Today Jimmy and I popped up into town for the official announcement of the Dream Toys 2014 list. The top 72 toys were revealed by the Toy Retailers Association and a showcase followed where we got to play and peruse them all. Selected by a panel of leading UK toy retailers it is predicted that these 72 will be the ones to fly off the shelves this Christmas and having seen them all myself many times since the Christmas in July boom in the summer I’m not surprised at their choices. The top 12 out of the 72 may not have been my top 12 but here they are, in alphabetical order:

1 – Bop It! Beats – Hasbro, £21.99

2 – Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa – Jakks Pacific, £34.99

3 – Disney Frozen Sparkle Doll (assorted) – Mattel, £16.99

4 – Kidizoom Smart Watch – Vtech, £39.99

5 – Little Live Pets Bird Cage – Character, £19.99

6 – Minecraft Figures (assorted) – Character, £7.99

7 – My Friend Cayla – Vivid, £58.99

8 – Nerf Demolisher 2-in-1 – Hasbro, £44.99

9 – The Lego Movie – Benny’s Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! – Lego, £79.99

10 – Toot-Toot Animals Safari Park – VTech, £39.99

11 – Transformers Stomp & Chomp Grimlock – Hasbro, £89.99

12 – Zoomer Dino-Boomer – Spinmaster, £99.99

My personal top 12, my very own 12 days of Christmas toys would look a little different but everything would indeed come from the top 72.

First up and my number 1 choice has to be Xeno the interactive monster (£79.99) who we first met at his launch party at the zoo back in the summer. I just love the way he giggles when you tickle his feet!

I also really, really like My Monopoly from Hasbro (£21.99) which is why I’m choosing it for number 2. (My list isn’t in any particular order I have to point out). We are giving to friends for a wedding present as you personalise the squares with your own pictures and I think it will be perfect for that, a game for everyone. For my number 3 I would have to say I agree with ‘My Friend Cayla’ (£58.99) who DID make top 12. We went to her launch party and are reviewing her currently; she’s pretty awesome. At 4 I’m going to plump for the Fisher Price City Skyway which Jimmy has LOVED ever since we were sent it to review a while back. It’s absolutely fantastic!

My number 5 is the Little Live Pets Birdcage (£19.99), another one which made the official top 12. I love the way these birds chirrup and get happier as you talk to them and even talk back to you. I fell for them at Hamley’s Christmas press day back in June and along with the butterflies in the range they are a top choice from me. Great stocking filler too as you can buy the birds and butterflies on their own much more cheaply!

For my 6th choice I’m going for something we’ve not used ourselves but I KNOW from seeing it at every show that it is brilliant! LeapTV from LeapFrog is the first active and educational video gaming for a younger audience and although pricey at £119.99 I just know how much Florence would like this. Likewise with the LeapBand (29.99) which is rather like a Tamagotchi but to be worn on the wrist! I haven’t used either so can’t really give any more advice but we certainly like the look of both!

At number 7 I’m going for the game Gooey Louie (£19.99), he looks disgusting to me but my children think he’s fab so what can you say, if they like it then they like it! We’ve not played him but the appeal is massive – a game essentially revolving around nose picking, yuk!

For number 8 I’m choosing three of the ‘Frozen’ toys because, well, it’s my list so my rules and if I didn’t lump them together a quarter of the list would be taken up by ‘Frozen’! We adore Snow Glow Elsa (£34.99) who is like a little child version of Princess Elsa and she sings, Disney Frozen Magical Lights Palace (£44.99) because who wouldn’t want a ‘Frozen’ castle and Disney Frozen Sparkle Doll (assorted – £16.99), I love the Kristoff doll!

So moving on to my number 9 Barbie and the Secret Door Princess Alexa Doll (£24.99). We went to a Barbie singing class in the summer where we watched the film and we played with the toys. We love this doll and the way she lights up! We also got to meet a real life Barbie who was, incidentally, at Dreams Toys today as well!

Number 10 Baby Annabell Learns To Walk Doll £49.99. She crawls,, sits up and then takes a step or two while hlding onto your fingers. We love Baby Annabell and this is a great new addition to the collection. We were also rather keen on the rocking version!

For number 11 I’m back with the official list and The Lego Movie – Benny’s Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! (£79.99) Well, everything is awesome after all and this is just mega! Brilliant for any Lego fan! The Disney Princess Cinderella’s Romantic Castle (£59.99) would be more up lots of little girl’s streets and is a great Lego choice too!

And for my last choice, number 12, I’m going to say the game Hotel Tycoon (£24.99) which is kind of like Monopoly but with a more 3D 21st century feel. Build hotels and snap up land deeds while trying to get as many entrances as possible. Haven’t played it but it looks fab!

There were lots of other bits too of course, things which I just didn’t have room to put in my list but that we liked very much. I’m very fond of the Toot-Toot range at V-Tech which make wonderful stocking fillers as do the Robo fish and mermaids by ZURU-Geemac..

Other things we like are the Dobble Game which has a version for younger children, Monster High collection, Peppa Pig Weebles (Jimmy rarely is without his wobbly wobbly piggie), DohVinci vanity mirror and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle range! Lots and lots of fab things for this Christmas!

We have to also add, just before we finish, that the Lego Christmas Advent Calendars are, and this is the very special Lego word remember, AWESOME! We especially like the Star Wars one although at £29.99 it’s not cheap!