Christmas 2025 Sees Surge in Lava Lamp Popularity Driven by Nostalgia and Design Trends
Mathmos, the iconic lava lamp manufacturer, has experienced a surge in demand ahead of Christmas 2025, leading to oversold stock and expected shortages in January. The festive season is marked by a significant rise in sales, signaling a third wave of lava lamp popularity fueled by mid-century interior design trends and renewed interest from Gen Z in late 1990s and early 2000s aesthetics.
Managing Director Cressida Granger attributes this resurgence to nostalgia and the calming, analogue nature of lava lamps. These lamps, which take about two hours to warm up, are increasingly used for mindfulness and improving focus. Mathmos, founded in 1963 by Edward Craven Walker under the original company Crestworth, continues to produce lamps with bottles filled by hand in its Poole, Dorset factory, which also houses assembly operations and a showroom. The company supports multilingual customer service across 10 international websites.
The Astro model remains the bestseller, with the 1990s rocket-shaped Telstar also enjoying strong popularity. Recent designs, including candle-lit versions, have broadened the appeal. Collaborations with notable names such as Rankin, Duran Duran, and Sabine Marcelis have kept the brand fresh, highlighted by a limited edition red Rolling Stones lamp released in November that sold out quickly and drew long queues at Carnaby Street.
Mathmos also has an active community of collectors, with many customers owning multiple lamps and some holding collections numbering in the hundreds. Lava lamps continue to be a popular gift item, sustaining the brand's relevance in contemporary retail.
