11/13/25 - Hot Gifts, Latest (old) Fashion, and Sounds and Names

Thursday 11/13/25

Celebrate:

Actor's Day

Guinness World Records Day

National Bread Pudding Day

National Indian Pudding Day

National Mom's and Dad's Day

Start a Rumor Day

Symphonic Metal Day

World Kindness Day

World Quality Day

World Usability Day

Sadie Hawkins Day originated in 1937 from Al Capp's comic strip, Li'l Abner, which ran from 1934 to 1977. In the comic strip, Sadie Hawkins was the homely looking daughter of Hekzebiah Hawkins, and at the age of 35 she had not yet married. In an effort to marry her off, Hekzebiah brought together all the unmarried men of the town of Dogpatch, and had them run out of town while being pursued by Sadie Hawkins. Whoever lost the foot race had to marry Sadie Hawkins, and this ended up being John Jonston.

The day inspired real life Sadie Hawkins events, including Sadie Hawkins dances, where women ask men to dances.

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The interstellar comet (alien overlords ship) is on its way toward Earth again and will make its closest approach on December 19th. Astronomers are studying its unusual acceleration and color change.

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Some fashion trend forecasters are seeing a rise in "Medievalcore" or "Castlecore." People are embracing dark, dramatic looks inspired by the Middle Ages, incorporating velvet, corsets, lace-up bodices, billowing sleeves, chunky boots, and even chainmail-style accessories into their daily outfits.

Additionally, the revival of mead, an alcoholic beverage with historical roots, has been embraced by enthusiasts seeking a taste of the past.

Music genres such as "Bardcore," which reimagines modern songs with medieval instrumentation and themes, have gained popularity online.

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Top 3 Trending Holiday "It" Items

While there isn’t one big gift like Cabbage Patch Dolls or Tickle Me Elmo, these might be in high demand!

"Wicked" Dolls and Tie-Ins

With the movie opening next weekend.

The highly anticipated "Wicked: For Good" Singing Dolls (Elphaba and Glinda) are predicted to be one of the season's top sellers. Movie tie-in merchandise is always popular, and this film is driving significant demand.

Blind Boxes and Collectibles (Pop Mart's Labubu)

Blind Box toys are a massive trend, driven by social media "unboxing" videos.

Pop Mart's Labubu figures, which are mystery collectible boxes, have seen a massive surge in popularity, with some reports showing revenue increases of over 1,200% year-over-year in the U.S. They are featured on Google's top-searched gifts list.

The overall collectible category, including Funko Bitty POP! and Pokémon Trading Card Game items, continues to be extremely popular with both kids and "kidults."

Viral and Trend-Driven Playsets

The Mini Brands Fill the Fridge Playset capitalizes on the viral "fridge restocking" videos and the popularity of miniature collectibles.

Other Hot Items Making the Lists

Building Sets: LEGO remains a giant, 

Active/Creative Play: Toys like Air Toobz (a buildable tube system) and MAGNA-TILES Rail Racers are frequently highlighted for hands-on, creative fun.

But really it could be The Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup. 

It has broken the internet and pockets. The $29.95 holiday mug sparked lines at 4 a.m., brawls in stores, and resellers auctioning it for up to $10k! People online are questioning just how far consumerism will go—and honestly, the frenzy is… wild. 

To be fair, they only provided 2-5 per store.

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Does the sound of your name have any bearing on your personality? Maybe the bouba-kiki effect has the answers.

In 1929, German American psychologist Wolfgang Köhler carried out an elegantly simple experiment. He showed test subjects two shapes: one rounded and cloudlike, the other sharp and spiky. He then asked them to assign one of the made-up names “takete” or “maluma” to each shape. He found that an overwhelming majority of people matched “maluma” with the rounded shape and “takete” with the angular one. 

The experiment was repeated in 2001 with the same results.

We tend to associate sharp words to spiky objects, and softer words with rounder objects.

“Smoother-sounding names like Molly get associated with things like being more agreeable, more emotional, more conscientious, whereas the harsher, spikier-sounding names are thought of as being more extroverted.” Names that are rich in soft, rounded sounds — for example, Bobby, Emma, or Liam — tend to be associated with warmth, approachability, and gentleness. In contrast, names featuring harder consonants and sharper sounds — Kirk, Kate, Viktor — can be perceived as energetic, projecting qualities such as strength, competence, and decisiveness.

But don't worry, there doesn't seem to be an association with name and personality. Maybe just first impressions from other people.

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A man in Germany, frustrated with his local tax office, showed up with a wheelbarrow containing 65,000 individual one- and two-cent coins to pay a €650 bill. The office refused, saying it wasn't legal tender in that quantity.

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A quirky tech and lifestyle trend is using sensors connected to houseplants to turn their electric signals into ambient sounds and music. Essentially, people are giving their potted plants a voice (often a lo-fi or chill-out beat) and using this "plant music" for relaxation or background ambiance.

This is all well and good until your Ficus in the corner decides to have a concert in the middle of the night!

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A growing number of people are taking back control of their attention by setting strict boundaries with their technology. This involves curating social media feeds to only show value-adding content, muting unnecessary notifications, and designating specific "no-phone" hours or areas (like the dining table or bedroom) to improve focus and sleep quality.

Can we please make it so apps don't ask you every day if you want your notifications on? Stop it!

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One of the biggest lifestyle trends this year is Third-Space Revival. It's not home, it's not the office. It's cafés, libraries, co-working lounges, and creative hubs designed to provide community and connection outside of traditional settings.

Sociologists argue these spaces are vital for fostering belonging and sparking casual innovation—something our screen-heavy lifestyles often lack. With loneliness on the rise globally, third spaces are increasingly recognized as essential for mental and emotional well-being.

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