Why the toy aisle is where to find this year's hottest gifts for adults
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the 20- or 30-something in your life? It might be in the toy aisle.
Many adults are unabashed from sharing their obsessions with what others would categorize as kids' toys — from Mini Brands mystery packs that have long been sold in retailers' toy aisles to other blind boxes like Sonny Angels, cherub figurines that have become a phenomenon as collectibles for adults. Even stuffed animals are making their way into adults' homes from brands like Jellycats and Squishmallows. For other adults, Legos are on their wishlist encouraged by the brand's growing number of grown-up sets, featuring more complex builds from flower bouquets to holiday table settings, "designed specifically for adults," its website reads.
All the while, these toys are topping charts for hot holiday toys for tots, too. According to the National Retail Federation, Squishmallows and Legos are part of the top 10 for girls while Legos come in first for boys. Miniverse items, which includes Mini Brands, are popular among both groups, according to Adobe Analytics.
So, what's with the fascination? Seeking and sparking child-like joy may be part of the appeal, said Maddy Ellberger, behavioral therapist and founder of Downtown Behavioral Wellness in New York.
"There are things that remind us of a particular age group," she told CBS News. "Anything that reminds somebody, or harkens them back to a positive memory or a positive experience, is going to want to engage with that thing because it arouses those memories."
Social media plays a role too, Ellberger said.
"If people see people doing things that they want to be doing, or they want to be like, they're going to buy, do, say the things that that person they're admiring is doing," she said.
The Jellycat Diner, an in-store experience at FAO Schwarz in New York, for example, went viral on social media, drawing in fans of all ages from around the world.
"We often see adults and 'kidults' finding joy in the whimsical designs of Jellycat," David Niggli, chief merchandising officer at FAO Schwarz, told CBS News in a statement. "I think especially for adults, toys like Jellycat are like comfort food, that allow you to have a laugh and take you back to a time where the simple joy of playing with and collecting toys was a happy time in the past."
The craze has spurred other big brands to take part, too, such as an Ulta Beauty collaboration with Mini Brands.
"The joy and surprise of unwrapping each capsule to discover your favorite iconic beauty product replica in mini form creates that nostalgia and fun at the heart of this partnership, a no-brainer as our first foray into this new innovative category," Muffy Clince, Ulta Beauty's senior director of emerging brands and initiatives, said in a statement to CBS News.
It goes beyond toys, too. Clothing brands are also cashing in on millennial nostalgia — from Crocs creating a Lizzie McGuire clog to Lululemon's Disney collection and tween brand Limited Too making a full comeback that includes adults. Barbie isn't just for kids clothes now either, thanks to the recent film and "Barbie-core" fashion trend. (Both the famous doll and Disney items are also part of the National Retail Federation's list of popular kids' toys for the holidays this year.)
In addition to trendy appeal thanks to the Y2K fashion renaissance, these revivals can also touch on a feeling of connection during a time of increased division and isolation.
"The way that people in my age cohort understand and experience that trend highlights a connection, right? There's a temporal connection," Ellberger said. "And it's a starting off point to talk about other things that you probably are connected on."
But, whether that desire for connection is satisfied depends on if you can translate online excitement into real, in-person connection.
"It's a great way to form community," she said, but having or wearing the same thing is only an indicator. "It's not the actual steps of creating connection. And I feel like that's some of what gets lost, but it's not impossible."
How to consume and connect consciously
While these items may spark joy, that feeling can be fleeting.
So while it's OK to indulge in these "little treats" — the same idea as splurging on a overpriced pick-me-up latte when you have coffee at home — Ellberger suggests consuming these goods consciously.
"Do that one positive thing during the day, and make sure you're doing it intentionally," she said. "So if you're going to get that latte, you better not be thinking about the fact that the guy that broke up with you is texting some other girl ... If you're ordering the toy, when you open that toy, you better be excited to open that toy, otherwise you're not getting the benefit out of it. There's other stuff that's killing the vibe."
Ellberger suggests considering, "How am I using this?" and "What am I hoping to get from it?"
What you're reaching for may not bring you as much joy as you're hoping, she said, but leaning into real connection can be a beneficial addition.
"Not one single thing is going to fill that hole, right? So if this is something that you enjoy, maybe find other people that are into this trend, because they might also have other things that are similar in interest to you and then you can connect — actually, really connect."
If you're already on the toy trend, one way to incorporate it into your holiday is through giving these toys to friends in real life, Ellberger suggested.
"If it was part of everyone's secret Santa (or) white elephant — that's a really cute way of connecting over this," she said.
