Shoppers are already writing Christmas lists, and the early data points to a simple theme: cozy comfort, small-luxury beauty, and yes, another round of water bottles.
GiftList, a wishlist platform, said people added more than 1 million gifts to its lists in the 30 days from September 23 through October 22, 2026. That was the first time the company passed one million additions in any 30-day window. More than 120,000 wishlists were active in that stretch, and the company published its Holiday Wish Report on October 26, 2026.
As your consumer shopping brief, here is what those early lists say before Black Friday hits.
What people want most
GiftList ranked products by how many different people saved them, counting the same product across every store that sells it and listing at most two products per brand.
- No. 1: Owala FreeSip water bottle
- No. 2: Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa Hair & Body Perfume Mists
- No. 3: HydroJug Traveler water bottle
- No. 4: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
- Also near the top: rhode Pocket Blush, Comfrt Dreamer Blanket, Birkenstock Boston clog, Kendra Scott Elisa necklaces, Coach Teri Shoulder Bag, adidas Samba OG sneakers, Alo Accolade Crew Neck Pullover, Toniebox 2, Garage fleece and tops, UGG Classic Ultra Mini boots, Apple AirPods Pro, and the Oura Ring 5
Water bottles led the list. GiftList said Owala’s FreeSip was saved by about 1.6 times as many people as the next gift, and HydroJug’s Traveler landed at No. 3 after a 90% jump in its share of savers.
Cozy comfort showed up clearly, with five of the top 20 tied to blankets, clogs, pullovers, boots, or hoodies. Small-luxury beauty matched that strength, with six of the top 20 in mists, lip balms, blush, and fragrance.
Most saved gifts were not luxury-priced. Among nearly half a million products saved with a U.S. dollar price in a mid-September to mid-October sample, the median price was $29.99. About 42% were under $25, and 71% were under $50.
Where the lists are coming from
Amazon remained the default wishlist store: 64% of people who added gifts saved at least one Amazon product, up from 54% a year earlier. Target, Walmart, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty all reached a bigger share of savers too.
The list-makers skew young. GiftList said 79% of people adding gifts were under 35, including 21% ages 13 to 17. About a third of the wishlists started in that 30-day window were Christmas lists.
What this means for holiday shoppers
A separate National Retail Federation survey published October 28, 2026 found 91% of consumers plan to celebrate the winter holidays, and NRF forecasts holiday retail sales of about $1.013 trillion, up 4.2% from 2025. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers, 64%, said they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their holiday shopping. Sales and discounts were the top factor in choosing where to shop, cited by 56%.
If you are buying from someone’s list this year:
- Everyday comfort gifts are safe bets: water bottles, soft hoodies, blankets, boots, and small beauty items people already named.
- Many popular saves sit under $50, so you can hit the trend without a luxury budget.
- Check Amazon, Target, Walmart, Sephora, and Ulta first if the list points there, then compare stock and price before Thanksgiving weekend crowds hit.
- GiftList’s founder noted there is often about a four-week gap between someone saving a gift in October and a friend or family member reserving or buying it. Early lists are a real signal, not just noise.
GiftList says its members are a self-selected group and saved gifts are not the same as sales. Still, a million early wishes give a clear picture of what people are asking for this Christmas: useful, cozy, and easy to wrap.
Source: GiftList Holiday Wish Report 2026; also NRF 2026 holiday shopping trends
