Every year, my 15-year-old sister sends my family her Christmas list, and it gives me a snapshot into the hallways of high schools for Gen Alpha.
As the youngest of three sisters, she sends the list to our mom, our eldest sister, and me to divvy up how we see fit. I’ve come to expect it to be long and detailed down to the exact style and color she’s looking for.
However, this year I was caught off guard by the presence of some brands that my 30-year-old sister and I, a 26-year-old, were obsessed with at her age. Fashion is cyclical, but it’s always interesting to see it unfold in real time, even if it makes me feel like I’m ancient.
My little sister is a dancer, so I wasn’t shocked to see workout gear from popular athleisure brands, such as Lululemon, Alo, and Nike. The big surprises came from her requests for items I hadn’t thought about since middle school. She asked for Victoria’s Secret vanilla-scented body mist, flair leggings, and Ed Hardy sweatsuits, which were hot when I was growing up, for example.
Brands like Hollister and UGG have each had a strong year in 2025, with double-digit year-over-year sales growth in their most recent quarters. They’re making big comebacks with Gen Alpha teens, according to Piper Sandler’s semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey, published in April.
My sister is no different, with multiple styles of UGG shoes and a specific Hollister item making the long list.
Although a lot of the items sparked nostalgia for me — the Nike Elite backpack was a must-have when I was growing up — she also requested some brands that have popped off more recently. Fast-fashion brand PrettyLittleThing and Kim Kardashian’s Skims are still establishing themselves as go-to options for young shoppers, such as my sister, for example.
Here’s the full list of what my sister wants to see under the tree this year.
- Pink iPad
- Light pink Beats Studio Pro headphones
- Lululemon exercise set
- Lululemon backpack and keychain
- Skims tops
- Nike Elite backpack (pink or black)
- Black Alo workout set
- Nike workout gear (socks, leggings, and a jacket)
- Pink Stanley tumbler
- Victoria’s Secret flair leggings and jacket
- Bare Vanilla Victoria’s Secret body mist
- Goddess by Burberry perfume
- Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush perfume
- Pandora bracelet
- UGG shoes (mini, slippers, or Lowmel)
- “NOOO PLATFORM Tazz Uggs”
- PrettyLittleThing set
- Ed Hardy sweatsuit (pink, red, white, black)
- Light pink Moon Boots
- Deer print blanket
- Hollister pink puffer jacket
- Ferrero Rocher chocolate
Her one caveat: We don’t have to buy everything on the list. Thank goodness.
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