These Are the Top 2023 Holiday Trends You Need to Know About
Decorating and gifting tips for the upcoming season.
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There are two types of people in this world—one that gears up for the holidays the day after Labor Day and the other that will buy a tree, presents, and decor a mere week (or even days) before the actual event. Now I’m not saying one is better than the other—celebrate the holidays the way you want to! But it’s no surprise that the folks at Etsy are in camp number one here—they just released their 2023 Holiday Trend Guide, which looks at how people will be decorating and gifting this holiday season.
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“What I love about this year’s trends is that they all have classic holiday elements that we love so much, but have uniquely modern takes,” says Etsy Trend Expert Dayna Isom Johnson. “Take ‘gingerbread girl,’ for example. This trend embraces the nostalgia and charm we crave during the holidays but pulls in elements from other popular 2023 trends like ‘tomato girl’ and ‘cottagecore.’”
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When it comes to decorating, other trends include “mantelscaping,” where people will be going all out with their mantels; “grandpa chic,” a masculine spin on grandmillennial and coastal grandmother styles; and “candycore,” which is inspired by playful, over-the-top sweet treats.
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“We’ve all seen trends cycling faster than ever, which is why the concept of duality—combining several, sometimes seemingly opposite, trends—has been so widely adopted throughout the year, and the holiday season is no different,” Dayna says. “This winter, we’ll see shoppers mix and match aspects of their favorite holiday trends to create a space that’s truly unique to them. The best part: There’s no right or wrong way to do this!”
As for gifting, Dayna predicts shoppers will be gifting with intention and gravitating towards special and meaningful gifts that will be used for years to come. Etsy’s new Gift Registry can also help with the gifting process—users can build and share their own holiday wish lists, whether they’re giving or receiving.
Take a Look at the 2023 Holiday Trends:
Gingerbread Girl
Move over ‘tomato girl’ summer, it’s time for ‘gingerbread girl’ winter. Dayna and the Etsy team think of this trend as “cottagecore’s baking-obsessed sister.” They further describe it as, “all about returning to a wholesome, rustic lifestyle that celebrates simplicity, tradition and, of course, all things baking.” Think warm tones, cozy textures, foraged decor, and vintage pieces.
For “gingerbread girl” finds Etsy saw that searches for wreath sashes doubled; ruffled bedding was up by 35%; gingham bedding was up by 34%; personalized recipe boxes up by 28%; and holiday cookie cutters up by 24%.
Mantelscaping
Much like tablescaping, mantelscaping is infusing the mantel with your own personal style and flair. Dayna’s pro tip for mantelscaping? Make sure to mix up the height, shape, and texture of your various decorative elements. And don’t forget to add sentimental pieces or family heirlooms.
In terms of searches, Etsy has seen an increase for candle lanterns (86%), ceramic trees (67%), and accent ornaments (52%).
Grandpa Chic
As mentioned above, this new trend is a masculine twist on the grand millennial and coastal grandmother trends. “Providing a warm sense of history and comfort, this distinguished decor aesthetic is characterized by rich tones—such as burgundy, olive green, and tobacco brown—and traditional materials like dark woods, plaid textiles, and leather,” Dayna says.
There’s been an increase in searches for this trend on Etsy, especially when it comes to leather and wood items. Leather pouf searches have tripled and searches for wood and marble coasters have quadrupled.
Elevated Entertaining
The Etsy team has found that searches for entertaining items have grown 10x, which means people are really ready to host this year, which makes sense when you think about the missed opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also found that shoppers are prioritizing well-made entertaining essentials that can be used year-round.
Skyrocketing searches include a 28,277% increase in zodiac tea towel searches; a 5,980% increase in natural linen placemat searches; and a 4,109% increase in searches for handmade barware or glassware. On the flip side, searches for disposable dining items are down.
Candycore
“Candycore is the trend I’m most excited to see this season,” Dayna says. “It marries two of the hottest summer trends of this year—Barbiecore and mermaidcore—but with a holiday twist. This trend is perfect for anyone looking to lean into all things pink this winter!” The Etsy team described “candycore” as “inspired by a sugary fantasy world filled with lollipops, candy canes, and gumdrops, this playful trend taps into the childlike enchantment of sweet treats and features holiday staples in iridescent materials, playful patterns, and delicious colors.”
Candycore-related searches include cotton candy cakes (which have more than doubled); iridescent sequined items (up 50%); and scalloped placemats, napkins, and runners (up 33%).
Meaningful Memories
Dayna and team also found that shoppers are prioritizing travel experiences this upcoming holiday season—and they’re looking for chic and stylish travel essentials to make their adventures more special.
Searches for travel essentials have grown 10x and travel planners have doubled on Etsy. In particular, birth flower travel cases have seen a 21,687% spike in searches.
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