Spin the Wheel

Holiday Shopping Trends 2025

The holiday shopping landscape of 2025 has undergone a revolutionary transformation, fundamentally reshaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase gifts during the most important retail season of the year. This transformation is driven by the convergence of social media, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and changing consumer behaviors that have created a shopping experience unlike any previous holiday season. The traditional model of Black Friday doorbusters and Cyber Monday deals has evolved into a year-round, always-on shopping experience that begins as early as September and extends well into December, with technology playing an increasingly central role in every aspect of the consumer journey. TikTok Shop has emerged as one of the most significant disruptors in holiday shopping, achieving unprecedented success during the 2025 holiday season. During the critical Black Friday to Cyber Monday period, TikTok Shop reported over $500 million in U.S. sales, representing a substantial increase from previous years. This remarkable achievement was driven by nearly 50% more shoppers completing transactions compared to the same period in 2024, demonstrating the platform's growing influence and the effectiveness of its unique blend of entertainment and commerce. The success of TikTok Shop represents a fundamental shift in how consumers approach holiday shopping, moving away from traditional retail channels toward social commerce platforms that integrate seamlessly into daily content consumption. Live shopping has become a cornerstone of modern holiday retail strategy, with TikTok Shop hosting more than 760,000 livestreams that attracted 1.6 billion views during the holiday weekend alone. Brands and creators hosting these live shopping sessions experienced an 84% increase in sales compared to the previous year, highlighting the power of real-time engagement and interactive shopping experiences. These live sessions create a sense of urgency and community that traditional e-commerce cannot replicate, allowing viewers to ask questions, see products in action, and make purchases without leaving the platform. The success of live shopping demonstrates consumers' desire for authentic, engaging shopping experiences that go beyond static product listings. The integration of content and commerce has fundamentally changed consumer behavior, with 43.4% of users discovering holiday gift ideas simply by browsing TikTok. This represents a significant shift from intentional shopping, where consumers actively search for specific products, to discovery shopping, where purchases are inspired by content encountered during casual browsing. The seamless integration of shopping functionality into entertainment content has made impulse purchases more common and has shortened the path from product discovery to purchase completion. This trend has forced brands to rethink their marketing strategies, focusing on creating engaging content that naturally showcases products rather than relying solely on traditional advertising. Early shopping has become a defining characteristic of the 2025 holiday season, with 26% of shoppers beginning their holiday purchases in September or October. This shift toward earlier shopping reduces the number of last-minute purchases in December and creates a more extended shopping season that benefits both retailers and consumers. Early shoppers can take advantage of better deals, avoid shipping delays, and spread their spending over several months rather than concentrating it in November and December. This trend has been driven by concerns about supply chain disruptions, shipping delays, and the desire to avoid the stress of last-minute shopping. Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the holiday shopping experience, with over half of shoppers planning to use AI-powered assistants for comparing deals and creating personalized gift lists. These AI tools help consumers navigate the overwhelming number of options available, providing personalized recommendations based on past purchases, browsing history, and stated preferences. AI-powered price comparison tools enable shoppers to find the best deals across multiple retailers instantly, while AI gift suggestion engines help solve the perennial problem of finding the perfect present for difficult-to-shop-for recipients. The integration of AI into shopping experiences represents a significant advancement in making holiday shopping more efficient and personalized. Matching pajamas have emerged as one of the most popular holiday product categories, with searches for "matching pajamas" increasing by 407% month-over-month in September 2025. This trend reflects a desire for coordinated family experiences and Instagram-worthy holiday moments, as families seek to create memorable photos and videos for social media. The popularity of matching pajamas also speaks to the growing importance of comfort and togetherness in holiday celebrations, as people prioritize cozy, shared experiences over elaborate gifts. Holiday party games have seen remarkable growth, with over 2 million holiday-related searches mentioning "games" during the previous season. "Christmas party game" was the top party-themed search from November to December 2024, indicating a strong desire for interactive entertainment that brings people together. This trend reflects a broader shift toward experience-based gifts and activities that create memories and foster connection, rather than material possessions alone. The popularity of party games also demonstrates the importance of in-person gatherings and the desire to create meaningful shared experiences during the holidays. Home baking has experienced a resurgence, with content under the hashtag #baking growing by 29% month-over-month from November to December 2024. Banana bread recipes surged to become the second most-searched recipe, reflecting a trend toward homemade gifts and comfort food. This baking renaissance represents a return to traditional holiday activities and a desire for authentic, handmade experiences. The popularity of baking content also highlights the role of social media in inspiring and teaching new skills, as people turn to platforms like TikTok for recipe ideas and cooking tutorials. The shift toward flexible shipping options has become crucial as Christmas approaches, with expedited shipping and curbside pickup seeing increased usage in the days leading up to the holiday. Retailers have recognized the importance of offering multiple fulfillment options to accommodate different consumer needs and preferences. Same-day delivery, buy-online-pickup-in-store, and curbside pickup have become standard offerings rather than premium services, reflecting the expectation of convenience and flexibility that modern consumers demand. Sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration in holiday shopping, with consumers showing greater awareness of the environmental impact of their purchases. This has led to increased interest in eco-friendly products, sustainable packaging, and gifts that support environmental causes. Brands that can demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability are finding favor with environmentally conscious consumers, who are willing to pay premium prices for products that align with their values. The personalization of shopping experiences has reached new heights, with retailers using data analytics and AI to create highly customized recommendations and offers. Consumers expect retailers to understand their preferences, remember their past purchases, and suggest relevant products that match their style and needs. This level of personalization has become a competitive differentiator, with retailers investing heavily in technology that enables them to deliver truly individualized shopping experiences. Mobile shopping has continued to dominate, with the majority of holiday purchases now made on smartphones and tablets. The convenience of mobile shopping, combined with improved mobile payment options and one-click purchasing, has made it easier than ever for consumers to make impulse purchases and complete transactions quickly. Retailers have responded by optimizing their mobile experiences, ensuring that product pages load quickly, checkout processes are streamlined, and mobile apps provide seamless shopping experiences. Social proof has become more important than ever, with consumers relying heavily on reviews, ratings, and user-generated content to make purchasing decisions. Products that have strong social proof, whether through high ratings, numerous reviews, or viral social media content, are significantly more likely to be purchased than those without. This has created a feedback loop where popular products become even more popular, while lesser-known products struggle to gain traction. The convergence of entertainment and commerce has created new opportunities for brands to engage with consumers in meaningful ways. Product placements in viral videos, influencer collaborations, and branded content that provides value beyond simple advertising have become essential components of successful holiday marketing strategies. Consumers are more receptive to brands that entertain, educate, or inspire them, rather than those that simply interrupt their content consumption with traditional advertisements. As we reflect on the holiday shopping trends of 2025, it's clear that the retail landscape has fundamentally changed. The integration of social media, e-commerce, AI, and live shopping has created a more dynamic, engaging, and personalized shopping experience that reflects the evolving preferences and behaviors of modern consumers. These trends are likely to continue evolving, with new technologies and platforms emerging to further transform how we shop during the holidays and throughout the year.