From drones to diaries – what’s hot for Christmas stockings in 2014

As we are now in the heady days of the run up to the ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ sales events in the US and our own Australian ‘Click Frenzy’ on November 18, it’s time to take our traditional look at what’s hot now and into Hanukkah and Christmas 2014 and the New Year’s sales in 2015.

I tried to keep it down to the traditional top 10, but this year once again there are some perennials, so I added two more to create the Top 12 things that will see their way into our homes, carried by us from, or couriered to us via, omni-channel retail this Christmas.

1. Radio-controlled drones. The world has moved on from the drone being the plaything of armies and corporations to being the must-have toy for men over 30. More than five million of them have been sold in the US. Expect the beaches and parks to be abuzz with them.

2. An Apple “i” product…for the 13^th year in a row. It’s scary to think that the first iPod was announced on October 23, 2001. Thirteen years later and one or more of the “i” range has been on the top 10 list every single year.

3. Something from Smiggle. The ever-changing, on trend and seasonal range makes it just so easy and cost-effective to buy a gift for a girl from Smiggle.

4. Something from clothing brand Desigual. The new must-have, bright, fun, fashion-forward brand from those spicy Spaniards.

5. Something from Deus Ex Machina. Blokes can’t get enough of this newly iconic Aussie brand spawned from the mind of Mambo creator Dare Jennings. Proof that your pavlova can rise twice.

6. An expensive paper diary…they’re back. No more squinting at smartphones, the number of leather bound diaries with a price tag more than $50 has boomed over the past 12 months.

7. Lego…choose some. It isn’t Christmas until you stand on a piece with bare feet, or have to wrestle one from a young child’s mouth on Christmas Day. The new girl’s range, Lego Friends, is a clever extension of the brand and selling like the proverbial hot cakes.

8. Beats by Dr Dre. Well not just Beats but every high quality on-ear headphone: Bose, Sony, Sennheiser. Up to $1000 for wearable street cred.   

9. A FitBit or Jawbone. For the mum who wants to know how far she walks with young kids each day.

10. GoPro and accessories. This may be the last year GoPro features on the top 10 list. But we thought that last year too!

11. Something from Kiehl’s. It’s the Smiggle gift for guys. Easy and cost-effective grooming products. And the motorcycles in the stores are just wonderful.

12. Home-delivered personal services. The self-employed local area business sector is booming in the US and Europe. Home-delivered massage, nails and dog walking services to name but a few. Buy a voucher online, and become a regular user in 2015.

Whatever finds its way into your home, enjoy it over the Hanukkah and Christmas break.

Kevin Moore is a retail expert and the chairman of Crossmark Asia Pacific Holdings.

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