Adults ‘Reverse-Occupy’ Children‘s Day as Nostalgia Economy Booms
Adults now celebrate Children’s Day more earnestly than children. On social media, “Happy Children‘s Day” greetings pop up constantly, while posts featuring bouquets, milk tea, and cakes—captioned “happiest kid this June”—dominate feeds. What was once only for children has been increasingly “reverse-occupied” by adults.
Brands Cash in with Cute Marketing
Ahead of this Children’s Day, F&B IP collaborations have intensified. KFC launched a Disney Stitch toy set, Luckin Coffee a Hello Kitty collection, and Grandpa Never Makes Tea partnered with Chibi Maruko-chan. Most of these IPs originated in the 1980s–90s, forming shared childhood memories across generations.
The “adults can be kids too” theme resonates with young people seeking stress relief and nostalgia. At a MixC One milk tea shop, a customer told reporters, “Few holidays are just for adults. Work is hard, so I buy milk tea or flowers for a little ritual. I’ve always loved Maruko-chan, so I buy every collab.”
Licun Night Market is also drawing crowds with nostalgic snacks like spicy gluten strips and soda candy. “My parents never let me eat this ’junk food‘ as a kid. Now I call the shots,” a customer said.
For many, this is emotional compensation. “I wanted to be a photographer, but took a desk job my parents approved of. Buying myself this pocket camera for Children’s Day is like nurturing my inner child,” said Ms. Zhou, 29.
Nostalgia Market Expands Rapidly
JD.com data shows 56.8% of adults buy toys for themselves, and 51.1% say they celebrate Children‘s Day for themselves. This reflects a broader “childhood nostalgia”。
The childhood nostalgia market has grown over 20% annually for three years. China’s nostalgia economy reached 355.25 billion yuan in 2025 and is expected to exceed 580 billion yuan by 2030. This is a form of emotional consumption — resilient against economic cycles.
Liu Chunsheng, Associate Professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics, said nostalgia’s rise stems from social sentiment, generational spending power, and commercial innovation. “Post-80s and 90s generations have strong purchasing power. Brands have turned nostalgia from a niche hobby into a mainstream trend.”
However, Wang Peng, associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, warned businesses to avoid pure gimmickry: balance emotional value with practical use, ensuring nostalgia-driven marketing is sustainable, not a short-lived fad.
Editor: Wang Yining/ Zhang Yishuo
