Hamleys has named a squishy flour-filled banana priced at £10 among its top toys for Christmas 2026, pointing to a broader high street sales surge driven by sensory play and social media collectors. The retailer unveiled its annual Festive 15 selection as consumer surveys indicate that the peak holiday shopping season officially gets underway during the week commencing October 12, according to Toy World Magazine.
Big Squij Banana Leads Sensory Toy Boom
The £10 Big Squij banana, produced by Keycraft, is rated by Hamleys buyers as difficult to put down and is projected to sell in the thousands over the coming weeks. Victoria Kay, the head of buying and merchandising at Hamleys, stated that the demand for these items is massive because their simple tactile power appeals equally to young children and adults. Andrew Murphy, who runs The Entertainer chain, noted that the intense demand from children under 10 defies rational explanation but provides a major boost to independent retailers, potentially doubling their annual profits.
Festive 15 Lineup Spans Pocket Money Items and Collectibles
The 15-item holiday list accommodates a wide budget range, stretching from the £10 Big Squij toys up to a £75 remote-controlled flying Thunder Unicorn distributed by Buzz Retail. Market research company Circana reported that UK toy sales rose 13% by value and 19% by volume through the end of August, fueled heavily by pocket money items costing under £10. The Hamleys selection features evergreen favorites alongside contemporary entertainment tie-ins, including two iterations of Marvel’s Doctor Doom—a £45 Lego bust and a £30 Hasbro action figure—timed ahead of upcoming superhero film releases. Persona play also features prominently on the list through a PVC figurine of Hatsune Miku, the 16-year-old virtual vocaloid whose music is generated via software and fan collaboration.
Regent Street Grotto and Holiday Schedule
The unveiled toys will populate displays inside the flagship Regent Street store alongside the return of the annual Santa’s Grotto experience. Tickets for the grotto are currently on sale through the Hamleys website, with the seasonal attraction operating daily from November 14 through December 24. Visits accommodate groups of up to six people per slot, running from 10:15 am to 8 pm.
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