Top Christmas toys for 2008 revealed

17/07/2008

Hamleys toy store has hosted its annual presentation of the Christmas party season’s top toys.

Ian Gibbs, Hamleys’ Chief Buyer, announced that the main toy trend for Christmas 2008 would be “retro”. A range of puppets based on 1980s TV programmes are set to be best sellers: characters include Snoopy, Emu and Spit the Dog.

“The more realistic a toy is, the more excited the children get,” said Gibbs. “Every so often you can spot a fad, and this year it's toys that parents and grandparents will remember and love and will want to pass on to their children,” he added.

“It helps them to connect with their children," said Keane Herman, the operations manager at Hamleys' flagship store on Regent Street, London.
Hamleys is not relying entirely on memory lane to set its Christmas tills ringing. Mr. Gibbs predicted that many of the toys topping British children's wish lists this Christmas would be spin-off toys from modern-day TV shows and films such as Hannah Montana, Doctor Who and High School Musical.

There is also a wide range of other toys and games, such as remote control helicopters, sound-activated kung-foo dolls and leather-inlaid Rubik’s Cubes.

(picture by Chris Nyborg)