Shropshire Star

Christmas 2016: Parents on wild gift chase for top toys - with poll and video

Christmas is coming and it is the nightmare scenario for many parents ahead of the big day – getting your hands on the top item on your child's festive wish list.

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The number one gift for many this year is the Hatchimals egg craze that sees cuddly toy chicks hatch from brightly coloured eggs that must be nurtured with love and care.

See an advert for the Hatchimals here:

Major retailers have already sold out of stocks of the toy created by Spinmaster.

Each egg contains one of two interactive Hatchimals that will light up, make sounds and tells the child its feelings in a similar way to the Furby toy which is still a popular seller during the festive season.

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The chicks, which come in a number of styles and colours, can then be taught to walk, talk, dance and play games. All for a tidy £59.99.

The toys have been given blanket coverage on children's TV advertising, which means pester power is at full strength. It leads to an annual tradition – the ever desperate search for the must-have toy that toy shops simply cannot stock enough of.

It is nothing new, of course. The 1996 festive flick Jingle All The Way starring Arnold Schwarzenegger features a character called Howard Langston, who faces a race against time to get a Turbo Man action figure for his son before December 25.

Sylvanian Families set (£6.97)

Sylvanian Families

Kids loved it when the TV animation came to life and hit stores. You could kit your little animals out in their own tiny clothes and buy them a house to live in. The toys are still produced today.

Batman Batmobile (£9.94)

The Batmobile

You can't beat a bit of Batman, a superhero with staying power. This version featured in the 1989 Batman movie starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader.

GameBoy (£69.94)

The electronic age came of age with the 8-bit GameBoy. Tetris, with its annoyingly catchy theme-tune, became the soundtrack to a generation of youngsters.

Thunderbirds Tracy Island (£32.87)

Tracy Island

Blame Blue Peter. The children's TV show made its own version and the official toy started flying off the shelves so quickly that toy stores could not keep up with demand.

Barbie Dolls (From £10.97)

Barbies have always been one of the most popular Christmas gifts for girls and in 1993 they beat all of the competition, helped by the release of the Barbie Dream Motor Home.

Toy Story Buzz Lightyear (£23.87)

To Infinity and Beyond! The release of the original Toy Story sent this toy soaring to the top of the 'I-want-one-of-those-mum' chart and it has remained one of the most popular dolls on the market, thanks to two subsequent films.

Power Rangers Figures (£4.74 each)

An American series that became a sensation in the 1990s. It was the must-have doll for boys of a certain age, fed by a hit TV superhero show.

Teletubbies £27.39

Teletubbies fought off the Tamagotchi to be top toy in 1997. Younger children went La La for the TV series and it spawned a huge rush in the dolls.

Furby (£24.87)

It was cuddly, cute and interactive. It pipped the good old Yo Yo to the crown of best selling toy in 1998. The gifts became a huge hit despite only launching in the October.

Go Go Pet Hamsters (£9.99)

These battery-powered hamsters became so popular stores were selling out on a daily basis. They came with their own accessories including cages and wheels.

This year's equivalent of the Turbo Man is the Hatchimal and currently you cannot find one for love or money.

All of the big-name stockists based in the area have already sold out with Argos, Smyths, Tesco, The Entertainer and Toys R Us reporting that more stock is due to arrive in some branches by the end of the month.

Staff at Smyths, on Telford Bridge Retail Park, in Colliers Way, Telford, said the Hatchimals are the most sought after gift this year, followed by other favourites like the Lego Friends rollercoaster, Lego Star Wars Rebel U-wing, Speak Out and Nerf blasters.

A store manager, who did not want to be named, said: "We've sold out of Hatchimals and Speak Outs. We're awaiting stock for Hatchimals and we're getting more in at the end of November." The chain is no longer taking pre-orders for the product while Argos is encouraging customers to check its website for daily updates and Tesco is inviting customers to register via email.

For parents who are looking to grab one of the eggs earlier they can be snapped up online at websites such as Amazon and eBay – but with a hefty price tag. Auction site eBay currently lists them as costing from £85 up to £130. While private vendors are asking for at least £100.

A spokesman for Hatchimals UK said: "The consumer response to Hatchimals has been extraordinary, exceeding all expectations. We recognise it may be difficult finding this in-demand toy. This is a special time of year and we don't want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from unauthorised sellers. More inventory will be hitting retail shelves throughout November but we anticipate this will sell quickly as well. Therefore, we have increased production and a whole new batch of Hatchimals will be ready to hatch in early 2017."

In Shropshire Bridgnorth's independent toy store Little Monkeys and Kinds Cuts, in High Street, is bucking the trend when it comes to that special gift for young children.

There are no Hatchimals to be found – just traditional toys that have been around for generations.

Manager Sherrie Pedley, of Little Monkeys, said: "We only sell wooden toys and our wheelie bugs are our most popular Christmas gift. Those are selling really well. I think that's because they can spin 360 degrees and are decorated as all kind of animals. They retail at between £59.99 and £65.99 and because they're wooden they last for years.

"Our Princess Experience is also very popular at this time of the year. They get to keep the dress, have a photo taken and be pampered all for £39.99."

For grown-ups in the region the must-have toy is the increasing popular radio-controlled flight drones that are flying off the shelves at Hawkins Bazaar, in Telford Shopping Centre.

Branch manager Bob Jones said: "Drones are the go for gadgets for adults at the moment. They cost between £25 to £500. The most popular ones have cameras and can record footage – they start at £50."

Meanwhile a new Saga Money report has found that grandparents are not exactly holding back on how much they spend on loved ones.

They are gearing up to spoil their grandchildren to the tune of £1.4 billion this Christmas. Over-50s in the UK have on average three grandchildren and are looking to spend £65 on each. Almost 90 per cent of those surveyed agree that children expect much more expensive presents than themselves when they were children.

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