Most Popular Christmas Gifts (2008-2018)
Every Christmas there's always that one gift that everyone wants to get their hands on. With this in mind, we take a stroll a down memory lane, to look at the most wanted tech products from the past decade. Can you remember receiving any of these popular toys and gadgets under your Christmas tree?
2008 - Nintendo Wii
Although 2006 was the official launch year for the Nintendo Wii, it was the Christmas of 2008 that really saw sales soar. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the console that took gaming to a whole new interactive level.
Wii Fit, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros Brawl were just a handful of the standout games that were well-loved by Wii fans this year too. We're sure many of these were played all day long on the 25th.
2009 - Zhu Zhu Pets
Zhu Zhu Pets, also known as Go Go Pets over here in the UK, were on every child's list to Santa in 2009. The small robotic hamsters were available in different colours, and each had a cute name such as Mr. Squiggles and PipSqueak.
For the lucky kids on Santa's nice list, extra accessories were available to create and customise the furry robot's habitats.
2010 - iPad
2010 was the year of the iPad. As one of the first ever commercially available tablets on the market, it's no surprise tech enthusiasts and Apple lovers alike wanted to get their hands on this piece of Apple history.
iPad specs have certainly come a long way since this now eight-year old model, with the first-gen iPad was loaded with iOS 3.2, only 256MB RAM, a 1GHz CPU and a 9.7-inch display.
2011 - LeapPad Explorer
Educational tech at its best, parents searched high and low in 2011 for the LeapPad Explorer. Following on from 2010 when the iPad was big news, it seems all kids wanted was a tablet of their own.
On this fun-sized tablet, children could practice their writing skills, read eBooks, play games, take photos with the camera and even get creative in the art studio.
2012 - Wii U
After the success of the Wii, Nintendo developed the handheld Wii U. Featuring a touchscreen display and both action buttons and analog sticks, it was big hit with the more traditional gamer.
Sadly, production for the Wii U ended in January 2017. Many believe it was the inspiration for the Nintendo Switch however, which was released in March 2017.
2013 - Furby Boom
Furby was huge in the 90s, and the friendly furry toy had a sudden revival in 2013. Hasbro had to ship an extra 80,000 units to try and meet the Christmas demand, with some of the biggest toy stores selling out completely.
Known as Furby Boom, Hasbro added a ton of tech-focused features to update the iconic Furby for a new generation. LCD panels replaced plastic eyes, an IR sensor could be found in the centre of the Furby's face and the toy could also respond to music, motion and voices. A Furby Boom app was released for iOS and Android too, which kids could use to monitor wellness stats and interact with the toy even further.
2014 - Zoomer Dino Boomer
If your children loved dinosaurs in 2014, you can guarantee that the Zoomer Dino Boomer was at the top of their wishlist. A remote-control dinosaur with a mind of its own, this playful gadget responded to motion and could be trained to dance, chase and even roar.
Even better, colour changing eyes would reflect what kind of mood Boomer was in. Of course, the accompanying remote meant you could take complete control if you wanted to.
2015 - Star Wars Remote Control BB-8
It wasn't just kids who went wild for 2015's most popular Christmas gift.
The Star Wars Remote Control BB-8 made a huge stir in 2015, so much so that it sold out on the first day it was released.
2016 - Nes Classic Edition
Nintendo brought a whole load of nostalgia to the Christmas of 2016 with the NES Classic Edition - a handheld recreation of the well-loved console from the 80s.
It had a fantastic retro feel and 30 games built-in to keep you entertained for days on end.
2017 - Cozmo
Last year's most coveted tech gift was a brilliant robot created by Anki, named Cozmo. Full of personality, Cozmo enjoys playing games (there's loads to choose from) and becomes more intelligent as you interact with it.
Cozmo can also teach you code if you download the accompanying smartphone app - it's the best way to make sure you'll be able to access the most up to date features too.
2018?
There's sure to be plenty of amazing tech gifts opened all across the world this Christmas. Nobody can predict what the top-selling gadget for 2018 will be, but we're anticipating that the new iPad and the FitBit Alta HR will be extremely popular.
Thinking about upgrading your phone this Christmas, or buying a loved one a new handset? You can't beat the deals at Mobiles.co.uk.