DIY kits, yo-yos, and glow-ups ruled holiday gifting on Shopify

Cost-conscious consumers skipped run-of-the-mill gifts in December in favor of more creative picks, with sets and kits surging across hobbyist and DIY categories, per data shared first with Retail Brew.

Sales of items like paddle ball sets jumped 251%, followed by candle-making kits (121%), science and exploration sets (120%), bocce ball sets (111%), beading and jewelry-making kits (73%), and paint-by-number kits (54%).

For shoppers less interested in fueling their inner creative, classic toys and nostalgic favorites did the trick. Sales of yo-yos rose 76%, alongside kaleidoscopes (64%), footbags (61%), xylophones (56%), hula hoops (33%), and toy trains and train sets (29%).

New year, rejuvenated me: But the best gift of all is the gift of self-care which, in uncertain times, comes in especially handy.

Orders for lighted vanities climbed 157%, followed by bath sponges and loofahs (46%), eye masks (35%), manicure tool sets (34%), skin-cleansing brush sets (31%), and hairbrushes and combs (21%).

Time apart-y: Of course, no new year is complete without a celebration—and shoppers were clearly in the mood to party heading into New Year’s Eve.

Sales of noise makers surged 95%, while party hats rose 85%. Shoppers also stocked up on cocktail glasses (48%), champagne flutes (40%), disco balls (33%), cocktail picks (31%), crepe paper streamers (29%), and confetti (22%).