Twerking llama a top Christmas toy
Children across New Zealand will be unwrapping twerking llamas, growing dolls and invisibility cloaks on Christmas morning, according to Trade Me’s top 10 toys list for 2019.
The annual list combines Trade Me searches with national and international trends to predict what toys are likely to be popular for Kiwi children.
Trade Me spokeswoman Millie Silvester said the data pointed to the rising popularity of ‘‘unboxing’’.
‘‘The element of surprise has been a big drawcard for toy makers this year and four of our top 10 toys have to be bathed, grown or dissected to be revealed,’’ Sylvester said.
The top spot of the toy list went to Blume toys. The collectable dolls grow out of a flower pot after being watered.
‘‘Then there is Scruff-a-Luvs, the neglected and abandoned animals that need rescuing. These little critters arrive as a sad, matted ball of fur but with bathing, brushing and loving, children reveal the pet they really are,’’ Sylvester said.
Videos of children unboxing toys have been described as junior clickbait, with young YouTube stars making whole videos out of opening toy boxes.
Silvester said LOL Surprise! dolls had remained popular, on the top 10 list for three years in a row.
Lego had also proven to be a perennial favourite.
Other toys on the list included slimy aliens that could be dissected, twerking llamas and an invisibility cloak from the Harry Potter universe.
The hi-tech coat worked like a green screen and used an app to show the wearer disappearing in photos and videos, Silvester said.
She suggested parents get in quick to avoid disappointment.
‘‘The top toys often sell out well before the big day so if you want to ensure your little one has exactly what they asked for, it is worth preparing early.’’
However, if parents do miss out in the lead-up to Christmas, there is always the opportunity to snag something on December 26.
Silvester said 40,000 toys were listed for sale on Trade Me on Boxing Day 2018.