The Best Sneakers of the 2024 Holiday Season

What to Buy This Holiday Season for Sneakerheads

As 2024 comes to a close, the past 12 months have given rise to an impressive range of new sneaker designs. From groundbreaking technologies and innovative shapes showcased at the Paris Olympics to hybrid styles like the “snoafer,” oversized boots and a renewed emphasis on basketball performance, the footwear landscape is markedly different to the one that was driven by classic silhouettes this time last year.

With the holiday season in full swing, the sneaker release calendar enters its final stretch, starting with Singles’ Day on November 11 and culminating in the highly anticipated annual release of the Air Jordan 11. For sneaker enthusiasts, it’s not a stretch to say December is the most exciting time of the year.

Here’s your guide to the top sneaker releases of the 2024 holiday season.

11.11 Shoes (Singles’ Day)

Singles’ Day, celebrated annually on November 11, originated in Chinese university culture back in 1993 as a celebration of singlehood. Fast forward to 2024, and it has become the world's biggest shopping event. In the sneaker world, Singles’ Day marks the release of exclusive, highly anticipated drops, limited-edition collaborations and a range of special colorways. In 2023, it was the Wmns Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Neapolitan' that stole hearts, while 2022’s Wmns Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Midnight Navy Velvet' won plenty of admirers.

Wmns Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Bred Velvet'

The Air Jordan 11 Retro ‘Bred Velvet’ dominated the conversation this Singles’ Day. Designed as a women’s exclusive, the silhouette, considered one of Michael Jordan's personal favorites, was last released in 2019 but never with an all-over velvet treatment. The latest iteration is updated with luxurious materials, swapping out the original’s shiny patent leather mudguard for black velvet.

Christmas Day Games 

As is tradition, Christmas Day brings a slate of tantalizing matchups on the NBA calendar, including a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, where Luka Dončić and the Mavericks take on Anthony Edwards' Timberwolves. For sneaker enthusiasts, these games have also become a prime stage for brands and players to debut their boldest and most colorful styles. 

This tradition began in the 2018-19 season when the league relaxed its footwear color restrictions, designating Christmas Day as the date on the NBA calendar where they could showcase sneakers in any color combination. Iconic footwear to have debuted in the past includes the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 'Grinch' and adidas Trae Young 1 'Christmas.'

Christmas Colorways

Putting the festive season aside, Christmas sneaker colorways are not just for wearing in December. Many players opt to wear them year-round, with the bright color stories and designs popping on court. Below, some of the most notable colorways.

‘Grinch’/ ‘Reverse Grinch’

In 2010, Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers took on LeBron James' Miami Heat for Christmas Day. To mark the occasion, the Black Mamba stepped out on the court wearing a slime green iteration of the Kobe 6 that would become known as the ‘Grinch.’ The colorway remains one of the most immediately recognizable and iconic in the Kobe canon today, and was the first Kobe 6 to be updated with modern technology under the Kobe Protro program. 10 years later, on Christmas Day 2020, LA’s Anthony Davis put on a memorable performance as the Lakers won 138-115 over the Dallas Mavericks, doing so wearing ‘Grinch.’

‘Reverse Grinch’ flips the script on this legendary colorway, upending the shoe with a ‘Bright Crimson’ palette.

Jordan 11 Holiday Releases

Since 2008, Air Jordan has made a tradition of dropping the AJ11 during the holiday season, just weeks before Christmas. From reintroducing ‘Bred’ to the return of ‘Space Jam,’ for Air Jordan 11 fans, there is no bigger date in the calendar.

Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Legend Blue' 2024

The Air Jordan 11 ‘Legend Blue' headlines the 2024 holiday release. Debuted in 1996 and famously worn by Michael Jordan during the NBA All-Star Game, the colorway re-released in 2001 and made another comeback in 2014. 

The updated style is executed with a white leather upper and a matching patent leather mudguard. Black accents highlight the back tab and lining. A lightweight white Phylon midsole with an Air unit ensures comfort, while an icy, translucent rubber outsole reveals a carbon fiber shank for midfoot stability.

