Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Best Selling Christmas Toys 2009

Last year the toy of the year award as voted by the Toy Retailer relationship went to the Ben 10 series. The year before it went to a set of toys from In the Night Garden. The theme seems to be a toy related to a popular children's television character and this will probably be the same pattern for the best selling toy of 2009/2010. Young children love toys that are familiar, toys that they identify with the television characters that they see. In 2008 the pre school toy of the year was again, In the Night orchad and toys such as Star Wars and toys featuring Thomas the Tank engine (pre school toys of the year in 2005) commonly win toy awards.

In 2007 Rubik cube won the award for being the best puzzle on the market. In 2008 right up until Christmas it was on the best selling toy list for Amazon. It isn't a new toy but still holds a fascination for children young and old and of course adults.

Christmas Toys

Sylvannian figures and houses won awards both in 2007 and last year. They motion to girls as cute collectible animals with a huge range of accessories. They are likely to be on the best selling Christmas 2009 list for girls, along with lego for a best selling building toy for boys.

If you stick to toys that win awards and keep an eye on internet market such as Amazon who have high volume sales for their best selling toys from September onwards, you should get a good idea of which toys are likely to highlight on the best selling toys list for 2009.

Best Selling Christmas Toys 2009

Christmas Shopping in Germany

It may be Summer now but here in the UK we're all well too aware how quickly Summer can turn into miserable Autumn weather. So what better time to plan your winter break and have something to look forward to when the rain clouds set in?

I've always been the type of person who likes seasons to be seasons. I like Summer to be hot and sunny and winter to be snowy and cold. Taking a break somewhere hot in the winter has never really appealed to me. I say, embrace the weather. So the ideal winter holiday for me? Germany, at Christmas.

Christmas Eve

If you're as much of a fan of Christmas as me you'll know there is nothing more exciting than the sight of fairy lights and the sound of festive music while you do your Christmas shopping. This is often hampered however by the sight of frenzied crowds and the sound of stressed-out shoppers. Not to mention the unhelpful shop assistants and the remarkably non-festive department stores. And that's where Germany comes in.

Germany knows how to do Christmas - and it certainly knows how to do Christmas shopping. Why get your family and friends the same old gifts from the same old stores when you can visit Germany's fantastic traditional markets. The most popular Christmas market in Germany is the Nuremberg Christkindlesmark. The market dates from 1639 and is held from the Friday before advent until Christmas Eve.

The stalls sell unique and traditional pieces so you're sure to find something special for that special someone. And while you're shopping, get into the festive spirit with a glass of mulled wine and some roasted chestnuts which are on offer at all the markets.

Plus, don't miss the opening of the market. The Lord Mayor performs the opening ceremony in the Marienplatz in Nuremberg city centre when the Christmas lights are switched on.

Christmas Shopping in Germany