Every holiday season, kids clamor for some crazy toy—the trends change so quickly, trying to keep up can give a parent whiplash. This year, kids of virtually any age (including adults!) are going wild for squishies, which only begs the questions: What are squishies? Where can you buy squishies? What's the big deal about squishy toys?

We're here to help. We've worked hard to become pros at the squishy game, enlisting YouTube star Moriah Elizabeth to fill in the gaps. Moriah's made a name for her creative remakes of old squishies: "I am really into [them] for the creativity aspect. . . . I've become obsessed with transforming pre-made squishies into my own creations." And with more than 1.6 million subscribers to her channel, if anyone's an expert, it's Moriah.

What Are Squishies?

A descendent of stress balls, squishies are toys whose main draw is not just bright colors and fun characters, but squeezability. The ultimate in squishies are the "slow rise" squishy, which means that once squeezed they take a longer time to return to their original form. "It's what makes a squishy different than a stress ball. It's more satisfying to squish," says Moriah, and we absolutely agree.

The general aesthetic of squishies is "cute," or to be more accurate "kawaii"—a Japanese word that means cute, sort of. Think Takashi Murakami, Hello Kitty, or even (to refer to another toy craze) Shopkins. Kawaii is imbuing ordinary objects, such as coffee mugs and chocolate bars, with an adorable personality. To this end, squishies often have wide eyes and cute smiles painted on them.

What Kind of Squishies Are There?

"There's such a huge variety of shapes, themes, colors, and characters available, so it makes them collectible." Fans from all over send Moriah their worn-out squishies so she can revive them for her channel. The biggest squishy she was ever sent was a foot wide and shaped like half an orange. The craziest? Shaped like a mouth, teeth and all.

Here are some of the most common squishies:

Where to Buy Squishies

First, start at our site, where you can find all kids of squishy toys to choose from. (Click here to shop squishies.)

A great gift idea is to sign a kid up for a monthly box from Club Squishy Surprise, who'll send your kid up to 5 squishies each month ($19 for a one-month subscription).