Hamleys says “imperfectionism” will be the biggest trend this Christmas

26th September 2018

Ben Stevens

General Retail Entertainment

Hamleys has released its annual predictions for the toys which will top Christmas lists this year, revealing an unlikely trend of “imperfectionism”.

Though staple favourites like movie tie-up toys and the latest tech were still prominent in its top 12 list, dolls with mismatched features and “needy” robots were beginning to see popularity.

Crate Creatures, which retail for around £40, are troll like dolls with multicoloured hair, glowing eyes and their tongues out made the list.

Even more imperfect are the Fugglers, dolls with visible stitching, different button eyes and disconcerting human like teeth, which retail for between £15 to £25.

Furthermore the £80 Boxer interactive robot buddy will purposefully bump into things, fall over and say the wrong thing, and is described as Hamleys as “needy and fallible”.

These are reportedly part of a growing trend among children who are increasingly resisting “the pressures of idealised perfection in social channels and celebrity icons.”

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Hamleys’ head buyer Victoria Kay added: “We have cute, we have cuddly, we have fun, we have education, but this year in some of our toy categories we are also seeing an antidote to the highly polished perfectionism portrayed in many social media channels.

“Importantly, these toys are being delivered with character, fun and cheekiness at their heart and we love them.

“It makes for a wonderfully diverse and interesting range this year – for kids and kidults alike.”

Elsewhere in the list of predicted hits are children’s character favourites like Lego Harry Potter, Peppa Pig Royal Guards and Hamleys’ cuddly Paddington bear.

Older children are expected to drive sales of the latest Nerf Gun, while the Gravitrax system aims to teach them about gravity and magnetism.

Here is a full list of this years top 12 toys: