Why the Grown-Up Toy?
Sweden’s birth rate is historically low, while activities and screens are competing for children’s attention. As a result, the toy industry has faced several challenging years. We are now seeing a shift, with adults buying toys for themselves accounting for an increasing share of toy sales. Examples include advanced construction sets, colouring books with intricate patterns and toy figures that also serve as collectables.
The kidult trend, where adults engage in activities traditionally associated with children, has gained real momentum in recent years. It has made its mark on both popular culture and our consumption habits. Among adults, toys have gone from a niche interest to a mainstream hobby and become a way of connecting with others who share the same interests, particularly through social media.
“The toy industry has faced several challenging years, partly because of falling birth rates and partly because screens and other activities are competing for children’s time. The industry has therefore sought new target groups for a new type of product. We are now seeing a shift, with products marketed to adults accounting for an increasing share of toy sales,” says,
Emma Hernell, CEO of HUI Research.
The Christmas Gift of the Year must reflect the times we live in
The Grown-Up Toy reflects our times because global turbulence and economic uncertainty are creating a need for play and escapism, something toys and childhood nostalgia can provide. Birth rates are at historically low levels. As people have children later in life, or not at all, the boundary between childhood and adulthood is becoming less distinct. Toys are therefore becoming an increasingly common hobby among adults.
The Christmas Gift of the Year must account for significant sales or sell in large volumes
Sales of toys to adults are growing steadily and now account for a significant share of the total toy market. A similar development can be seen in other European countries, where almost one-third of sales come from toys aimed at people aged 12 and over, including adults. According to the same study, toys for adults are the fastest-growing product category.
The Christmas Gift of the Year must be new or have attracted renewed interest
Adults buying toys for themselves is a rapidly growing phenomenon. The kidult trend is being amplified on social media, where collecting and sharing personal projects create a sense of community. This is why the Adult Toy is the Christmas Gift of the Year 2025.
Since 2011, the Nordic Museum has documented the Christmas Gift of the Year. Each year, HUI Research donates an example of the selected gift to the museum’s collections.
Scroll through previous Christmas Gifts of the Years
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2024
The Unisex Fragrance
The Christmas Gift of the Year 2024 was inspired by “the lipstick effect”. When larger purchases are put on hold, consumers still choose to treat themselves to small everyday pleasures.
-
2023
The Board Game
When events around the world divide us, the Christmas Gift of the Year gives us something to gather around. The Board Game was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2023.
-
2022
The Hand-Knitted Garment
We were living through uncertain times. At the same time, interest in traditional crafts had been rekindled. The Hand-Knitted Garment was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2022.
-
2021
The Event Ticket
Swedes were longing to experience culture again. The coming year was expected to be shaped by socialising, recreation and pent-up demand for experiences. The Event Ticket was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2021.
-
2020
The Camping Stove
2020 was the year Swedes rediscovered the country’s natural landscapes. The Camping Stove therefore represented the unusual times we were living through.
-
2019
The Mobile Phone Box
Swedish consumers had begun to seriously reflect on what happens to our sleep, relationships, concentration and mental health when our phones exert a constant pull on our attention.
-
2018
The Recycled Garment
Clothing made from recycled materials or bought second-hand reflected Swedish consumers’ growing interest in sustainable alternatives and increasing concern about the climate and environment.
-
2017
The E-Bike
The E-Bike reflected Swedish consumers’ growing climate awareness, their desire to look after their health and their wish to be free, flexible and, at times, comfortable.
-
2016
The VR Headset
The VR Headset showed that we were living in a digital age of constantly emerging technologies. At the same time, we had entered an experience economy in which added value and enhanced experiences were expected in almost every situation.
-
2015
The Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Interest in the home was strong, with increasing numbers of people investing in their living spaces. Consumers also saw time as a scarce resource and sought tools that could make everyday life easier.
-
2014
The Fitness Tracker
The Fitness Tracker was growing in popularity and became a symbol of health-conscious consumers who wanted to share their achievements with others.
-
2013
The Juicer
The Christmas Gift of the Year 2013 reflected the combined food and health trend emerging in Sweden, as increasing numbers of people wanted to prepare high-quality food from scratch.
-
2012
The Headphones
Headphones allowed consumers to enjoy the growing range of services being launched, including film and music streaming, fitness apps and audiobooks.
