If you don’t have a clue what to gift friends and family this Christmas season, we’ve got you covered.
To help those trapped with last-minute shopping, the St. Albert Gazette decided to take a look at this year’s top toys and gifts selling in the city.
Finger-fun
While thousands of toys grace the shelves at many retail stores, one has been crowned as the best seller for a second year in a row.Both Walmart and Amazon announced WowWee Fingerlings HUGS as one to pay attention to this Christmas season.
The toy is a large doll-version of the original hand-sized Fingerlings, which are small enough to wrap around the finger. Last year, the tiny toy took top chart for most popular gift.
Fingerlings HUGS has arms long enough to wrap someone in a hug, and will repeat back phrases when its left ear is squeezed and spoken to.
If you shake the toy, it’ll also audibly pass gas, and will kiss your cheek when pressed against the face.
Online, Walmart has the doll priced at $24.72, while Amazon has it priced at $23.99.
The toy can be purchased at Mastermind Toys, Walmart or Toys “R” Us.
According to blackfriday.com, L.O.L. Surprise!, a capsule toy that contains various collectibles inside, is the second-most sought out item.
The package contains L.O.L. dolls and accessories, and some hold secret messages that can only be seen with a special magnifying glass that’s included in the capsule.
For parents looking to buy the capsules, they can be found at Toys “R” Us, Amazon, Mastermind Toys and Walmart. Prices vary depending how large the surprise package.
Four under wraps — the surprises inside — go for around $19 at Walmart and Mastermind Toys, while the 60-plus capsule sells for about $120.
Amazon, on the other hand, is selling the 60-plus package for $69.99.
Hatchimals have also been declared a top seller once again. The toy company has unveiled a new version of the toy, called Hatchibabies. Now, youth can wait and see if the egg will break apart, revealing a boy or girl inside.
The toy can be found in-store or online at Walmart, Mastermind Toys, Toys “R” Us or Amazon.
Board game-mania
After two years of being a top-seller, Codenames is taking a backseat this year. At Mission: Fun and Games, a new board game is taking its place as the hottest game of the year.Azul, a board game based off Portuguese coloured tiles, is a multiplayer game designed for people just entering the world of board gaming.
“It’s quite aesthetically pleasing, it captures the attention for people,” said Tim Relph, operations and logistics manager at Mission: Fun and Games.
The game has gained popularity for its artistry and easy-to-understand instructions. It comes with a cardboard coaster and little, colourful tiles that are built on the coaster. Relph said it’s a great game for all ages and helps stir interest in board games.
The game is selling at Mission: Fun and Games for $64.95.
For those more interested in light-hearted party games, a few new ones have emerged this year.
Unstable Unicorns, a card game that pits players against each other, has gained popularity this year. The game is fairly gender-neutral, which appeals to younger demographics, Relph explained.
Each player has to get five adorable unicorns in their stable, which can be a daunting task considering the amount of playing cards that have special abilities to derail someone’s stable.
The game is going for $27.95 at the board game store.
Another favourite card game is made for those who love a good meme. What do You Meme? has players matching the correct saying to a popular internet meme. At Mission: Fun and Games, it has been one of the most-requested games for the Christmas season.
“What do You Meme? is exceptionally popular this year,” Relph said.
But a fair warning: it’s an adult party game — much like Cards Against Humanity, for those who are familiar. What do You Meme? is selling at the store for $46.95.
It’s been an exciting few years for gamers, according to Relph. With board games becoming cool again, the community is seeing a renewed interest in the genre.
There is a downside to it, however. With increasing interest in party games often bought for friends or played at board game cafes, the market is becoming over-saturated with socially fun, light-strategy games instead of complex, time-consuming board games.
Also, with about 100 games being released each month, many great games end up going out of print before gaining popularity.
“It’s hard to predict what’s going to be popular and what’s not, so you have to do a lot of best guesses in this industry,” Relph explained.
Out of the box
For those looking for a more unique gift this holiday season, what’s better than a gift basket filled with a person’s favourite things?At BasketBelle in St. Albert, people can bring in their own items and have them arranged in a specialized gift basket.
The shelves are also filled with items to choose from, so people can create their own arrangement from scratch.
This year, a special basket filled with hot chocolate and Baileys has made it to the top as best seller.
“If I know it’s going to an individual, I’ll make it less shareable, so to speak,” said Chelsie Hutchinson, owner of BastketBelle. Other baskets include holiday baking items or specialized goodies.
The individualized basket is selling for $86.95 at the store.
The store gets pretty active around Christmas time, with corporations also looking to purchase large baskets overflowing with shareable items.
This year, the Gourmet Basket has been the most popular choice. The basket is filled with fine chocolates, popcorn, nuts and more.
The price for the Gourmet Basket is $50 and up.
Hutchinson said gift baskets are a popular choice for many, as the gift is already packaged and ready to send.
“I know a lot of my customers are very appreciative of the fact that it’s ready to give, it’s wrapped and ready to go,” she explained.