All Past Jordan 11 Holiday Releases

2006: Jordan 11 DMP ‘Concord - Defining Moments Pack’

• Release Date: 2006-01-28
• SKU: 136046-171
• Colorway: Concord
• Pack: DMP Defining Moments Pack

2008: Jordan 11 CDP Bred ‘Countdown Pack’

• Release Date: 2008-12-20
• SKU: 136046-062
• Family Sizing: Big Kids
• Colorway: Bred
• Pack: Men’s CDP, Big Kids CDP

2009: Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’

• Release Date: 2009-12-23
• SKU: 378037-041
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Little Kids, Toddler
• Colorway: Space Jam

2010: Jordan 11 ‘Cool Grey’

• Release Date: 2010-12-23
• SKU: 378037-001
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Little Kids
• Colorway: Cool Grey

2011: Jordan 11 ‘Concord’

• Release Date: 2011-12-23
• SKU: 378037-107
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Toddler
• Colorway: Concord

2012: Jordan 11 ‘Bred’

• Release Date: 2012-12-21
• SKU: 378037-010
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Little Kids, Toddler
• Colorway: Bred

2013: Jordan 11 ‘Gamma Blue’

• Release Date: 2013-12-21
• SKU: 378037-006
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Big Kids
• Colorway: Gamma Blue

2014: Jordan 11 ‘Pantone’

• Release Date: 2014-12-23
• SKU: 689479-405
• Colorway: Pantone
• Pack: ‘Ultimate Gift of Flight Pack’ 

2015: Jordan 11 ‘72-10’

• Release Date: 2015-12-12
• SKU: 378037-002
• Family Sizing: BT, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: 72-10

2016: Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’

• Release Date: 2016-12-09
• SKU: 378037-003
• Family Sizing: BG, BP, Toddler
• Colorway: Space Jam

2017: Jordan 11 ‘UNC’ / ‘Win like ‘82’

• Release Date: 2017-11-11
• SKU: 378037-123
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Little Kids, Toddler, Crib Bootie
• Colorway: UNC

2018: Jordan 11 ‘Concord’ 

• Release Date: 2018-12-08
• SKU: 378037-100
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Toddler, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: Concord

2019: Jordan 11 ‘Bred’ 

• Release Date: 2019-12-14
• SKU: 378037-061
• Family Sizing: Big Kids, Little Kids, Toddler, Crib Bootie
• Colorway: Bred

2020: Jordan 11 ‘Jubilee / 25th Anniversary’ 

• Release Date: 2020-12-12
• SKU: CT8012-011
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Toddler, Little Kids, Big Kids, Women's
• Colorway: Jubilee

2021: Jordan 11 ‘Cool Grey’

• Release Date: 2021-12-11
• SKU: CT8012-005
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Toddler, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: Cool Grey

2022: Jordan 11 ‘Cherry’ 

• Release Date: 2022-12-10
• SKU: CT8012-116
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Little Flex Toddler, Toddler, Little Flex Little Kids, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: Cherry

2023: Jordan 11 ‘Gratitude / Defining Moments’ 

• Release Date: 2023-12-09
• SKU: CT8012-170
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Little Flex Toddler, Toddler, Little Flex Little Kids, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: Gratitude
• Pack: DMP

2024: Jordan 11 ‘Legend Blue / Columbia’ 

• Release Date: 2024-12-14
• SKU: CT8012-104
• Family Sizing: Crib Bootie, Toddler, Little Kids, Big Kids
• Colorway: Legend Blue / Columbia

Other Holiday Releases

The holiday release season doesn’t begin and end with Air Jordan. Below, a list of some additional highlights.

• Ja 2 'Tree Topper' 
• Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG SP 'Velvet Brown' 
• Travis Scott x Zoom Field Jaxx 'Limelight' 
• Travis Scott x Zoom Field Jaxx 'Light Chocolate' 
• Kobe 9 Protro EM 'Gift of Mamba' 
• Air Zoom Spiridon OG 'Sport Red' 2024 
• Book 1 'Nightmare Before Christmas' 
• AE 1 Low ‘Christmas’ 
• Kobe 9 Elite Protro 'Christmas' 2024

Other Holiday Gifts

Buying shoes for certain people isn’t easy: whether it’s the discerning sister who is extremely picky about color choices or the hype-inclined nephew who is continually seeking the latest model. Then there are budget restrictions, where it can be difficult to source gifts under $250 or even under $100. Our gift guides have you covered. GOAT also offers an annual Winter Sale with new releases and iconic styles. ‘Instant’ shipping is available on many styles.

Christmas Sneaker FAQs