When should you begin shopping for Christmas?
For the most popular toys, you may want to consider buying sooner rather than later. Whilst prices can fluctuate on the run-up to Christmas, it's unlikely you’ll see any huge discounts on toys that are selling fast.
You can sign up for price alerts and notifications across stores such as Amazon and Argos. However, there is a genuine risk that the most in-demand items will sell out long before December. If the toy is at the top of your child’s Santa wishlist, you may not want to take that risk.
Should I order Christmas toys online?
Ordering online can certainly take the pressure out of Christmas shopping and allows you to pick up your toys discreetly and without having the kids in tow. Many brands offer free postage with a minimum spend, so when you factor in the cost of parking at your local shopping centre, it’s often the cheaper option too.
A word of warning, however - be careful if you have an Alexa at home. Whilst notifications are hidden when ordering close to Christmas, this isn't done as standard in earlier months. Be careful surprises aren't ruined by curious kids!
How can I save money on Christmas toys?
Firstly, check out our Mumsnet Christmas forum for the bargain-hunting threads. Secondly, keep an eye out for deals as the countdown to Christmas continues - there are always huge discounts on toys across several top retailers around Black Friday.
It pays to shop around too. Toys can vary in price between retailers so it's worth checking a few sites before committing to your choice, factoring in any additional postage charges and delivery time frames before you checkout.
This Christmas, you may want to set a budget and stick to it. Remember that for many young children, too many toys can be overwhelming. You can most likely cut back without reducing their level of enjoyment. Many families are also making kids aware of the cost of living crisis, explaining that even Father Christmas’s budgets may be a little tighter this year.
Where can I donate toys this Christmas?
There’s no doubt that this Christmas is going to be tough for many families. If you’d like to help others have a magical Christmas, you can donate toys to others using the following schemes:
Birmingham Children’s Hospital - The Celebration Toy Fund purchases toys and games specifically for children who are staying in hospital over Chrsitmas, Diwali or Eid. Donate here.
Salvation Army Christmas Present Appeal - donate new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present. Find your local centre here.
Kids Out Charity - helps kids seeking refuge from domestic abuse. Learn more here.
Action for Children - an annual secret Santa to help vulnerable children. Learn more here.
Which toys were the bestsellers for Christmas 2024?
The most in-demand toys for Christmas last year were a mixture of re-imagined nostalgic favourites such as Furby and Barbie, on-trend character toys such as Stitch, STEM favourites including Connetix and, of course, LEGO.
About the author
Jenny Wonnacott is a Baby & Child Content Editor at Mumsnet, specialising in writing, editing and optimising several content pages related to all stages of parenting and pregnancy. As a parent of three school-aged children, Jenny is passionate about making Mumsnetters' lives easier through rigorous research of all items recommended in reviews and buyers' guides such as this one.
Jenny has been the editor of the Best Christmas Toys page since 2023 and has attended several toy-focused trade events over the last few years with a focus on finding and testing the best toys for kids of all ages. She also edits several key toy-focused pages for Mumsnet, including the best family board games and the best kid's Advent calendars.
How we chose our recommendations
We regularly scour newly released Christmas 2025 toy prediction lists from top retailers and update our guides as soon as they’re available. We also keep a close eye on recommendations and insights shared by parents on the Mumsnet forums. In particular, we looked for toys that children already own and love, as well as those topping Christmas lists for this year. By combining these real parent experiences with a touch of insider industry knowledge, we’ve pulled together our guide to the best Christmas toys.
Why you should trust us
Mumsnet’s Talk boards have been the go-to place for parents to share their Christmas List Plans of Attack for over two decades. Our members are brilliant at sparking ideas and offering tried-and-tested tips on where and when to find the best deals.
Here at Mumsnet HQ, we’ve also built strong links with the biggest retailers and manufacturers, so we always have an eye on what’s new - and which products are set to top Christmas lists this year.