News Edition

I remember so vividly the one year when I came downstairs on Christmas morning to find a bike under (well next to) the Christmas tree, wrapped in a huge red bow. I'm not sure whether I was still "a believer" at that age but either which way it was the most exciting moment of my life thus far - a mint green racer with white handles. It must have been an 80s thing as I really can't imagine kids on them now!

In amongst our huge range of gifts and stocking fillers for babies through to older children are nestled some really WOW gifts - items that are beautifully crafted and offer endless play opportunity, things to cherish and pass down to younger siblings and things that will simply stay in the family forever.

As a child, the most exciting part of Christmas was to wake up (at about 3am naturally) and find a stocking filled with little gifts at the bottom of my bed, “He’s been!” I would squeal before spending the next hour excitedly picking through the treasures Santa had left for me.

Fast forward to 2019 and the traditional tangerine in the toe of the stocking remains. The stocking itself is a fair bit smaller in size but filled with beautiful gifts that will last for years rather than the day.

In truth I could fill a stocking ten times over just from the bits we sell in-store! The final contents are still a work a progress but some of my absolute must-haves follow…

French toymakers Vilac have been producing heirloom toys for well over 100 years and their kaleidoscopes, telescopes and twisting acrobats are the perfect shape and size for stockings, for the more musically inclined the sweet animal maracas would make a wonderful addition.

Sonny Angel dolls are a hit with children and adult collectors alike and in the 2019 limited edition Christmas series they are wearing the cutest woolly jumpers, hats and mittens! We also have the Flower, Vegetable, Fruit, Animal, Caribbean and New York series as well as the Birthday special edition. Blind boxed, you could receive any one of the designs in any given series or, if you’re really lucky, one of the special secret versions!

We have been collecting Schleich figures for several years now and they get played with most days. Founded in 1935 Schleich is one of the most prolific toy manufacturers in Germany, famed for their realistic animal figures. We have a huge collection of farm and wild animals at home already already so all eyes are on the hand painted fantasy Bayala collection this Christmas and their beautiful unicorns and Pegasi.

Meri Meri make the most adorable hair slides, necklaces, stickers and temporary tattoos, both Christmas themed and beyond. They make for a fun and really inexpensive stocking addition. A more recent tradition here is to include a Christmas tree decoration in the stocking, Felt So Good and Amica make the most gorgeous hanging decs, Fairtrade and handmade in Nepal. The Felt So Good Seagull is predictably one of the best-sellers at our Brighton store but it will be the Sloth in a Santa hat wending its way to our house this Christmas.

I do of course have to include the one thing stocking sized that found its way into the letter to Santa. Maileg is a Danish brand of charming characters with the most beautiful attention to detail. The pocket size mice are particularly beautiful and amongst our expansive collection of characters and accessories you can find some Christmas themed cuties including the Fairy Little Sister Mouse with detachable wings, available in assorted colours and priced at just £15.

All of these gorgeous items (and many more besides) can be found both online and in our Brighton store, nestled amongst lots of beautiful independent retailers in Brighton’s North Laine. Well worth a Christmas shopping visit if you can find the time.

Is there anything quite as satisfying as a trip down memory lane? Reminiscing about the good old days in rose tinted glasses?

I was fortunate enough to have been passed some of my favourite old toys by parents who had diligently stashed them in the loft for decades (and decades!) and it was such a thrill to bring them out again for my own kids and see them being enjoyed all over again.

If you weren't lucky enough to have parents with hoarding tendencies fear not because we have an amazing haul of re-issued vintage toys ready to be loved by a whole new generation and absolutely perfect for Christmas this year!

Fisher Price have reprised some of their most popular classics, we have a fantastic range which includes the classic chatter telephone and little snoopy pull-along dog from the 60’s and the record player and cash register from the 70’s, suitable from as young as 12 months.

My Little Ponies are also back! Who could resist these beautifully colourful little ponies with their long, flowing, comb-able manes and tails in the 80’s? We have ponies from the Classic, Rainbow, Pegasus and Unicorn collections as well as the Pretty Parlour Play-set for pony owners that want to get really serious with their grooming!

And who can resist the lure of a new puppy? Santa will be bringing a Pound Puppy down our chimney on the 25^th and I couldn’t resist getting the exact same colour-way I had as a child! They also come as a newborn version complete with nappy. Super cute!

Strawberry Shortcake was another 80's must-have, originally launched at a time when everything had to smell of something! From scratch n sniff stickers to scented rubbers (erasers for the avoidance of doubt for our American friends!), Strawberry Shortcake was, and still is, infused with the most delicious sweet strawberry smell with the 40th Anniversary doll boasting sparkly gold glitter shoes and a metallic red dress.

All of these wonderfully fun retro toys are available online or in-store at our beautiful shop in the heart of the North Laine in Brighton but be quick! These are absolutely flying off the shelves this Christmas.

Environmentally responsible PlanToys is notable for making its toys from rubber wood, a sustainable by-product of the latex industry's harvesting of trees used for natural rubber production.

From first baby toys for tiny hands still mastering grip and coordination to puzzles, games and construction for more able, older children - the PlanToys collection is a pre-schooler's dream.

The stand-out item from the collection for us is the stunning rocking pegasus, this item could not be any more beautiful if it tried!

Other favourites for the tinies are these adorable animal racers in a duck, hen and bunny design.  With their numbered frontage they make perfect first, second and third birthday gifts or buy all three to race at the same time - 1,2,3 and they're off!

Beautiful bath time toys are surprisingly hard to find but PlanToys have excelled themselves with their arctic adventurers.  Of the walrus, penguin, polar bear and seal it has to be the new walrus that floats our boat!

For the budding builder in your life PlanToys have an awesome pounding bench which is suitable from just 12 months.  Once all the pegs are pounded children can simply turn the panel over to start the fun all over again!  And for those age 3+ this toolbox is pretty awesome - not only can you build amazing things but you can also have your own robot play buddy!  The set consists of 16 pieces and includes a hammer, wrench with screwdriver, nuts and bolts and the toolbox itself that can flip upside down and be transformed into a robot.

Of the games we have here which include a balancing cactus and feed a frog, it's the beehive game for the little one that's won our hearts - it helps to develop fine motor skills by matching the bee to its hive using the pincer grasp on the forceps and also reinforces colour recognition and counting, super cute!

Indulge yourself further with a look at our complete collection here or come visit our beautiful store in the heart of Brighton's North Laine area.