Gone are the days of teens and tweens asking for video games and toys for holidays. Today, the average holiday list includes LuluLemon leggings (running from $98 to $118) and Drunk Elephant skincare sold at a price point that many adults wouldn’t spend on themselves.
The idea of kids wanting brand-name gifts isn’t anything new, but what is surprising to parents is how young kids are asking for skincare products not made for young skin, or other more “adult” asks. But some of this is thanks to TikTok, according to Adrianna Crossing, an assistant professor in applied psychology at Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences.
Crossing, who has a background in child psychology, says teens are particularly vulnerable to social media and influencers. Around age 13, most children start undergoing a developmental shift and go from looking to their parents as a source of influence to their peers, she says. This is not new. What is new though is social media that allows teens a larger glimpse into the lives of both their peers and influencers.
The result is teens trying to keep up with what they see online, leading to much more designer-heavy (and pricey) wish lists than some parents have seen in holiday seasons of yore.
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