By now, your TikTok FYP has probably been flooded with hyper-specific gift recommendations and that’s before you’ve even opened Instagram to see what retailers, influencers and publishers have lined up for you. Then there’s your inbox, where Substack writers offer their meticulously curated picks, each claiming to be the definitive edit.

In 2025, gift guides have become their own genre of content: part entertainment, part shopping list, part personality quiz. They’re no longer just about solving the age-old “What do I buy them?” dilemma; today, they’re a cultural signal. The titles are getting more niche, the edits more aesthetic, and the pressure to find a gift that says something meaningful about your relationship, your taste, and perhaps even your personal brand, is higher than ever.

But as the volume rises, so does a new question: are gift guides actually losing their impact?

The saturation is undeniable. When every creator is publishing a “cool girl” or “cosy friend” round-up, and every brand is pushing its version of “gifts they’ll really love,” the magic begins to thin. Instead of simplifying the decision-making process, the sheer abundance of guides can leave consumers fatigued, scrolling endlessly through the same candles, the same pyjamas, the same serum, the same “cult favourite” accessories.

Still, it would be too simplistic to say gift guides are going out of style. If anything, they’re evolving.

Today’s most successful guides are not sprawling lists but thoughtful, personal and highly curated. They’re created by people who genuinely understand their audience not just the demographic, but the mood, the aspiration, the lifestyle. These guides feel like a recommendation from a friend, not a sales pitch. They cut through the noise rather than adding to it.

Platforms like TikTok have also redefined the format, turning gift guides into micro-moments of storytelling rather than static shopping lists. And for influencers and publishers, they remain an essential tool for discovery, one that can genuinely drive visibility for emerging brands and independent makers who might otherwise never make it onto a mainstream wishlist.

So, are gift guides going out of style? Not quite. But the bar has risen dramatically.

In a landscape overflowing with options, the guides that will stand out this year are those that offer something human real insight, real taste, real care. Less algorithm, more personality. Less “30 things under £30”, more “Three things I genuinely love and why”.

Perhaps gift guides aren’t dying; they’re just demanding a little more thought. And honestly? That might be the gift we all need.