# Gen Z wants puzzles and meals, not more screen time

> The most digital generation is craving analog gifts and in-person experiences this holiday season.
- Title: Gen Z wants puzzles and meals, not more screen time · Fortune
- Summary: The most digital generation is craving analog gifts and in-person experiences this holiday season. Gen Z's shift toward screen-free gifts and in-person…
- Keywords: gen z, christmas, holiday shopping, pwc, analog gifts, screen-free, retail, target, simon property group, in-person shopping, consumer spending, malls
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/09/16/gen-z-analog-gifts-christmas-holidays
- Author: Mia Osmonbekov
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gen z, christmas, holiday shopping, pwc, analog gifts, screen-free, retail, target, simon property group, in-person shopping, consumer spending, malls
## Gen Z wants screen-free gifts
Nearly four in five Gen Zers want puzzles, art supplies and gift cards this Christmas. That's 14 percentage points higher than all consumers.
## In-person moments matter most
Over 81% of Gen Z prioritizes in-person holiday activities. Sixty-three percent say a shared meal matters more than a present.

> The more digital everyday life becomes, the more value they seem to place on things technology can't fully replicate
## Nostalgia for pre-digital holidays
Gen Z revived a retro Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic last year with tartan plaid and candlesticks. They're yearning for the accessible prosperity of 1990s holidays.

> Gen Zers have a passion for traveling back in time to a world that existed before they were born
## Analog hobbies are making a comeback
Gen Z is driving the revival of knitting, gardening, birding and vinyl records. They want things that can be touched and made, not just scrolled.

> That makes physical objects, shared meals, and in-person experiences feel more meaningful because they are finite, tactile, friction-full
## Retailers invest billions in stores
Target is spending $5 billion remodeling stores as Gen Z shops in person. Mall values have risen 13% from last year, outpacing other commercial real estate.
## But Gen Z is spending less
Gen Z gift spending is expected to fall 9% this year to $533. Travel spending is projected to drop 29% despite their long-term buying power.
## Key takeaway

Gen Z's shift toward screen-free gifts and in-person activities is reshaping retail, with stores investing billions in physical spaces.