Sugar and spice and all things nice, or slugs and snails and puppy dogs' tails - that's how this year's top-12 Christmas presents, as predicted by the Toy Retailers Association, seem to divide up this year.
Apologies for sounding sexist, but GX Tightrope Terror and the Bakugan Battle Pack are only likely to appeal to about half of those in Santa Claus's address book, while the same half would leave home if they received the Sylvanian Families Caravan or Princess Peppa's Palace.
However the TRA believe all the toys in the list will appeal to parents, as none costs more than £49.99
Wed 28 Oct 2009 03.05 EDT First published on Wed 28 Oct 2009 03.05 EDT
Princess Peppa's Palace
Much cheaper in upkeep than Windsor and a darned sight cuter than Buckingham Palace, (Character Options, RRP £39.99) folds out to reveal a banqueting hall, kitchen with oven cauldron, thrones and two exclusive guardsmen to protect the porcine royal family
(Mega Brands, RRP £9.99). Things have come a long way since you spun your battling tops with string and launched them on the kitchen lino. These are motorised and remote-controlled - what more could you ask for?
Just like Kevin's cool green muscle car in the show, the (Bandai, RRP £29.99) is loaded with unique features, according to Amazon.co.uk. Some of the reviews (by parents) suggest it is a little complicated for its market – but what do they know - they're grown-ups
Bend them, twist them, then stick together without the need for glue. The (Spin Master RRP £19.99) can be used to create jewellery, gear for your action figures, furniture for dolls ... it's excellent practice for DIY in later life
String the tightrope across your room and watch the flywheel-powered mini-speedsters in (Flair, RRP £22.99) streak from point to point. Lewis Hamilton eat your heart out
All little girls want a hamster, but (Character Options, RRP £9.99) are better than the real thing. They can do everything real hamsters do except chew wiring, keep you awake at night and make your bedroom smell – oh, and that true hamster speciality: dying when you go away on holiday
(Lego, RRP £17.99). It's Lego, it's indestructible, and it's a game involving mazes and monsters that doesn't need batteries. Enough to make everyone happy on Christmas Day
Definitely one for Margaret Beckett: the (Flair RRP £44.99) boasts all the attention to detail you would want if you were about to go on tour with your family – a seating area which converts to a double bed, fold out bunks and ironing board, a shower room with fold-down loo and hand basin, plus 30 accessories
Maybe not the ideal game for those Guardian readers who hate property-price stories and loathe landlords, but for those who loved the original version of this classic game, (Hasbro, RRP £24.99) gives it a new 3D twist that could keep you going for hours
You've read the comics, played with the toys, watched the cartoon, seen the film - now you can buy the toys again and pretend they're for your children. (Hasbro RRP £22.99)
The (V-Tech, RRP £49.99) will allow your toddlers to express their imagination when taking photos, and is tough enough to survive the experience. It combines big buttons, flash and a colour LCD screen, and has a 16MB internal memory - big enough for 200 pics or up to five minutes of video. Just keep an eye on what they are recording ...
A girl plays with (FurReal Friends Hasbro RRP £49.99) at the 'Dream toys' fair of predicted top-selling toys for Christmas on October 28, 2009 in London
A stand of farm, zoo and pre-historic animal figures made by Schleich, which range in cost from £2.50 for a meercat or rabbit to £4.75 for horses and large cattle
