Brand, gender-neutral toys the top pick this Christmas

Christmas morning draws ever closer and children are getting excited over what Santa Claus has in store for them.

Likewise, adults are running around the island, or searching the furthest corner of the internet, looking for something to delight the little ones.

The festive season has always been known to bring about a welcome wave of business for shop owners and this year is not different. Handkrafts Toy Shop director Martin Aquilina told MaltaToday that Christmas time is actually the best time of the year for his business, and that expectations for sales are high.

The same goes for Pierre Borg, from Mark’s Toy Shop, who said that they are well stocked for the Christmas rush. “We expect sales in December to rise because we build stock for Christmas all year, preparing our shop with a great variety of toys,” he said.

Similarly, James Mallia, of Toyland, said that December is always the best month for sales. “Thank God for December. Christmas brings a lot more clients to our shop,” he said.

Beanie Boos

However, even at Christmas time, toyshop owners feel the pinch of online shopping.

“Our sales have been impacted so much by online shopping that it is getting out of hand,” Aquilina said.

Mallia explained that the reason behind the impact of online shopping is the vast selection it offers. “Nowadays the internet makes it easier for people to get exactly what they want. Normally, children are influenced by what they see on television and beg their parents to buy it for them. If they can’t find it in the shop they turn to the internet. So, that much has been taken from our sector,” he said.

On the other hand, while Borg also admits that online shopping has impacted the sector, he said not all hope is lost. “Many clients still prefer the traditional way of shopping,” he said.

Classic toys such as Legos remain a popular choice as a Christmas gift

Yet it is not only the mode of toy shopping that is changing, it is also the choice of gifts themselves; the toys which are most sought after seem to differ between the more traditional and the electronic and the trendy.

According to Aquilina, the most popular toys include Lego, video games, and dolls, but also modern toys such as electronic learning products for infants and preschoolers by VTech, Hatchimals – robotic animals which hatch themselves from an egg – and the plush toys Beanie Boos.

Borg said that brand name toys have become popular with children, pointing to a number of brands related to either children’s television or YouTube programmes. “Every kid has his favourite brand toy, and this year toys like Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Shopkins are very popular.”

Educational toys such as VTech were sought out this year

On his part, Mallia also mentioned Paw Patrol, a line of toys based on a Canadian animated television series, as one of the most popular choices this year, before going on to mention several educational toys, including LeapFrog and VTech.

Aquilina noted that the choice of toys for boys and girls do not really differ from each other. Mallia also made the same observation, explaining that most of the toys are unisex. “Age creates more of a discrepancy regarding toys than gender,” he added.

Furthermore, all three confirmed an apparent hike in last-minute shoppers, although they could not see a reason for it. “It’s becoming normal these last years for people to leave shopping to the very end,” Borg said.