There will be a Tug of War Under the Christmas Tree this year due to the growing presence of adult toy collectors, a rundown of the must-have must-haves of the season.
Singing evil 2 dolls, Themed Lego, a game of Pokémon and a Plays in the Mini-Fridge are among the things of the year Dreams Choice that experts say is as likely to reflect the preferences of adults as children.
In recent years, the industry has been fueled by the passions of “kids” (buyers aged 12 and over) who spend their spare cash on expensive lego sets and collectible figurines. This group is behind £1 in every £3 spent on toys in the UK.
Almost half of adults (43%) bought a toy for themselves or someone else this year – a figure that rises to 76% of shoppers from the company’s figures.
After many difficulties, encouragingly, the data from January to the end of June showed that toys for children grew by 6%, the strongest performance in years.
“It’s a double success story,” says Melissa Symonds, Circana’s UK Toys director. “We see children in the destruction of the joy of gaming while adults have it as a form of self-care, nostalgia and fandom. That combination is the continuation of the market.”
Given the recent strong run, gift marketers are feeling optimistic about the all-important Christmas season but now there is concern that the rise in autumn taxes will increase in the autumn.
However, Symonds argues that the toy market is different:
The toys are also relatively cheap, he said. Last December, the average selling price for a toy was £13.43, with the £10-20 range accounting for a third of sales.
Paul Reader, chair of the Toy Retailers Association’s Dreamysyyys selection panel, said it had been an “incredible year for the sector. “We’re in seriously positive territory … and hopefully the momentum will carry over to Christmas.”
“There is a strong sense that we have less disposable income coming out of the budget,” adding that the list will help research about what we believe are the best toys this Christmas “.
People are starting to think about what they are spending and it is “too early” to tell what impact the budget will have on the budget. “The Magic of Christmas is always shared there and everyone’s parents and grandparents work hard to make sure it’s fun for the whole family,” Reader said.
The cheapest toy on Dreamytology’s list is a £13 dress to evoke the distance doll from the hit fashion game on Roblox. The most expensive is a £120 lego ship inspired by the Japanese Anime Series.
With the sequel expected next week, it’s expected to be a fever pitch for all things wicked including the £35 singing Elppa and Glinda dolls.
Characters from film and TV are great. There is a £30 interactive evie pig (Peppa’s baby sister) and a £80 stitch soft sound with 100 sounds and reactions.
One of the most unusual entries is the £20 Fill Plays in the Fridge. However, it ticks two boxes: It taps into the viral “fridge restocking” Trend as well as the popularity of collections that make up a fifth of toys sold.
List Dreamytoys 2025
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Dress to impress Mystery Model Model Dolls – £12.99
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Gui Gui Shimmer Deluxe Pack – £19.99
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Hot wheels racing f1 Grand Prix Circuit – £79.99
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Human Controller – £34.99
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Jurassic World Primal Hatch T-Rex – £64.99
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Marshmallow Madness – £19.99
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Fill the Fridge Playset – £19.99
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Monster Jam Smash & Bash Grave Digger – £49.99
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Lego One Piece: The Voyage of the Merry Pirate Ship – £119.99
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Peppa pig Peppa and Snuggles Evie Doll – £29.99
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Pokémon Trading Card: Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box – £54.99
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Lego Speed Champions F1® Racing Cars – £22.99
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Sticki Rolls Sticki Rolluxe – £39.99
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Disney Ultimate Stitch Interactive Plush – £79.99
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Bad: For good singing dolls – £34.99