No matter how lavish the presents waiting for you under the tree this year, it’s hard to beat the excitement of the Christmas toys you received as a child – or as a teenager unwrapping the gadgets and beauty products that first made you feel grown up.
Now, anyone feeling a pang of nostalgia can check out the most popular presents from decades past and see if they really were as good as you remember.
Research compiled from the Toy Retailers Association, Retromash, and The People History has revealed the most popular Christmas gifts in each decade from the 1970s to the present day.
While some toys and games such as Monopoly and Sylvanian families have endured, other fashionable Christmas presents from decades past have since become obsolete, such as the portable music players that were all the rage in the ’70s and ’80s.
Meanwhile, some products have had time to fall out of favour and come back again such as vinyl and sewing machines.
Skip to the ’90s and Dr Martens boots, or groundbreaking tech gadgets like iPods from Apple or cordless phones from brands like Nokia were all the rage.
Read on below to see what was hitting department store shelves over the past 50 years from 1975 to today…
1950s
What did Baby Boomers – born in the post Second World War era of 1946 and 1964 – lust after for Christmas?
Gift expectations were significantly more modest than those of children today – with walnuts and satsumas, stuffed in stockings laid out on beds on Christmas Eve, often a staple gift for working class households.
Toy soldiers were a big source of entertainment too. Usually cast in lead and painted green at a scale of 1:32, by the end of the 1960s they would be made using plastic instead.
Meccano was also on the wish-list of many budding engineers, with colourful painted mini strips, nuts, bolts, gears and girders allowing for the construction of models from cranes to boats.
And Matchbox cars…small replica die-cast vehicles featuring everything from Austin Minis to Jaguars were often on letters to Father Christmas.
First produced by Lesney Products in 1953, their compact size meant they could easily be carried around in blazer pockets, making them a hit with schoolchildren.
1960s
When it comes to toys, the Sixties saw the arrival of the Sindy, Britain’s answer to Barbie. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed 12 inch teenage doll was launched in September 1963, just in time for the festive shopping season.
Sindy was the first figure to have her own advert – which was aired across TV screens 25 times on Christmas Day.
The Tressy Doll may be long gone but during her heyday, she rivalled Sindy and Barbie. And unlike her counterparts she came with adjustable hair, which meant owners could change her hair length.
Other popular characters included comic book hero Dan Dare. The heroic British science fiction character was dubbed the ‘pilot of the future’ and drawn by Frank Hampson for Eagle comic in 1950. By the 1960s, his dedicated annuals were a popular request for primary school children.
Chocolate, relatively inexpensive, remained a crowd-pleaser during yuletide, with selection boxes from brands such as Cadbury and Rowntree’s particularly popular.
What might youngsters find in a large Rowntree’s selection box in 1960? Sweet treats included a Kit Kat, Aero, Milk Motoring, Coffee Crisp, Tokens, Fruit Gums, Liquorice Gums, Fruit Pastilles and Smarties.
1970s
From the beloved Monopoly board game to The Guinness World Records, the 1970s were full of fun and creative non-digital entertainment tools.
Of course, the latter book of facts and achievements is still going strong, but it was immensely popular in 1975, selling millions of copies and becoming the top-selling copyrighted book ever at that time.
It was also a simpler era, when portable cassette players were the closest thing people had to iPods and Spotify.
And those who grew up then might remember longing for their favourite album to blast through the house on their vinyl player.
Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water was the UK’s top selling album of the entire decade.
1980s
A decade later, tastes had altered to include the new, must-have products from household gadgets to toys and electrical goods.
Among the items was a SodaStream, which allowed buyers to create their own fizzy drinks in a plethora of flavours – and they were so popular that 40 per cent of British homes had one at the time, according to The Guardian.
Similarly, sewing machines were a welcome gift during the period for mending, making, or altering clothes, with brands like Singer and Kenmore being some of the most popular.
And while laptops were not yet a common possession, electric typewriters were a solid choice for students in the early ’80s.
Towards the end of the 1980s, Sylvanian Families, a series of collectable furry figures, grew in popularity, priced at £6.97 back then, which would be £20.35 now.
1990s
As technology usage began to increase, the 1990s welcomed innovative toys and gadgets, such as the Nintendo Game Boy and CD players.
However, classic figurines were still favoured among children, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, following the release of the first movie in 1990.
For adults, CD players were on the rise as society shifted away from cassettes as a listening method throughout the 1990s.
By the same time, wok pans, traditional Asian cookware, had become a trendy feature in British households, with stir-frying becoming a popular new cooking method for home cooks in the UK.
Later in the decade, Dr Martens became a highly sought-after item, with people of all ages wanting to get their feet in a pair of its famous leather boots.
2000s
Technological advancements soared in the 2000s, which, in turn, introduced a new wave of never-before-seen digital gifts.
In 2001, Apple launched its first-ever iPod, delivering a totally new way for shoppers to listen to their favourite tunes while on the go.
The iPod, which went on sale just before Christmas in November, completely disrupted the music market and could hold 1000 songs.
Other trending products included the Nokia 1100, launched in 2003, which was branded as being affordable and durable.
Elsewhere, Bratz Dolls, known for their distinctive features and trendy clothes, which were priced at £24.99 and would now cost £47.95, were also rivalling the likes of Barbie as the hottest Christmas gift.
2010s
With technology constantly improving, many brands introduced new gadgets and advanced models in the 2010s.
While Apple first launched its iPad in 2010, e-book readers, specifically Amazon’s Kindle, became popular.
The device, which allowed book lovers to carry countless books on the go, was first released in 2007. But after selling out instantly, Amazon released a more affordable model in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Xbox Kinect sensor reached gamers in November 2010 and sold 2.5 million in less than a month, according to the BBC.
2020s
The 2020s saw Barbie undergo a resurgence, with the Barbie 3-in-1 DreamCamper and the Barbie Dreamtopia Rainbow Magic Mermaid being well-liked presents.
In the same year, Nespresso’s Vertuo coffee machine proved to be a popular choice for caffeine lovers wanting to get their fix at home.
Come 2025, the hype is all about matcha – with many longing for kits to make the Japanese beverage at home.
Elsewhere, Calvin Klein boxers continue to be a favourite, while the Stanley Cup has also become popular once again.
