The annual top 20 round up of toys predicted to be on children’s Christmas lists for 2023 have been revealed today.
The clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in, the temperatures are dropping by the day, and the festive season is now right around the corner, and that means it’s time for children all across the UK to start thinking about writing those Christmas lists to send off to Santa ahead of the big day day.
But what toys are those lists likely to include? And which presents are predicted to be this year’s ‘must have’ gifts?
Well, for the little Mancs struggling to narrow down their top picks, and for the parents and families keen to get a heads-up on what gifts to buy for their kids this year, the annual top 20 ‘dream toys’ for Christmas 2023 were revealed by the Toy Retailers Association.
The DreamToys list is Selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts, and is widely-considered the UK’s “most authoritative predictive list” of what will be hot this Christmas.
Barbie dolls, a “Beast Lab”, and an interactive digital pet some of the new additions predicted to be among the top-selling toys for 2023, while old favourites like Harry Potter-themed merchandise, Lego Star Wars sets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and L.O.L Surprise! have continued to claim spots on the list this year.
According to industry experts, it’s believed that shoppers could be forking out around £1 billion on the little ones in their lives during this festive season.
The toys that’ve made the cut on this year’s top 20 list range in prices from a fairly-affordable £8.99 for the Squishmallows plush toys, to a whopping £149.99 for the Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds.
Top 20 ‘dream toys’ for Christmas 2023
Barbie Pop Reveal – £26.99
Beast Lab – £89.99
Bitzee Interactive Pet – £32.99
Cookeez Makery Oven Playset – £39.99
Fingerlings Monkey – £17.99
Fluffie Stuffiez Large Plush – £34.99
Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle & Grounds – £149.99
Hot Wheels City Ultimate Hauler – £94.99
L.O.L. Surprise! Magic Flyers – £39.99
Little Live Pets My Puppy’s Home – £64.99
Miniverse – Make It Mini Kitchen – £44.99
MINTiD Dog-E – £89.99
PAW Patrol Mighty Movie – Skye Deluxe Vehicle – £49.99
Pictionary vs AI – £23.99
Pokémon 151 Elite Trainer – £52.99
Squishmallows 7.5″ – £8.99
Star Wars Ahsoka Starship – £64.99
Super Mario Movie 7″ Feature Bowser Figure – £34.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Pizza Fire Van – £39.99
Twister Air – £24.99
The top 20 ‘dream toys’ for 2023’s Christmas lists have been revealed / Credit: Disney | eBay
Paul Reader, who is the Chair of the DreamToys selection committee, expects the top 20 toys to be “highly sought after” this year.
“Christmas is a magical time of the year, particularly for children, and this list provides gift givers an authoritative and independent view on what we believe will be the most requested toys to help make that all important purchasing decision,” Mr Reader commented as the 2023 list was revealed.
“From the year’s biggest blockbusters, tech inspired crossovers, and toys that promote sensory exploration, through to products that create curiosity and anticipation, this year’s list is a representation of what the UK toy industry has to offer.
“The top 20 will be highly-sought-after, so if families have a particular product in mind, my advice is to shop early to avoid disappointment.
“However, if you are simply looking for inspiration, I’d implore everyone to visit their local toy shop and speak to experts who can help suggest the perfect gift for under the tree.”
A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK
Emily Sergeant
Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.
That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.
Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.
So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.
The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.
Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.
You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.
This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.
“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.
“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”
Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.
Emily Sergeant -
8th November 2023 
