As we begin to settle into the holiday season, there is one main topic of discussion, a question that haunts everybody’s minds: what will they get their loved ones this holiday season? There are many different factors to consider when trying to figure out how to get someone the perfect gift: likes and dislikes, usefulness and efficiency. How do you narrow it down to what is perfect for that special individual?

This year, the grueling task of finding the perfect gift will hopefully be easier than in previous years. Students and staff of WJ were interviewed and asked what the number one gift that they would want for the holiday season would be. After many interviews, a list was created that includes the most common answers to what people wanted for the holidays.

Clothes:
The gift most people want this holiday season is clothes. From matching sets to new pajamas, clothes were the number one answer given when asked what people want this holiday season. While there is so much variety of options to choose from when discussing the topic of clothing, it becomes easier to narrow it down when considering the person and their style or specific requests that they made. Many stores are now trending where people would like to get clothes from like Hollister, Garage and Abercrombie.

Money/Gift Cards:
Gift cards are definitely the easier approach to getting someone a gift, but they can still be given with thorough thought and care. Giving someone a gift card to their favorite store shows you care for them just as much as if you had gotten them the clothes from that store, hence why many people responded with money as their answer. It gives an individual more freedom to choose something they truly want.

Jewelry:
Jewelry is a highly requested item that individuals want for this holiday season. It’s the finishing touch to every outfit! Most jewelry places sell both gold and silver, so it’s important to consider the person’s preferences before getting them any type of jewelry. There are plenty of high-end stores like Pandora to get jewels on the more expensive side, but stores like Everjewel have more affordable jewelry that many individuals would like.

Makeup:
Makeup was the fourth most requested item, because many individuals use it daily and therefore run out of it quickly, so they need new supplies. Makeup can be found in almost any store, from drugstores like CVS to high-end stores like Ulta and Sephora. Considering your person’s likes and dislikes will help narrow down ideas of exactly what to get them in terms of makeup.

All things scented!
Halfway through the list are all things scented, from perfumes to candles. These gifts often come in smaller packaging and are less recognized, but do serve a useful purpose. When considering how to get someone a scented item that they would like, it’s really important to understand their taste and preferences, which is likely why people prefer getting and receiving clothes. However, scented items provide comfort and bring happiness into the holiday season. Bath & Body Works is the number one spot to find a wide variety of nicely scented items. Their candles and room fresheners are useful and smell delightful.

Accessories:
The sixth gift on the list was broadly categorized as accessories, but when deeply thinking about what it could mean, there are plenty of different subcategories that fit. It’s common that people would want technological accessories for the holidays, like an Apple Watch, computer, AirPods or digital cameras. These would serve as useful tools in everyday life. There are also room accessories that include things like lamps, carpets, new drawers, a fan and more. Seniors especially are beginning to ask for more room accessories as preparation for college next year. This goes hand in hand with house decor. Other types of accessories that people listed they want are clothing accessories like purses, belts and wallets.

Shoes:
The next present requested was shoes. Shoes are an essential part of an outfit, and many people go through pairs of shoes quickly, especially during the winter months. Therefore many individuals request shoes on their holiday wish list. There are many different brands people can look at to get high-quality shoes, like Ugg and Nike.

Family activities:
Number eight on the list is family activities. Spending quality time with your family during the holidays is very important and common, which is likely why it made the list. What’s meant by these family activities is usually going on vacations, which can be harder to give to someone physically. People value spending time with family and would prefer to be able to do it in a fun way during their holiday season.

Fidgets/Toys
Number nine fits into the current Gen Z obsessions: fidgets. It’s very common now for individuals to have the dumpling squishes, needohs or even slime. Labubus are more categorized as toys but are highly trending and highly requested gifts for individuals, not just for the holidays but also for birthdays.

Handmade gifts
The last gift on the list is any gift that fits into the category of something handmade. This includes anything that the individual took time and effort to create. A handmade card with detailed messages is a simple example of a thoughtful gift. While it’s at the end of the list, people requested it enough that it made the Top 10 because of its uniqueness and heartfelt component.

This winter, instead of struggling for hours for ideas of what to get your loved ones, the Top 10 Holiday gift list will be there to help guide and provide you with the best starting ideas of what presents to get your loved ones.