Australian parents are taking a trip down memory lane for this year's Christmas shopping, with retro, screen-free toys from their own childhoods becoming the must-have gifts of 2025.
The trend is a direct response to growing concerns about smartphone addiction, pushing items like MP3 players, instant film cameras, landline phones, and handheld games reminiscent of the classic Nintendo Game Boy to the top of wish lists.
The Rise of Screen-Free Entertainment
In chat groups and online forums, one of the most popular suggestions is the Mighty 3, a screen-free, portable music player that can sync playlists from popular streaming services like Spotify. Dubbed the 'iPod shuffle for the Spotify era,' it offers a safer way for children to enjoy music without the distractions of a screen.
Georgie Byrne, a mother from Karrinyup in Perth, gave the device to her eight-year-old daughter, Eadie, for this exact reason. "Eadie used to listen to music on an iPad, however it became so addictive and less about listening to music and more about searching for songs and looking at the video clips," Mrs Byrne explained. "With the Mighty 3, she chooses playlists and I sync them... which allows her to be in the moment, enjoying music while drawing or playing outside, like an old school Walkman did for us."
Eadie's younger sister, Florence, seven, received a Fujifilm Instax mini9 instant camera, highlighting the broader revival of tactile tech. This nostalgia wave also includes camcorders, Tamagotchi virtual pets, and arcade-style games.
Smartphone Pressure and Creative Alternatives
As discussions about potential social media bans for children continue, alternative communication devices like landlines and basic 'dumb' phones are also expected to be popular. Amy Friedlander, co-founder of the Wait Mate lobby group, said parents are actively seeking creative gifts to encourage outdoor play and reduce screen time.
She recommends instruments, science kits, board games, bikes, and scooters. Mrs Friedlander also highlighted the significant pressure parents feel to give children smartphones for Christmas, warning that it can be problematic. "Parents are realising smartphones shouldn't be positioned as gifts because once you make an item a gift, it transfers full ownership of that object to the recipient," she stated.
Record Spending Expected for Black Friday
The search for these unique gifts is set to fuel a record-breaking pre-Christmas spending spree. The official four-day Black Friday to Cyber Monday sales event is poised to see $6.8 billion in Australian spending, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan.
ARA chief executive Chris Rodwell confirmed this is a four per cent increase on last year, solidifying the event's place on the Australian retail calendar. The ARA estimates that a massive six million Australians will participate in the sales, with an average spend of $804 per person.
