Barbies, flying dolls and Squishmallows expected to be Christmas best sellers

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Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. plush / plʌʃ / (adj.) – made of a thick, soft fabric
    Example:

    The plush sofa in the living room is perfect for relaxing.


  2. squidgy / ˈskwɪdʒ ɪ / (adj.) – soft and moist
    Example:

    The sponge cake had a squidgy texture that melted in my mouth.


  3. sell like hotcakes / sɛl laɪk ˈhɒt keɪks / (idiom) – to be bought quickly and in large amounts
    Example:

    Cute stickers sell like hotcakes. A lot of kids like to buy them.


  4. proverbial / prəˈvɜr bi əl / (adj.) – commonly referred to in a well-known saying
    Example:

    He is the proverbial “black sheep” of the family.


  5. projectile / prəˈdʒɛk taɪl / (n.) – an object that is thrown, fired, or launched through the air
    Example:

    The arrow was launched as a projectile towards the target.


Article

Read the text below.

With less than a few weeks to go, children are gearing up for Christmas with their wish lists.


In the UK, the Toy Retailers Association unveiled its DreamToys top 20 toys for 2023.


Toy retailers and toy experts expect plush toys Squishmallows to be a top seller this Christmas. These cute, pillow-shaped toys are soft and squidgy and sell like proverbial hotcakes. They cost 8.99 pounds ($11) a piece for the 7.5-inch (19-centimetre) models.


Back in January, Squishmallows maker Jazwares was already ecstatic: “(The) plush market was up 30% roughly year on year overall as a category. We saw a 500% increase in sales of Squishmallows. So a huge part of that will be down to these lovely guys here. We sold close to 3.5 million units just in the UK last year, so 2022 and 2023 really is the year of Squishmallows,” said Alex Painter, senior marketing director of Jazwares.


At Hamley’s, London’s oldest toy shop, it’s PAW Patrol Mighty Movie – Skye Deluxe Vehicle by Spin Master which is getting a lot of attention. The toy is made up of an airplane with a PAW Patrol figure and two projectiles. Squeeze the handle to spin the wings of the plane and tilt it to hear the sound effects. It retails for 49.99 pounds ($61).


Another toy bound for the skies is L.O.L. Surprise! Magic Flyers by MGA Ent. The rechargeable doll can fly out of her box. It can be found in stores for 36.99 pounds ($45).


“You’re finding that obviously the character licensed products and it’s still huge with things such as Paw Patrol. And obviously the Barbie movie has had a huge effect, I mean Barbie would almost certainly have been in the top ten anyway. But the film has just made Barbie even bigger,” says Tim Murray, editor of Toys n Playthings magazine.


“So character licenses are a key trend. I think blind bags where you don’t quite know what you’re getting and you’re opening something that has a surprise element in it – that’s the LOL Magic Flyers. And so I think there is that’s one of the key trends as well.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • According to Tim Murray, character-licensed products such as PAW Patrol and Barbie are popular. Why do you think children are drawn to toys featuring familiar characters? Can you recall a favorite character-based toy from your childhood? Discuss.
  • Blind bags, where the contents are a surprise, are mentioned as a key trend. What makes the experience of opening a blind bag exciting for children? Have you ever purchased or received a blind bag toy? What was your experience like? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • What do you prefer to give as gifts to children? Do you think children would enjoy them? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Would you consider purchasing the toys recommended by the Toy Retailers Association as gifts? Why or why not? Discuss.