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Hamleys’ 2026 Festive 15 brings together toys for young children, older fans and adult collectors, with listed prices ranging from £10 to £75. Senior buyer Karen Dennett says the selection weighs characters, trends, play styles, age range and price—not just newness. The list reflects Hamleys’ interest in collectibles, persona play and Japanese pop culture, while the Regent Street store’s holiday experience remains part of its retail offer.
Hamleys has shared its 2026 Festive 15, a holiday toy list that ranges from a wooden London taxi for toddlers to a LEGO Doctor Doom bust for adult collectors. The London retailer’s selection highlights its approach to choosing holiday products: age range, characters, play patterns and affordability, alongside new and emerging trends.
The list was previewed during a visit by The Toy Book to Hamleys’ Christmas Grotto in London. The retailer’s senior buyer, Karen Dennett, said the selection is not limited to newly released toys. She described a range of considerations, including familiar characters, established brands, emerging trends, different ways to play and a spread of prices.
The products named in the report cover a broad age range. The Hamleys Wooden London Taxi is listed for children as young as 18 months, while the LEGO Doctor Doom Bust, inspired by Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, is for ages 18 and up. A Hatsune Miku T-Most PVC Figure is recommended for ages 14 and up. The report gives prices from £10 for Keycraft Global’s Big Squij range to £75 for Buzz Retail’s remote-controlled Thunder Unicorn.
Dennett pointed to the Hatsune Miku figure as an example of two interests Hamleys is tracking: persona play and J-Pop. The retailer describes persona play as character-centred toys that give children a starting point for making up stories, rather than being defined mainly by a toy’s functions. Dennett said Japanese popular music is a trend the retailer sees emerging after the growth of K-Pop.
A Holiday List for More Than Kids
The selection shows how Hamleys is pitching its holiday range to families with different ages and budgets, as well as adult fans who buy collectibles. The spread from toddler playthings to adult-oriented licensed merchandise means the list is not framed as a single category of “hot” toy. It also gives shoppers a snapshot of the characters and play formats the retailer considers relevant this season.
Hamleys’ focus on collectors is tied to its wider retail strategy, according to Dennett. The report says nearly an entire floor of the Regent Street flagship is devoted to toys, collectibles and other products for older consumers, with anime merchandise forming a significant part of that offer. Dennett said the kidult market is important to the retailer and expects it to continue growing; that is her assessment, not a measured market forecast provided in the report.
The store’s selling proposition also extends beyond products. Demonstrations, interactive displays and performances are part of the in-store experience, Dennett said, and the seasonal Grotto adds a ticketed activity for families. That combination makes the list relevant not only to toy buyers, but also to visitors considering Hamleys as a holiday destination.
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How Hamleys Selects Its Festive 15
Hamleys traces its history back 266 years and is best known for its flagship on Regent Street in London. The Toy Book’s report says the retailer invited the publication to view its 2026 holiday picks while it was in the United Kingdom for Brand Licensing Europe. The visit included a preview at the Christmas Grotto.
The source describes the Festive 15 as an annual list, but does not provide sales results or explain whether products are ranked. Dennett’s comments make clear that the retailer considers a broad mix rather than selecting only new launches. In her account, the list balances recognisable brands and emerging interests with varied ages, play patterns and price points.
Alongside the individual toys, the retailer is watching interest in collectibles and anime-inspired products. Dennett said Hamleys was among the early retailers to bring Pop Mart into its store. The report presents that as her description of the company’s position; it does not include independent market data comparing Hamleys with other retailers.
“There’s a broad spectrum of what you need to put on the list. It’s not just a case of ‘hot new toy.’”
— Karen Dennett, senior buyer at Hamleys
collectible character figures for adults
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Sales Results and List Rankings
The report does not say whether the Festive 15 is ranked, how Hamleys measures a “holiday hit,” or whether inclusion reflects sales, buyer judgment, supplier activity or another process. It also provides no sales forecasts, customer research or performance figures for the listed toys. The trends cited by Dennett—including J-Pop and kidult collecting—are the retailer’s observations and are not accompanied by market-wide data.
The source material does not reproduce full product details for every item in the 15-toy list, so the named examples should not be treated as the complete selection. It also does not give the Grotto’s ticket prices, booking dates or the precise date it will open in mid-November.
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Holiday Store Events Ahead
Hamleys’ Santa’s Grotto is scheduled to return to the Regent Street flagship in mid-November, according to the report. The ticketed experience is described as including a visit with Hamleys Elves, a workshop and an audience with Santa. Each child is also due to receive a gift bag.
The report does not provide booking information or confirm whether any of the Festive 15 toys will be featured in Grotto activities. Shoppers looking for dates, ticket availability and full product details will need to check Hamleys’ current announcements. The next concrete development identified in the source is the seasonal Grotto’s return; sales results for the holiday list have not yet been reported.
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Key Questions
What is Hamleys’ Festive 15?
It is Hamleys’ annual selection of holiday toys. The 2026 list, previewed by The Toy Book, includes products for multiple ages, interests and budgets.
What kinds of toys are included in the 2026 selection?
Examples named in the report include the Hamleys Wooden London Taxi for ages 18 months and up, a LEGO Doctor Doom Bust for ages 18 and up, and a Hatsune Miku figure recommended for ages 14 and up.
How much do the listed toys cost?
The report gives a range from £10 for Keycraft Global’s Big Squij range to £75 for Buzz Retail’s remote-controlled Thunder Unicorn. It does not provide prices for every item.
Why does the list include adult collectors?
Hamleys buyer Karen Dennett said the retailer considers a wide range of ages and has a substantial focus on collectibles and older consumers. The source describes this as part of Hamleys’ retail approach, not as a measured market trend.
When does Hamleys’ Santa’s Grotto return?
The report says the ticketed Grotto at the Regent Street flagship is due back in mid-November. Exact dates, ticket prices and booking details were not included.
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