Hamleys revealed its top 15 toys for Christmas 2026, featuring a £10 squishy banana alongside interactive pets, Barbie dolls, and LEGO collectibles. Retail buyers report a massive high street boom driven by social media, while independent shops anticipate major profit gains heading into the festive shopping season.
A cartoonish fruit filled with a flour-based compound is leading the holiday shopping predictions this year. Hamleys expects to sell thousands of its Big Squij toys in the coming weeks, tapping into a viral high street trend that has supercharged toy sales across the United Kingdom. Priced at £10, the slow-rise sensory items come in various animal and food shapes.
Victoria Kay and Andrew Murphy Detail the Squishies Phenomenon
Social media has heavily fueled the demand, with more than 260,000 posts on TikTok and over 600,000 on Instagram tagged with #squishies. The market leader NeeDoh holds 1.1 million followers on TikTok alone, drawing both child and adult collectors into stores.
“The squishy craze is only really just getting going. The demand is huge.”
Victoria Kay, head of buying and merchandising at Hamleys
Retail executives see the trend as a retail driver. Andrew Murphy, who runs the UK’s largest chain of toy shops The Entertainer, noted that the intense enthusiasm from children under 10 defies standard market logic. He points out that independent toy retailers stand to benefit significantly from the craze.
“It will be increasing sales in total by minimum of 30%. Most of their costs are fixed so they’ll probably be doubling the profit for the year.”
Andrew Murphy
Circana Data Tracks High Street Growth and Pocket Money Sales
The craze arrives alongside broad market growth. According to market research company Circana, UK toy sales by the end of August climbed 13% by value and 19% by volume. Pocket-money items priced under £10 experienced the fastest growth, generating an extra £100m in sales due to the combined popularity of squishies and World Cup stickers.
Hamleys Lists Top Toys for the Festive Season
The selection ranges from the £10 Big Squij up to the £75 remote-controlled Thunder Unicorn. Other notable inclusions feature evergreen classics alongside character merchandise and pop-culture collectibles.
Younger children can enjoy interactive additions such as the Ready, Pedal, Go Peppa Pig toy. The shortlist also features the Numberblocks Sing and Record Music Player.
- Hamleys Thunder Unicorn: £75
- Hamleys Magic 3D Track Set: £60
- Primal Hatch Megalodon: £55
- ScorpiX RC Transforming Car: £50
- LEGO Marvel Doctor Doom Bust: £45
- Hamleys Movers & Shakers Interactive Pet: £35
- Barbie Nutcracker Doll: £30
- Doctor Doom Action Figure: £30
- Ready, Pedal, Go Interactive Peppa Pig: £30
- Numberblocks Sing and Record Music Player: £27
- Articulate Under Pressure: £25
- Hamleys Wooden London Taxi: £25
- Hatsune Miku T-Most PVC Figure: £28
- Play-Doh Stamp & Spin Pizza Playset: £20
- Big Squij: £10