Frozen toys overthrow Lego in letters to Santa
But now Lego, so long wearing the crown as king of Christmas Day toys, has been forced to let it go, let it go.
It seems toys linked to Disney’s all-conquering Frozen have emerged as the most popular item on children’s lists for Santa.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLetters addressed to Santa Claus (scanned by those naughty elves at Royal Mail) reveal that Lego has been replaced as the most popular item, with merchandise from Frozen now the clear favourite, ahead of the bricks and bikes, which took second and third place respectively.
Unlike most toy surveys, the list reveals what children themselves would like. And despite children growing up surrounded by iPhones, games consoles and MP3 players, only one hi-tech gadget is listed.
Instead, the list is dominated by dolls.
The must-have Snow Glow Elsa from the smash-hit Disney movie based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale The Snow Queen, which is ninth on the list, is extremely scarce on the shelves. Many parents have forked out around £68 on eBay instead of the £34.99 retail price.
The doll has a small medallion on her breast which lights up her skirt with a snowflake design and allows children to listen to her introducing herself singing songs from the film.
The postal service said it analysed a proportion of the several hundred thousand letters sent from children – before sending them on to the North Pole, of course – and has compiled a list of the top ten most-requested toys Tablet devices have increased in popularity as a new entry on the list at number six, while One Direction merchandise made only eighth place, falling from second place last year. Other dolls on the list include Barbie and Monster High models. Peppa Pig remains a favourite, moving from tenth to seventh this year.
CONNECT WITH THE SCOTSMAN
• Subscribe to our daily newsletter (requires registration) and get the latest news, sport and business headlines delivered to your inbox every morning
As well as requesting toys, children ask Santa questions. Among the most common questions asked this year were: what food would he like left on Christmas Eve; and does he have a satnav?
Royal Mail spokesman Alex McConnell said: “Father Christmas allowed us to take a peek at what children are asking for this year, to see what they really want for Christmas.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“All the elves have enjoyed reading the heartwarming questions that children have been asking Santa and the festive cheer these letters bring.”
Shops across the UK, which are bracing themselves for one of the busiest retail weekends of the year, have been forced to limit sales of some toys, such as the Snow Glow Elsa, to one per customer.
A spokesman for The Entertainer, a toy retailer based in the Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow, said it had sold out of a fresh batch of 50 Snow Glow Elsa dolls within 24 hours.
“The doll is really head and shoulders above the rest this year. At the moment it really is a waiting game for parents based on supply and demand.”
Other popular toys include the Furby Boom range, a more up-to-date version of the old favourite Furbies and remote control robots such as the MiP interactive robot, which has in-built sensors and scooters.
“There hasn’t been a mad rush for One Direction dolls and posters but Barbie is always popular,” added the spokesman.
The closing date to post letters to Santa via Royal Mail in time for Christmas has now passed.
SCOTSMAN TABLET AND IPHONE APPS