has seen +179% increase in posts MoM2
What’s coming out of Santa’s toy shop
This Christmas, the trifecta of toys still rules. Lego, Barbie and Hot Wheels are the anchor toys, now dressed in the hottest intellectual property (IP). Think Minecraft builds, KPop Demon Hunters merch, Wicked-themed Barbies, and Bluey dreamhouses will reign supreme this year, on platform, parents search by franchise first and SKU second. Wicked Dolls saw a 211% increase in video views in 20251, which are only expected to rise with the release of Part 2.
Jellycat’s cuddly supremacy continues! Loved by kids and ‘kidults’, the brand continues converting discovery into purchase with IRL theatre. Popups at Harrods, SpaceNK and Selfridges, with Birmingham and Manchester teased for 2026, prove the hype translates beyond the feed.
Fluffy bag charms may fade, but the mystery unbox and hatchable toys remains the dopamine machine. Activity reveal toys that crack, fizz and peel stay on wishlists because they engineer anticipation. For older kids and teens, collectables like Sonny Angel and SMISKI are the gateway to higher lifetime value as they are treated like fashion drops, with story-led capsules, scarcity and collabs.
Digital friends are back, and it is emotional. Tamagotchis, puppetronics and Moflin speak to millennials’ childhood memories and encourage intergenerational play. They feel cosy and low stakes, fun to care for, photogenic and emotionally satisfying, without the overhead of real pets or complex gadgets.
Aestheticification of home goods
Ninja Creami and Ninja Slushi are no longer “kitchen gadgets”; they’re fashion objects. A kaleidoscope of colorways (sherbet pastels, jewel tones and limited drops) has turned countertop hardware into high status merch. In smaller, open-plan kitchens where every surface is on display, pop-bright appliances earn real estate by pulling double duty: high-performance maker, high-impact decor. Color leads discovery, performance earns repeat purchases of the brand.
Pop-bright appliances earn real estate by pulling double duty: high-performance maker, high-impact decor.
Festive fragrance and holiday hair
Haircare and scents are the biggest call-outs in beauty and personal care this year. According to Circana data, haircare and fragrance were the fastest growing categories (by revenue) for 2025, with prestige haircare growing 6% and mass growing 4%. Fragance was the stand out for the year with prestige growing 6% and mass growing 17%.1
On platform, we saw bodysprays and mists taking centre stage, with a 92% YoY growth in video views on these products2. The last few years have seen broadening of the fragrance category with body mists becoming more widely available on the high street without the higher price point that an eau de parfum might carry. Although these scents are loved in their own right, they also act as an introductory product, with their audience graduating to premium perfumes via #FragranceTok. When it comes to fragrance, this previously female dominated space has evolved to include more male creators like @sircandleman and @thecalcologne. What are we smelling like? #Gourmand flavours are trending with 61% increase in video views on platform, these are traditionally sweeter smells like chocolate and vanilla.2
If you, like so many, have gone on a hair glow up journey this year, your FYP would be flooded with Abbey Yung. Her 11-step, bond-repair-centric routine turned #HairTok into a disciplined regimen, nudging audiences from occasional masks to systemised care: pre-wash, clarifying, bond-building, sealing. Consumers are flocking back to personal care and beauty aisles with prestige expectations.
Enter the productisation of the movement: OGX’s new “Abbey’s Favourites” pack - three SKUs the creator evangelises - formalises the routine in a tidy, shoppable bundle. Our brand tip: find the conversations already happening on platform, your biggest fans are already here. You can also make exclusive bundles for TikTok Shop to keep the experience on one platform.
On the Christmas List
Sol De Janeiro Body Mists
1. Circana, US Beauty Industry: First Half 2025 Sales Performance by Category.
2. TikTok Internal Data, Video views for September 2024 vs 2025
Couture inspired Christmas
Burgundy is the colour of the season, with a warmth that photographs beautifully under indoor lighting.
Texture is critical, too. Remember those viral bags available at TK Maxx? They signalled appetite for tactile surfaces on apparel and accessories: plush velvets, mermaid inspired beading, puckered taffetas, ruched satin, and crochet that pops on camera.
Red or jewel-coloured hosiery are becoming a statement, with tights in lace and micro motifs. Bows are still having their moment, and yes, partly because we invested heavily last year and we are not done getting the cost per wear down. With Bridgerton returning, the bow story evolves. Expect exaggerated proportions on knitwear and outerwear, micro-ribbons threaded through braids, velvet, organza and mohair. The TikTok cue is playful scale. From hair accents to shoe ties, bows deliver an easy, high-impact visual that reads festive without feeling try-hard.
Bags with chunky hardware are the finishing move. Oversized clasps and sculptural buckles turn a simple outfit into a hero. The content formula is simple: close-up hardware shot, bow detail reveal, cherry red lip, and a texture swipe.
Consumers are choosing classic silhouettes that last beyond a single party: cable knits, tartan minis, satin slips, and soft-shouldered tailoring. The pivot is towards re-wearable pieces styled multiple ways. For brands, position capsules around “repeat but not repeat” styling. Think lookbooks that show one knit three ways and a slip styled for day and night.
1. TikTok Internal Data, Sept 2024 vs 2025
#BeadedBags video views: 50%
YoY increase
The trending table
Cost-of-living realities plus the mainstreaming of GLP-1 have shifted appetite - and expectations. Shoppers aren’t opting out, but trading up. Smaller plates, richer provenance: single-origin chocolate truffles, heritage cheeses, and chef-coded canapés replace the overloaded buffet. The TikTok takeaway: “luxe and intentional.” For brands, spotlight craftsmanship, micro-batches, limited editions, and origin stories, over sheer volume.
A heritage inspired aesthetic is peaking: think “The Summer I Turned Pretty” warmth meets the vintage style of a Ralph Lauren Christmas campaign - candles, maximalist decor, tartan, vintage glass, and yes, jelly from a mould. And by the way, jelly’s comeback isn’t kitsch; it’s content. Jewel-tone domes, suspended citrus, floral set-ins... it’s food as sculpture. Expect jelly to play double duty: edible art and centrepiece, engineered for the camera. For brands, our tip is to make your product the prop.
“Ralph Lauren Decor” and “Ralph Lauren Christmas” currently rank as the #3 and #4 top Christmas-related searches on the platform.
Tea and coffee still anchor the finale, but matcha is stepping into the conversation, she’s bright, photogenic, and functional. Blank Street’s range of flavoured matchas (our 2025 favourite were ginger snap and cookies & cream) and footprint growth signal mainstream adoption. Expect the viral red-and-green strawberry matcha to land on more holiday tables.
Food and beverage: 55%
YoY sales growth on TikTok Shop during 2024 Black Friday; hampers, turkeys, cheese projected to surge again.
How to activate
Even after the holiday high ends, shopping interest extends into January, so consider your Q5 strategy. 72% of Q5 shopping happens online.1
Top Topics:
Self-care and fashion to get the ultimate new year, new me glow up.
Finance, a massive new years resolution to finally get your bank account in order.
Post holiday bargains and making the most of post-holiday sales.
