- My Gen Alpha sister sent me her Christmas list, and some of the items surprised me.
- Her wish list is a snapshot of what teens at her Texas high school are coveting this holiday season.
- Nike, Apple, and Lululemon remain popular among teens, according to her list and a recent survey.
Every holiday season, my family expects to receive an extensive Christmas list from my 14-year-old sister — in true youngest-sibling fashion.
Usually, I (a practically vintage 25-year-old, to her at least) expect to get a few hints about which trends appeal to the next generation of consumers. This year, I was surprised to find some old names among her gift ideas.
While her Christmas list includes unsurprising entries from brands that have recently done well with young people — think Stanley and Lululemon — she also asked for items I didn't expect to be on a high schooler's radar.
Piper Sandler got input from over 13,000 teens in the US for its semi-annual Generation Z survey published in October. While Nike was teens' favorite brand, Lululemon ranked third in apparel brands.
IPhones are still king in the smartphone market for teens, with 87% telling Piper Sandler they own one. It's not totally shocking that Apple, Nike, and Lululemon made it on her list, but her reasons and a few other entries seemed surprising.
From TikTok to the classroom, my sister — who my mom asked to remain unnamed — told me her inspiration comes from online and offline. She gave me an "important disclaimer" that items on her list are suggestions we adults can choose from — we aren't required to get them all, of course.
Some fun honorable mentions from her list: Robux (currency for the game Roblox), a Stanley tumbler, and luxury beauty products from Dior.
Here's what else my sister said she and her Gen Alpha friends are coveting this holiday season.
Victoria's Secret products are making a comeback with her friends.
Victoria's Secret thrived in the 2000s as a lingerie brand, along with popular teen brand Pink. It raked in billions and was a hit during my teenage years, but struggled to adjust to apparel trends.
Almost 10 years later, my sister and her classmates are eyeing Pink loungewear sets, perfume, and Victoria's Secret makeup bags not unlike the ones I begged for in high school. That's reflected by its shares, which have gained 85% in the last year.
It buys into young people's recent obsession with Y2K fashion trends. Victoria's Secret even brought back its famous fashion show this year.
It's certainly earned a new customer in my sister.
She wants an iPhone 16, but not for the reason you'd think.
When I asked my sister if she knew about Apple Intelligence, she had no clue what I was talking about. So it was surprising to see the iPhone 16 — a phone Apple has touted as being made for AI — on her wish list.
About 30% of teens surveyed by Piper Sandler said they planned to upgrade their iPhones in the coming months because of Apple Intelligence.
It's not the writing tools, Siri, or Genmojis that have her looking to trade in her iPhone 12 Pro Max. She said she's mostly interested in having the photo-editing features — which she wasn't aware were made possible by Apple Intelligence.
Apple is launching its AI software on a rolling basis with new features expected to be released on Monday as part of iOS 18.2 — just in time for Christmas.
Everyone at school is wearing Jordans and Dunks.
She said she sees "a whole bunch" of retro Jordan sneakers and Nike Dunks — two styles that Jim Duffy, a Nike analyst for Stifel Institutional, previously told BI that Nike has come to rely on too much for sales.
Although Nike has released signature shoes with several professional athletes over the years, my sister says she mostly sees Jordans and Dunks at her high school in Texas.
Nike has struggled recently — revenue was down 10% in the fiscal-first-quarter earnings reported in October. I wasn't sure if teens were giving the brand much attention these days, but it seems like young people remain interested in the sports giant.