The official top 12 toys of Christmas 2019, from Harry Potter LEGO to Peppa Pig playsets

Still deciding what to get the kids for Christmas? Call off the search, as the official list of this year’s must-have toys has landed.

Every year, the Toy Retailers Association predicts which 12 toys will be festive sell-outs with their DreamToys list. Chosen by an independent panel of small and large retailers including Argos, Selfridges and Hamleys, the list has a proven track record of anticipating the year's biggest hitters. "I’d say we normally get 9 out of 12 of them right," says Gary Grant, who chairs the DreamToys committee.

The hunt for the year’s best toys starts with an original list of more than 300, from which 70 are then put forward to a panel of toy retail experts, who analyse them, test them and come up with the final twelve. To avoid bias, any toy deemed too obscure, or only recommended by one retailer is ruled out. 

So what have these toys got in common? For DreamToys, the biggest indicators of success are ones associated with movies, collectibles and big brand names such as LEGO and Barbie, which both have products on the list. According to global toys industry analyst Frédérique Tutt, while a toy needs to be original to catch people’s attention, its chance of success skyrockets if it’s from a well-known brand.