Durban - Biscuits, a glass of milk and some carrots are a given under the Christmas tree for Santa and his reindeer crew.
However, with a week to go before one of the biggest days of the festive season, coupled with little time and financial constraints, many are wondering if they can still find the perfect present for their special ones.
Squishmallows Hugmees and Barbie® Color Reveal, dinosaurs, Lego as well as toys like Funko Pop, which help adults to tap into their inner child, are popular choices this year.
That's according to the shop that kids love, Toys R Us, which says after months of sourcing, testing and predicting trends, it has curated a list of the top toy trends that stimulate imagination and growth.
These trends were influenced by social consciousness, post-pandemic living, nostalgia and consumers looking for value, it said.
Toys R Us have partnered with Reach for a Dream and customers will be encouraged to add an extra R5 to their purchase for the organisation which makes the dreams of terminally ill children a reality.
Toys R Us marketing manager Catherine Jacoby said: “Consumers are driven more than ever by experiences and parents are looking for toys that give their children memories outside of the digital world.”
Jacoby said screen-free toys and toys that encouraged hands-on play and skill building were expected to top the list.
“We’re expecting a retro revival this year across older age groups as collectible toys are topping the trends,” she said.
Sought-after gifts included the Caylee Beach Villa, Peppa Pigs Clever Car, Lego sets, Muscle remote control car, 4WD Drift remote control car, Reggies Police Car, SUV Ride On and a full range of Squishmallows Hugmees which won Toy of the Year 2023.
Another major trend was games that included all family members, like board games, puzzles and outdoor games.
Post Covid, most parents were buying toys that children could learn from through the power of play.
Also popular were collectible toys that Jacoby said fuelled the growing “kidult” trend in which more adults were turning to toys to bring joy and levity into their lives.
Online store OneDayOnly.co.za is optimistic that the rising cost of living will not put a damper on Christmas shopping and expects a 20% increase in sales volumes compared with last year.
Head of sales at OneDayOnly.co.za, Marli Schnetler, said Christmas-themed home decorations including fairy-lights and tree ornaments, as well as summer-related accessories and outdoor essentials, would be popular.
She said clothing, shoes and “all things bling” were popular and jewellery was one of the favourites among customers.
Buying online was more convenient and customers could avoid the mad rush in the days leading up to Christmas, she added.
Jacoby said according to the 2022 Global Consumer Survey conducted by Statista, clothing was at the top of South Africans’ shopping list (44%). Shoes took second place (38%) on the list of the most-purchased products via online platforms, followed by bags/luggage and accessories.
A review of Google search trends by e-commerce platform builder Portmoni showed that interest in electronics and tech products such as laptops, smart phones and smart watches saw a sharp increase in 2022.
Shoes, with a monthly search volume of 27 100 was second. The third top-selling product in the country, linked to a Google monthly search volume of 15 000, was jewellery with an added 5 000 average monthly searches for jewellery boxes.
According to OneDayOnly.co.za, women between the ages of 25 and 34 were the site’s most frequent shoppers.
The Independent on Saturday