-
2011
The Meal Kit
E-commerce was growing rapidly and beginning to spread beyond the sectors in which it had traditionally been successful. Meal kits achieved their real breakthrough and helped accelerate the previously limited online grocery market.
-
2010
The Tablet
Digital communication had become an important part of everyday life for many people.
-
2009
The Acupressure Mat
2009 was the year the Acupressure Mat found its way into many Swedish homes and sales began to soar.
-
2008
The Experience
2008 was the first year HUI selected a service rather than a product as the Christmas Gift of the Year, reflecting the increasingly prominent role of services in consumption.
-
2007
The GPS Navigator
The GPS Navigator rapidly evolved from an expensive and difficult-to-use device used mainly by professional drivers into one of the biggest-selling products in Swedish electronics retail.
-
2006
The Audiobook
The Audiobook reflected growing interest in a new format for enjoying books.
-
2005
The Poker Set
The Poker Set reflected the rise of experience-led consumption and offered a social activity that had attracted and engaged people for many years.
-
2004
The Flat-Screen TV
2004 was the first year in which sales of flat-screen televisions exceeded those of traditional CRT televisions.
-
2003
The Beanie
The Beanie reflected the growing popularity of sports and outdoor retail, as a new health trend swept across Sweden.
-
2002
The Cookbook
A reduction in VAT at the turn of 2001 and 2002 caused book prices to fall by almost ten percentage points, giving Swedish booksellers a major boost.
-
2001
The Tool
Household spending on tools and building-related products was increasing.
-
2000
The DVD Player
The DVD Player was becoming more affordable and accessible, while the range of both players and films continued to expand.
-
1999
The Book
Book sales increased following the publication of Bibel 2000, a new Swedish translation of the Bible.
-
1998
The Computer Game
Digital games moved from the television screen to the increasingly popular home computer.
-
1997
The Electronic Pet
The Electronic Pet was a craze that quickly took off and disappeared almost as rapidly.
-
1996
The Internet Package
A new era had begun.
-
1995
The CD
The CD was transforming how music was bought and sold.
-
1994
The Mobile Phone
Mobile phones were not yet commonplace. New technology was making them accessible to more people and putting them on Christmas wish lists across Sweden.
-
1993
The Fragrance
The abolition of a luxury tax on products such as chocolate and perfume contributed to growing sales of fragrances and other beauty products.
-
1992
The Games Console
Games consoles such as Nintendo and Sega were growing in popularity.
-
1991
The CD Player
The CD Player was transforming how people listened to music in Swedish homes.
-
1990
The Wok
Interest in Asian food was growing in Sweden. Restaurants serving Thai and Indian food were opening, as were sushi bars.
-
1989
The Camcorder
By the end of the 1980s, technology was developing that allowed people to record their own videos on VHS.
-
1988
The Bread Maker
HUI, then known as the Swedish Research Institute of Trade, launched the Christmas Gift of the Year in 1988 as a way of bringing greater attention to its December forecast for Christmas retail. The first gift selected was the Bread Maker. It did not become a commercial success and many ended up being discounted after Christmas.
-
-
2023
The Board Game
When events around the world divide us, the Christmas Gift of the Year gives us something to gather around. The Board Game was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2023.
-
2021
The Event Ticket
Swedes were longing to experience culture again. The coming year was expected to be shaped by socialising, recreation and pent-up demand for experiences. The Event Ticket was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2021.
-
2019
The Mobile Phone Box
Swedish consumers had begun to seriously reflect on what happens to our sleep, relationships, concentration and mental health when our phones exert a constant pull on our attention.
-
2017
The E-Bike
The E-Bike reflected Swedish consumers’ growing climate awareness, their desire to look after their health and their wish to be free, flexible and, at times, comfortable.
-
2015
The Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Interest in the home was strong, with increasing numbers of people investing in their living spaces. Consumers also saw time as a scarce resource and sought tools that could make everyday life easier.
-
2013
The Juicer
The Christmas Gift of the Year 2013 reflected the combined food and health trend emerging in Sweden, as increasing numbers of people wanted to prepare high-quality food from scratch.
