Christmas toy craze can be hard for parents to ignore

It is undeniable that particular toys are raved and ranted about every year, but not all parents are willing to swipe their cards and buy into them this Christmas.

Aware of which toys are currently trending locally and overseas, some ignore all marketing and advertising and go with their own choices when picking Christmas gifts for their children.

Major toy stores agreed that – like every year – a number of toys stand out this Christmas season too, but special mention has gone to the Hatchimals, Roarin’ Tyler the Playful Tiger, Paw Patrol and hoverboards.

“Children are heavily influenced by different kinds of media including YouTube, cable and satellite TV, as well as British and American media,” said Toyland store owner Nathan Mallia. In an attempt to identify what children will be asking Santa for this Christmas, many toy store owners attend international toy fairs and keep a keen eye on commercials overseas.

The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Mallia said, is where big brand market leaders Hasbro and Mattel feature their latest products, including information on how and when they will be released, giving a clearer idea to store owners what the trends are likely to be throughout the year.

The managing director of Toby’s Toymaster, Stefan Casaletto also listed Roarin’ Tyler the Playful tiger, as well as Hatchimals Surprise and the Paw Patrol Sea Patroller as some of the most likely toys to fly off shelves this Christmas. “Fairs, promotions, advertising, movies and series are the greatest contributors to toy trends,” he said.

But despite trends and patterns clearly being identified, are parents really willing to buy into them?

Parent of three (and one on the way), Kelly Hammett, said she refused to feed into the frenzy. “HatchEms are absolutely everywhere, as are hoverboards and Lego Ninjago, but I tend to choose my children’s gifts based more on whether or not they have educational properties,” she said.

All three of her children are under the age of six.

“I control what TV they’re watching and they’re not allowed to take toys to school, so they’re not yet influenced much by what’s being advertised on social media and TV,” she said.

Mother of one, Charli Steadman, and mum of two, Hannah Martirano, however, are also actively choosing to ignore the ‘latest trends’ this year.

Both agreed that the sheer popularity of toys such as Hatchimals, LOL Dolls, Nerf Guns and Pokemon Cards could not be denied, but said that the prices as well as the not-too-positive reviews were not great motivators for purchase.

“The thing about trending toys is that kids appreciate them for a while and then cast them aside once the craze is over,” said dad of one Nicky Mifsud Bonnici. “I would much rather buy my son something more educational, or something he actually needs,” he said. “He’ll get things like Paw Patrol or a Nerf gun from his grandparents.”