As Seen on Your Screen: Holiday Gift Guide
- Kaitlyn Chayeb
- 54 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Also known as the gifts everyone wants because we’ve all seen the ads 100 times.
Let’s be honest: Half the things we put on our holiday wish lists are there because a brand pulled off a strong PR moment — a celebrity campaign hits just right, an influencer makes a product look life-changing or a brand quietly becomes the main sponsor of your social feed.
So instead of pretending we shop in a vacuum, here’s a gift guide inspired by the products that owned the conversation in 2025. If your feed was obsessed with it, your friends will be too.
1. Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Collection Featuring Céline Dion
Charlotte Tilbury did what Charlotte Tilbury does best: made us all want new makeup we don't need. All she had to do was to pair it with a gorgeous campaign starring Céline Dion. It was everywhere — Instagram, YouTube, your group chat. The brand’s palettes and lip products are positioned as the perfect gift for holiday-party glamour and confidence.
“Pillow Talk Icons On The Go” Via: Charlotte Tilbury
2. UGG Tazz Platform Slippers
UGG’s 2025 vibe was cozy, nostalgic and majorly aesthetic. The Tazz slippers came roaring back thanks to street-style posts and TikTok creators who styled them with just about everything. They’re warm, they’re cute, and they’re the kind of gift people won’t say they want out loud but secretly do.
“Women’s Tazz II” Via: UGG
3. Stanley Quencher (yes, still)
If you thought the Stanley craze was slowing down, this year proved otherwise. The 2025 collabs and influencer drops were everywhere — every color sold out instantly, and every video started with “You NEED this cup.” Whether it’s for a gym girl, your friend who’s chronically dehydrated or your coworker who always has a tumbler in hand, it’s sure to be a hit.
4. Rare Beauty Lip Oils
Rare Beauty has been winning this year. Selena Gomez’s mental-health-first approach to public relations and accessibility-first packaging continues to resonate, and the lip oils became one of those universal “it looks good on everyone” products. These are a must for stocking stuffers, Secret Santa or any lip-product hoarders out there.
“Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil” Via: Rare Beauty
5. Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mist
Thanks to constant chatter and fan adoration, Sol de Janeiro has dominated “BeautyTok” for years. Every new mist has its viral scent moment. These are fun, feel-good gifts that say “I smell like summer vacation” — even when it’s 38 degrees outside.
“Body Care Extravaganza Celebration Set” Via: Sol de Janeiro
6. Apple Products
Apple brought back its annual holiday ad as part of its “Shot on iPhone” campaign, and to be expected, everyone immediately wanted the latest devices. If you’re shopping for someone who loves tech, takes too many photos or constantly loses their earbuds, you can’t go wrong here.
“Buy Apple iPhone 17” and “Buy Apple AirPods 4” Via: Apple
7. Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones
Sony launched its newest headphones with a sleek, creator-driven campaign aimed at travelers and music lovers, and they instantly became the recommended pick for anyone wanting premium sound — or noise-canceling peace.
8. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon’s “Bring a Book to Life” campaign opened a new chapter with the release of a beautifully crafted short film. Everyone suddenly felt the nostalgia of doomscroll-free hobbies. The Paperwhite is light, simple and perfect for the friend who says they want to read more but never actually buys the books.
“Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB” Via: Amazon
Maybe most of our holiday shopping is just admitting defeat to the algorithm. These brands followed our patterns year-round, popping up between every Instagram scroll and YouTube video until we finally caved — and honestly? Fair.
If you’re still debating what to buy, consider this your sign to start online. The internet has already curated the “it” gifts — so here’s to stress-free shopping. May your cart (and your holiday season) feel a bit lighter.