Christmas Gift of the Year | Årets Julklapp 2025

Toys for adults are the "Årets Julklapp 2025," the Christmas Gift of the Year in Sweden, says the Swedish research company HUI. The toys can range from advanced building kits to coloring books with detailed patterns intended for adults. “We are seeing a shift where an increasing proportion of sales in the toy trade are made up of products that are marketed to adults,” says Emma Hernell, CEO of HU. The "kidult" trend of adults engaging in activities that we have traditionally associated with children ... 

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  . The "kidult" trend of adults engaging in activities that we have traditionally associated with children, has taken hold in recent years and gained traction in both the broader popular culture and in what we consume. Photo courtesy of LEGO

• “We are seeing a shift where an increasing proportion of sales in the toy trade are made up of products that are marketed to adults,” says Emma Hernell, CEO of HUI, in a press release. The "kidult" trend of adults engaging in activities that we have traditionally associated with children, has taken hold in recent years and gained traction in both the broader popular culture and in what we consume. Among adults, toys as a hobby have gone from niche to mainstream and are a way to create community with others who share the same interest, not least via social media.

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  Toys for adults are the Christmas Gift of the Year (Årets Julklapp 2025) in Sweden

• The choice of this year's Christmas gift is motivated by the fact that the traditional toy industry has had a tough time for several years as the birth rate in Sweden is historically low, and where activities and screens are increasingly competing for children's attention. This has led to an upward trend where more toys are now being marketed to – and bought by – adults.
  “Toys for adults reflect our time, as turbulence and economic uncertainty in the world create a need for play and escape from reality, something that toys and childhood nostalgia make possible," writes HUI.
  This is the 38th year in a row that HUI, which is owned by the Swedish Trade organization, has chosen the Christmas gift of the year.
  The fastest growing consumer in the toy industry is not a kid. A new generation of adults is rewriting the rules of play, driving billions in annual sales and reshaping how toy brands approach product development and marketing. These buyers, known as kidults, are fueling growth as they seek nostalgia, collectibles, and high-end toys once marketed exclusively to children. According to Chicago based Circana, formerly known as NPD Group data, these consumers now account for one-fourth of all toy sales annually, generating around $9 billion in revenue. Brands that once targeted parents shopping for kids are now catering directly to an audience willing to spend more for limited-edition action figures, premium Lego sets, and collectibles tied to their beloved franchises.