This year's holiday gifts feature a toy renaissance and lasting joy – Verkkokauppa.com predicts the season's hit toys
Press release November 7, 2023
This Christmas, toy trends are driven by nostalgia, a shift away from throwaway culture, and popular children's series. Verkkokauppa.com, Finland's largest online toy retailer, predicts that while the economic situation is tight, parents won't compromise on children's joy—though they now demand better value for money.
The busiest toy shopping season of the year is beginning. At Verkkokauppa.com, seasonal sales account for over 50% of the annual toy revenue.
"Historical sales data shows that the gift season kicks off as soon as toy catalogs are released in late October or early November, accelerating as Christmas approaches," says Verkkokauppa.com’s Product Manager for Toys, Essi Tyson-Fyhr.
Signs of a shift away from throwaway culture are also visible in toys, with more shoppers considering sustainability. Even in a tight economy, people want to invest in children's gifts but expect more value: toys must offer high play value and long-lasting joy.
"We no longer see so-called 'one-trick ponies'; the fun needs to last long after Christmas. Great examples are the Magic Mixies, Cookeez Makery, and Beast Lab series, where children create their own toys from ingredients and can repeat the magic over and over," Tyson-Fyhr notes.
This year, even toy packaging is being put to use: LOL Surprise balls now become part of the play, and Miniverse packaging transforms into shelves for dollhouses. There is also a demand for expandable toys, with many successful series releasing add-ons that extend the story and increase play value.
A toy renaissance in many ways
Popular favorites like Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, and Gabby’s Dollhouse continue to trend. Alongside these, the nostalgic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are making a comeback, with the Mutant Mayhem Pizza Delivery Van predicted to be a major hit this year.
"Children's toy trends are dominated by kids' shows—whereas Barbie movie hype and social media phenomena are more for adults," says Tyson-Fyhr.
Nostalgia is trending on two levels: toys popular in the 80s and 90s are rising, but so are toys from the early 2010s. For instance, Fingerlings and Monster High dolls have returned, allowing even teenagers to feel nostalgic. A revamped version of the Hotel board game, originally released in 1986, is also seeing a significant surge in popularity.
"Familiarity is crucial when shopping, as people tend to choose well-known brands. This is especially important when buying gifts for friends' or relatives' children," says Verkkokauppa.com’s Category Manager for Toys, Laura Haagmann.
When gift shopping, remember: the best toy is the one that actually gets played with.
"It's always a good idea to check a child's wishlist with their parents to avoid duds or duplicates. If you're buying blindly, board games and plushies—like the ever-popular Squishmallows—are the safest bets," Haagmann suggests.
This Christmas's hit toy forecast
Verkkokauppa.com* compared the features of previous years' most wanted toys, analyzed early sales signals for this season, and forecasted which toys will be hits this Christmas.
The 15 hottest toy hits of the season:
- Squishmallows Fuzz A Mallows Bowie Hedgehog plush toy
- MGA's Miniverse Make It Mini Foods: Diner surprise ball
- Airbrush Plush toys
- Cookeez Makery mystery plushies
- Magic Mixies Cauldron interactive figure
- Magic Mixies Genie Lamp
- Beast Lab Shark Beast Creator
- Rescue Penguin interactive pet
- Bitzee interactive digital pet
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Pizza Delivery Van
- Monster High doll series
- Fingerlings interactive monkeys
- LEGO DREAMZzz 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship
- Hitster music trivia game
- Alga Hotel board game
*Verkkokauppa.com is Finland's largest online toy retailer, with a selection of over 4,500 different toys.
Additional information
press@verkkokauppa.com (Ulkoinen palvelu)
Verkkokauppa.com
Verkkokauppa.com is Finland's leading online retailer, offering a wide range of products from home technology to leisure and business needs. Operating since 1992, the company is one of the world's oldest online retailers, combining e-commerce and physical stores into a seamless omnichannel customer experience. Verkkokauppa.com's four megastores are located in Oulu, Pirkkala, Raisio, and Helsinki's Jätkäsaari district. To deliver an exceptional customer experience, the company delivers products to your door in as little as one hour, around the clock, using automation and robotics. Verkkokauppa.com employs approximately 600 people, and the company's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
