{
  "id": 7731537,
  "title": "Gen Z is the most online generation but this Christmas, they want gifts to get them outside",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/gen-z-is-the-most-online-generation-but-this-christmas-they-want",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-16T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/09/16/gen-z-analog-gifts-christmas-holidays/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gen Z, often labeled as the most connected generation, is seeking a break from their digital devices during the holiday season. According to PwC’s 2026 Holiday Outlook report, 78% of Gen Z respondents are interested in screen-free gifts such as puzzles, art supplies, and gift cards, compared to 64% among all consumers. This shift towards analog gifts is not just limited to presents, with 81% of Gen Zers prioritizing in-person activities during the holidays, and 63% valuing shared meals over gifts.\n\nPwC’s U.S. consumer markets industry leader, Ali Furman, explained that Gen Z values tangible, personal, and social items that technology cannot fully replicate. This sentiment echoes a yearning for the 1990s, a period of economic prosperity that allowed for a \"good Christmas\" filled with gifts and nostalgia. Mark Beal, a Rutgers professor who has written about Gen Z, noted that Gen Zers are drawn to the allure of returning to a simpler time.\n\nThe desire for a physical holiday experience is evident in PwC’s findings, with 61% of Gen Z consumers saying that seeing decorations and feeling a holiday atmosphere in person makes the season feel genuine. This preference for in-person experiences is driving Gen Z to spend less time online, leading to a revival of analog hobbies like knitting, gardening, birding, and painting. Arianna Lebed, creative director at advertising agency MAS, highlighted that Gen Z appreciates the finite, tactile, and lived nature of physical objects, shared meals, and in-person experiences.\n\nRetailers are adapting to Gen Z’s preference for in-person shopping, with Target allocating $5 billion towards remodeling and opening new stores. Malls are experiencing a resurgence, with Simon Property Group launching an '80s and '90s inspired marketing campaign showcasing teenagers enjoying classic activities.\n\nHowever, despite Gen Z consumers projected to spend $12 trillion globally by 2030, they are expected to reduce their holiday gift spending by 9% this year to $533, while travel spending is projected to drop 29%.",
  "summary": "Beyond physical gifts, Gen Z also wants shared, in-person experiences, with three in five saying a shared meal matters more than a present",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}