The clocks have gone back, the temperatures have dropped, the nights are drawing in, and the festive season is just around the corner.
And for children all across the UK, it’s time to start thinking about preparing those Christmas lists, to be sent off to Santa ahead of the big day day, but what are those lists likely to include?
Which presents are this year’s ‘must have’ gifts?
For children struggling to narrow down their top picks, and for parents keen to get a heads up on what gifts to buy in for the little ones this year, the Top 12 ‘Dream Toys’ for Christmas were revealed today in an announcement by the Toy Retailer Association UK.
The DreamToys list is the UK’s “most authoritative predictive list” of what will be hot this Christmas.
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Selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts, the list is independent of toy manufacturers and makers, and this year’s Top 12 is dominated by the big classic toy brands and licenses that have entertained children for generations – such as Barbie, Monopoly, Harry Potter, Lego and Star Wars – as well as the massively popular Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Pokémon and L.O.L Surprise.
The announcement of the list has been brought forward this year due to the rising concerns that many retailers have expressed about meeting demand in the lead up to Christmas which centre around supply and retail issues as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Shoppers are thus being encouraged and advised to “buy early or risk missing out”.
Gary Grant – Chair of the DreamToys Selection Committee – said: “We implore consumers not to leave their Christmas shopping to the final few weeks of the year [as] due to COVID-19 restrictions across the country, retailers will simply not be able to service as many people in store due to social distancing.
“In addition, couriers are already overloaded and will struggle to meet the demand to get presents to people before Christmas [and] added to this is the limited availability of stock compared to previous years.”
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The Top 12 ‘Dream Toys’ 2020
(Listed in alphabetical order w/ RRP – Prices may vary with retailer)
5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule by Zuru – £6.99
Barbie 3-in-1 DreamCamper by Mattel Toys – £79.99
Harry Potter Hedwig by LEGO – £34.99
L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Remix Fashion Doll by MGA Entertainment – £39.99
Laser Battle Hunters Vehicle by Character Options – £59.99
Peppa Pig Peppa’s Shopping Centre by Character Options – £39.99
Pokémon Carry Case Playset by Character Options – £39.99
Present Pets (Asst) by Spin Master Toys – £54.99
Star Wars The Mandalorian – The Child “Baby Yoda” by Mattel Toys – £29.99
Super Mario Adventures With Mario Starter Course by LEGO – £49.99
Throughout the course of lockdown, toys have been a constant source of joy for children during this difficult time and have brought families closer together, with statistics from NPD showing that toy sales have increased by 6% on the first nine months of 2020, while Games and Puzzles have seen an increase of 32%.
On top of that, a survey conducted by the Toy Retailers Association of 2,000 parents revealed that 56% of parents have spent more time playing with their children since lockdown, and 88% said they felt that toys had helped them bond more closely with their children.
There’s no doubt that Christmas may feel a little different this year, but there’s still lots of fun to be had, and plenty of memories to be made.
The Top Toy of 2020 from this shortlist is set also to be announced in due course, so stay tuned.
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Everything inside the Sephora VIP goodie bags worth more than £1,000
Daisy Jackson
Sephora opening in Manchester has been causing a bit of a stir, with more than 2,000 people queueing up this week to try and nab a free goodie bag.
And while the presents being handed out to the public are pretty impressive, it’s nothing compared to the VIP goodie bags given out at the store’s official launch on Wednesday.
A number of celebrities, influencers, press and other special guests were invited to have a sneak peek of the huge new shop at the Trafford Centre before its official opening to the public.
At the glittering celebration, VIPs were given a glimpse at the huge range of products on offer inside Sephora’s first UK store outside of London.
Those in attendance included actor and TV presenter actor Katie Mcglynn, TV personality Caroline Thomas, actress Alex Fletcher and radio one presenter Natalie O’Leary, Real Housewives of Cheshire, Love Island personalities, and professional footballer Courtney Duffus.
Special guests of Sephora were then sent home with the goodie bag to end all goodie bags, stuffed full of full-sized cult products.
And having totted up the value of everything inside, we can confirm that each goodie bag is worth more than a grand (£1092.93, to be exact). Wowsers.
Viral products inside include Makeup By Mario lipstick, Olaplex, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Glossier You perfume, and MorrocanOil hair treatments.
There are also TikTok sensations like the Dr Jart Tiger Grass treatment, which comes out of its tub green but magically turns beige on the skin, cancelling out redness.
And Tarte’s take on the revolutionary tubing mascara, which comes off your lashes with only water and a wipe, was also chucked in.
The most high-value items in the Sephora goodie bags were an Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream worth £64, Caudalie’s brightening serum at £52, and a Neom candle for £38.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ Channel 4 dating show
Emily Sergeant
Those who consider themselves to be pretty unlucky-in-love can now apply to take part in one of the most “unique” dating shows on TV.
Following the undoubted success of the first series – which has been airing on E4 for the past couple of weeks now, before concluding last Thursday (9 May) – Channel 4 has now put out a nationwide casting call for people to take part in the next series of its newest dating game show, Love Triangle.
And the show’s producers are calling on singletons from Greater Manchester to stick an application in.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ TV dating show / Credit: Channel 4
Unfamiliar with Love Triangle?
Based off the US and Australian programmes of the same name, the UK version is a so-called “supersized” take on the show, and it seeks to “turn everything you know about dating on its head”.
In what is a first of its kind for UK television, the brand-new relationship format asks six courageous singles to reject all the conventions and pitfalls of modern app-based dating in favour of a “radical” new approach.
Channel 4 is currently casting across the UK for the next series of Love Triangle / Credit: Channel 4
The six contestants will first choose a love match from two potential suitors.
One match embodies each single’s usual wants, type, and desires, while the other reflects their deeper and more “fulfilling” romantic needs.
After choosing one of the suitors to date, the other will then make a “shocking surprise return” to form a love triangle, and then, after dating and living with both suitors, each single faces a choice – they must pick one of their matches to “pursue lasting love”.
The casting call for contestants on the Channel 4 website reads: “In this unique relationship series reflecting dating in the real world, unlucky-in-love singles are matched with two potential partners, who each tick different boxes of their wants and needs, in the hopes of finding long-lasting love.”
To apply for the show, you just need to be 18 years of age or older, a resident of the UK, and crucially, single and “looking for love”.