Ask for lists

✢ Rather than waste money, ask family if there’s something in particular they want – it could be just one buy rather than lots of smaller things. Perhaps there’s a favourite brand they would like you to choose a gift from.

✢ If a child has chosen tHe toy of the year, then snap it up quick.

✢ ask to be emailed links to the items that people would like you to buy (you could then delete the one you’ve bought and forward it to someone else). ✢ be prepared to do some shopping around – some stores will even have exclusive items, like tesco, which has an exclusive Fingerling (£15, tesco.com). ✢ other toys tipped for the top of the toy charts are “lego unikitty!”, collectables such as Hatchimals, squishies (think stress-ball characters) and my Fairy Garden; and lol surprise! slime also refuses to go away – check out the Galt slime lab at amazon. co.uk, while Harry Potter merchandise is also big news.