Tamagotchi, Beyblade, and Furby return – Millennial favorites make a strong comeback on Verkkokauppa.com’s 2024 Christmas hit toy list.
Press release, 3 December 2024
This year’s list of hit Christmas toys features many favorites familiar to children of the 1980s, 90s, and the turn of the millennium, according to Finland's largest toy retailer, Verkkokauppa.com. Sales data from Verkkokauppa.com shows that over half of the entire year's toy sales occur during the holiday season.
This Christmas is all about millennial nostalgia, as those born in the 80s and 90s can expect a trip down memory lane while toy shopping.
“We’re seeing so many comebacks in the toy and board game aisles this Christmas that many millennials might find themselves getting a bit misty-eyed. For example, the 1980s cult board game The Mysteries of Peking is making a comeback, and the furry Furby that took the late 90s by storm is now delighting a new generation. Additionally, new releases in the LEGO Icons series—such as Jaws, Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-Man, and The Nightmare Before Christmas—also draw inspiration from past decades. Joining the ranks of this year's top Christmas toys are Beyblades, the spinning battle toys that sparked a massive craze in the early 2000s,” says Verkkokauppa.com’s Product Manager for Toys, Essi Tyson-Fyhr.
According to Tyson-Fyhr, more and more adults are including toys on their own wish lists. This is driven by the 'kidult' megatrend—adults embracing play—which continues to grow stronger every year.
Tamagotchi returns – Disney’s Stitch is the favorite character for Christmas 2024
The popularity of interactive toys remains strong this holiday season.
“Last year’s hit toy, Bitzee, brought interactive digital pets back into the spotlight, and the Tamagotchi—a staple in almost every 90s kid's pocket—is now making a major comeback. Interactive toys are gradually returning to pocket-sized formats, whereas just a few years ago, the most wanted interactive toys were much larger. Animal characters remain a hit in both small and large interactive toys,” Tyson-Fyhr explains.
Tyson-Fyhr also notes that AI is gradually making its way into the world of toys. The hit list includes the Play-I Poe plush bear, an AI-powered bedtime companion that creates stories based on a child's preferences.
Based on Verkkokauppa.com sales data, the breakout character for Christmas 2024 is Stitch, the little blue alien from Disney’s 2002 animation Lilo & Stitch. From the world of popular animation, the Disney Lorcana trading card game has also seen a significant surge in popularity.
In the games aisle, party games have seen explosive growth in recent years as people look for phone-free activities for social gatherings, says Tyson-Fyhr. Party games like Bad People, Bad Choices, Dumb Ways to Die, and the more adult Red Light version of the Smart10 quiz game are among this Christmas's favorites.
Verkkokauppa.com Forecast: The Top 15 Hit Toys for Christmas 2024
Verkkokauppa.com compared the features of the most popular toys from previous years, analyzed early sales signals for this season, and forecasted which fifteen toys will be the biggest hits this Christmas.
- Tamagotchi
- Furby interactive toy
- LEGO Ideas 21350 – Jaws
- Play-I Poe interactive toy
- Disney Stitch
- Smart10 Red Light Edition quiz game
- LEGO City Police 60419 – Police Prison Island
- HITSTER Guilty Pleasures music trivia
- Bitzee Magicals – interactive digital pet
- Clementoni Pen Lab – Pen Laboratory, 10 pens
- Beyblade X – Battle Set
- NIKKO RC Toyota Gazoo Rovanperä – remote-controlled car + tire set
- Punirunes – interactive pet
- The Mysteries of Peking game
- Cookeez Makery Freezy Cake – ice cream cake plush
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.
