Fun

The most popular Christmas gifts each year from 1970 to 2018

Dec 21 2018
Written by Tijen Butler

Most popular Christmas gifts listed each year (Pexels)

With Christmas around the corner, shoppers are rushing to get last minute presents while others are able to sit back with their mulled wine, happy they prepared a Christmas list weeks in advance.

We love Christmas at any age—but not like we did as children. There was nothing more joyful than running downstairs to reach into your stockings with gifts from Santa, and to unwrap the dozens of presents under the tree.

What’s more, each year children write their very own list for Santa Claus, and each year there is the most popular present that comes out on top.

From 1970 to 2018, musicMagpie list the most popular Christmas presents in the United Kingdom.

From Rubik’s Cubes to Super Nintendos, Furbies to Fortnite… can you guess which present was the big hit on the year that you were born? Find out the five most popular Christmas gifts for children each year from 1970 to 2018.

Five most popular Christmas gifts listed each year

1970: Nerfball, Sindy, Apollo Moon Rocket, Risk Board Game and Talking Viewmaster.
1971: Space Hopper, Mastermind Board Game, Weebles, Clackers and Etch a Sketch.
1972: Skateboard, Uno, Plasticraft Modelling Kits, Easy Bake Oven and Talky Chrissy Doll.
1973: Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, Shrinky Drinks, Walkie Talkie Sets, Baby Alive, Lone Ranger and Tonto Figures.
1974: Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic 8 Ball, Spirograph and Twister.
1975: Pet Rock, Pong, Othello, Portable Cassette Player Recorder and Monopoly.
1976: Micronauts, Cher Doll, Magna Doodle, Pogo Stick and Kites.
1977: Atari 2600, Star Wars Figures, Stretch Armstrong, The Batmobile and Portable 8-Track Player.
1978: Hungry Hippos, Speak & Spell, Simon Says, Connect Four and Matchbox Powertrack.
1979: Strawberry Shortcake, Millenium Falcon, Sony Walkman, Meccano Construction Set and Lego Space.
1980: Rubik’s Cube, Mattell Handheld Electronic Game, LEGO Train Set, Mr Frosty and Tin Can Alley Target Shooting Game.
1981: Star Wars AT-AT, He-Man Castle Grayskull, Lite Brite, Donkey Kong and Baby Precious.
1982: Stompers Truck, G.I. Joe Figures, BMX Bike, Glo Worm and Commodore 64.
1983: Care Bears, Cabbage Patch Kids Doll, G.I. Joe APC, My Little Pony and Rainbow Brite.
1984: Optimus Prime, Pound Puppies, A-Team Van, R2-D2 Toy Box and Tonka GoBots.
1985: Teddy Ruxpin, Pillow People, Trivial Pursuit, Care Bear Desk and Wuzzles.
1986: Lazer Tag, Lego Airport, My Buddy and Kid Sister, My Pet Monster and Power Wheels Jeep.
1987: Sylvanian Families, Koosh Ball, Popples, Pogo Ball and Jem Dolls.
1988: Ghost Busters Proton Pack, NES Action Set, Ghostbusters Fright Features, Airless Hockey and Playskool Kitchen.
1989: Batmobile, The Real Ghostbusters Table-top Pinball, Polly Pocket, Disney Sno-Cone Castle and Talking Alf.
1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures, Mouse Trap, Sega Mega Drive, Polly Pocket and Mr Frosty Ice Crunchie Machine.
1991: Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Game Boy, Super Soaker 50, Playmobil Victorian Dollhouse and Quints Dolls.
1992: WWF Action Figures, Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, The Littlest Pet Shop and Slap Braclets.
1993: Talkboy, Barbie Doll, Action Man, Play-Doh and Dream Phone.
1994: Power Rangers Action Figures, Biker Mice from Mars Action Figures, Cabbage Patch Kids, Silly Putty and Dear Diary.
1995: PlayStation, POGs, Beanie Baby, Sky Dancers and Baby All Gone.
1996: Tickle Me Elmo, Buzz Lightyear, Doodle Bear, Gooey Louie and Space Jam Action Figures.
1997: Nintendo 64, Tamagotchi, Teletubbies, Digimon and Spice Girls Girl Power Dolls.
1998: Furby, Bop It, Nintendo Game Boy Colour, ProYo and Laser Challenge.
1999: Pokemon Red & Pokemon Blue, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game, Scalextric AFX Vertigo Set, Nintendo Game Boy Camera and Tyco Rebound.
2000: Tekska Robotic Dog, Micro Scooter, Amazing Ally, Pokemon Pokedex and Nokia 3310.
2001: Bob the Builder, Lego Bionicle, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, iPod Classic and Sony Playstation 2.
2002: Bratz Dolls, Rapunzel Barbie, Xbox, Yu-Gi-Oh and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figures.
2003: Beyblades, Cranium Board Game, Nokia N-Gage, Lord of the Rings Figures and Badge It.
2004: Robosapien, iPod Mini, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Halo 2 and Motorola Razr.
2005: Xbox 360, Tamagotchi Connexion, Nintendo DS, iPod Nano and Star Wars Electronic Light Sabers.
2006: Nintendo Wii, My Furreal Friends Pony, Tickle Me Elmo, Fly Wheels XPV and Wii Sports.
2007: PlayStation 3, Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock, iPod Touch, Doctor Who Dalek Voice Changer Mask and WWE Playset.
2008: High School Musical Dance Mat, Iron Man DVD, Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures, Rubik’s Revolution and iPhone 3G.
2009: Go Go Pet Hamster, Monopoly City 3D, GX Racers, Battle Strikers and Ben 10 Action Cruiser.
2010: Toy Story 3 DVD, iPad, Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear, FurReal Go Go Walking Pup Hasbro and Nerf N Strike.
2011: Nintendo 3DS, Moshling Treehouse, Fijit Friends, Lego Ninjago Fire Temple and Doggie Doo.
2012: Skylanders Giants, Wii U, Furby, Twister Dance and Lego Lord of the Rings.
2013: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Lego City Coastguard, Hoverboard and Grand Theft Auto V.
2014: Frozen Snow Glow Elsa, iPhone 6, The Sims 4, Minecraft Figures and Bop It! Beats.
2015: Bladebuilder Jedi Master Lightsaber, Star Wars BB-8 Toy Droid, LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Millennium Falcon, IDO3D Craft Design Studio and Thunderbirds Interactive Tracey Island.
2016: Pie Face, Hatchimals, Paw Patrol, NES Classic and Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage.
2017: Fingerlings, LOL Surprise Dolls, Fidget Spinner, Nintendo Switch and SNES Classic.
2018: Red Dead Redemption 2, LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall, Monopoly Fortnite Edition, iPhone XR and PlayStation Classic.

How much are people spending each Christmas in the UK?

This year, the most popular Christmas gifts of 2018 proved to cost over twice the amount of the most popular Christmas gifts of 2017.

Out of the 48 years analysed, the most popular Christmas gifts of 1987 came out as the cheapest, with the top five Christmas presents costing only £35.48 (£96.70 in today’s money).

Then, at the other end of the scale, the most popular Christmas gifts of 2013 came out as the most expensive, with the top five gifts totalling to a total of a hefty £1,092.40 (that translates to £1,215.92 in today’s economy).