-
2011
The Meal Kit
E-commerce was growing rapidly and beginning to spread beyond the sectors in which it had traditionally been successful. Meal kits achieved their real breakthrough and helped accelerate the previously limited online grocery market.
-
2009
The Acupressure Mat
2009 was the year the Acupressure Mat found its way into many Swedish homes and sales began to soar.
-
2007
The GPS Navigator
The GPS Navigator rapidly evolved from an expensive and difficult-to-use device used mainly by professional drivers into one of the biggest-selling products in Swedish electronics retail.
-
2005
The Poker Set
The Poker Set reflected the rise of experience-led consumption and offered a social activity that had attracted and engaged people for many years.
-
2003
The Beanie
The Beanie reflected the growing popularity of sports and outdoor retail, as a new health trend swept across Sweden.
-
2001
The Tool
Household spending on tools and building-related products was increasing.
-
1999
The Book
Book sales increased following the publication of Bibel 2000, a new Swedish translation of the Bible.
-
1997
The Electronic Pet
The Electronic Pet was a craze that quickly took off and disappeared almost as rapidly.
-
1995
The CD
The CD was transforming how music was bought and sold.
-
1993
The Fragrance
The abolition of a luxury tax on products such as chocolate and perfume contributed to growing sales of fragrances and other beauty products.
-
1991
The CD Player
The CD Player was transforming how people listened to music in Swedish homes.
-
1989
The Camcorder
By the end of the 1980s, technology was developing that allowed people to record their own videos on VHS.
-
-
-
2024
The Unisex Fragrance
The Christmas Gift of the Year 2024 was inspired by “the lipstick effect”. When larger purchases are put on hold, consumers still choose to treat themselves to small everyday pleasures.
-
2022
The Hand-Knitted Garment
We were living through uncertain times. At the same time, interest in traditional crafts had been rekindled. The Hand-Knitted Garment was the Christmas Gift of the Year 2022.
-
2020
The Camping Stove
2020 was the year Swedes rediscovered the country’s natural landscapes. The Camping Stove therefore represented the unusual times we were living through.
-
2018
The Recycled Garment
Clothing made from recycled materials or bought second-hand reflected Swedish consumers’ growing interest in sustainable alternatives and increasing concern about the climate and environment.
-
2016
The VR Headset
The VR Headset showed that we were living in a digital age of constantly emerging technologies. At the same time, we had entered an experience economy in which added value and enhanced experiences were expected in almost every situation.
-
2014
The Fitness Tracker
The Fitness Tracker was growing in popularity and became a symbol of health-conscious consumers who wanted to share their achievements with others.
-
2012
The Headphones
Headphones allowed consumers to enjoy the growing range of services being launched, including film and music streaming, fitness apps and audiobooks.
-
2010
The Tablet
Digital communication had become an important part of everyday life for many people.
-
2008
The Experience
2008 was the first year HUI selected a service rather than a product as the Christmas Gift of the Year, reflecting the increasingly prominent role of services in consumption.
-
2006
The Audiobook
The Audiobook reflected growing interest in a new format for enjoying books.
-
2004
The Flat-Screen TV
2004 was the first year in which sales of flat-screen televisions exceeded those of traditional CRT televisions.
-
2002
The Cookbook
A reduction in VAT at the turn of 2001 and 2002 caused book prices to fall by almost ten percentage points, giving Swedish booksellers a major boost.
-
2000
The DVD Player
The DVD Player was becoming more affordable and accessible, while the range of both players and films continued to expand.
-
1998
The Computer Game
Digital games moved from the television screen to the increasingly popular home computer.
-
1996
The Internet Package
A new era had begun.
-
1994
The Mobile Phone
Mobile phones were not yet commonplace. New technology was making them accessible to more people and putting them on Christmas wish lists across Sweden.
-
1992
The Games Console
Games consoles such as Nintendo and Sega were growing in popularity.
-
1990
The Wok
Interest in Asian food was growing in Sweden. Restaurants serving Thai and Indian food were opening, as were sushi bars.
-
1988
The Bread Maker
HUI, then known as the Swedish Research Institute of Trade, launched the Christmas Gift of the Year in 1988 as a way of bringing greater attention to its December forecast for Christmas retail. The first gift selected was the Bread Maker. It did not become a commercial success and many ended up being discounted after Christmas.
-