Who had stuff we love at The Big Christmas Press Show? Deej Johnson offers a seasonal round up

With the tube strike undoubtedly impacting visitor numbers, I wanted to brave the journey to Islington to visit The Big Christmas Press Show. No surprise, then, that travel became many people’s go-to grumble… Many of us found ourselves describing journeys with either the defiance of Roger Kipling’s If or the horror of Stephen King’s It. Happily, the show was well worth the effort, though, with every toy and game stand offering the kind of stuff we love…

Mattel
Flanking the entrance were two giants of toys and games… Mattel and MGA Entertainments. Mattel’s stand felt naturally Christmassy with their brand colours capturing the spirit of the season. Understandably, Barbie’s Dream Camper Playset topped the central pile of goodies. For me, though, the highlight was the range of Hot Wheels Brick Shop cars. In real-life, I’m not even remotely interested in vehicles – but these sets are irresistible.

MGA Entertainments
Across the floor, MGA won attention with cars of their own. First, the oversized Little Tikes Cozy Coupe into which adults could cheerfully climb for a photo. Second, the commercially available Bluey branded version: Grannie’s Car Coupe. Elsewhere, I was taken with the recipe and resin-based play of the Haribo Mini Verse. This colourful set invites you to bring candy creations to life.

Craft Buddy
It’s easy to see why this stand was busy! A recipient of a Mojo Nation Play Creator Award, Craft Buddy’s Crystal Art Kits offer some terrific play. Eye catching and diverting, their glittering ranges include a number of iridescent licenses. Among those on display were Harry Potter and Disney’s seemingly omnipresent character Stitch.

Lego
This was, I think, the show’s most organically festive stand… That’s true mostly thanks to an enormous figure of Father Christmas and a fir tree made of bricks! Frankly, Lego never gets old for me so everything looks like someone’s ‘must have’ gift! For me, though, Santa’s Post Office is a truly cozy treat. First released in 2024, this set makes a stunning addition to the Winter Village range.

John Adams
I waited and waited and waited for this stand to quieten down enough for me to get an unobscured photo. It says a good deal about their products – and the team – that it couldn’t be done… They were run off their feet all day! For that reason, it’s hard to pick a highlight – I barely got a look in. Perhaps I’ll point to the ASMR Studio, though. The trend remains enormously popular online and John Adams has found an interesting way to bring it to life for kids.

Menkind
As a retailer, this shop never fails to impress. It’s mix of gifts, gadgets and goodness-knows what is always worth a look. Dominating the stand was a Minecraft display with a number of interesting ideas. The range includes air hockey and pinball arcade games, and – just outside Mojo’s purview – a TNT-block fridge. Other plinths and platforms showed off a number of interesting toys and games too.

Exploding Kittens
Celebrating ten years of Exploding Kittens, the team here presented a minimalist stand. Three podia called for attention with a showing of five products: Row Your Goat, Coyote, Exploding Kittens: the Board Game, Horrible Therapist and Horrible Couples.

Goliath
Mastermind is back! Yes, the classic colour-matching game is returning to market, completely revamped. Sans weird box cover, it looks better than ever… I love this game, so it was a pleasure to see Goliath’s banner promoting it at the show. Elsewhere, Marshmallow Madness had a big presence. Huge fun! We recently spoke to Gary Aigner from PlayMonster about this amuse-bouche… You can read that here.

Wilton Bradley
Wow! I could hardly contain my enthusiasm on this stand which was brought to life by a Xootz Lilliputian Land Rover and a mini Mini Cooper. These electric ride-on cars don’t just look fantastic… It’s clear they’re quality products with a good deal of detail. What’s more, the team on the stand knew their stuff and represented the brands flawlessly.

Asmodee
The behemoth that is Asmodee had a really sharp focus for The Big Christmas Press Show. They displayed four games in total: one for each podium on the stand. You could point to any one of them and pretty much guarantee someone a Merry Christmas with these particular offerings… Piles, Bluey Dobble, Flip7 and Brick Like This. You can read about the last two in interviews here and here.

Playtime PR
It seems apt that the Playtime PR stand was eye-catching and huge! The team itself forms something of a spine for the The Big Christmas Press Show… They have a quiet presence on many of the other stands. What was the highlight? Offering in-person congratulations to the ever-modest Ceriann Smith on her recent promotion to MD.

Canal Toys
My timing couldn’t’ve been worse arriving here! A screen promised product demos on the hour every hour; I guess I arrived seconds after one… And found the team happy to be busy, busy, busy! Their highlights include the awesome-looking Creator range with Instant-Print Cameras, a Video Projector camera and more.

The Kidult Awards
This smorgasboard of joy showed an array of playthings for grown-ups. Noteworthy among them was the Flying Scotsman model train from Hornby Hobbies. Despite my never having been a model-railway enthusiast, I enjoyed speaking with Holly Barnett and Simon Owen about this fantastic product. It was also lovely to see a range of Tubbz ducks, especially since it was only recently that I spoke with Liam Taylor about them on our sister site here.

Playmobil
WildBrain CPLG recently announced a raft of Playmobil licensing expansions – you can read about those here. The stand at The Big Christmas Press Show, however, kept things delightfully simple. Their playful highlights included the City Action Police Headquarters and the Princess Magic Castle… Both playsets are sure to engage.

University Games
There was an impressive array of play on display at the University Games stand. However, I only had eyes for Buying Time! This was the best new party game I saw at New York Toy Fair this year – and I’ve been champing at the bit to see it on the shelf. After a little packaging redesign, it now looks magnificent – and I’m excited for it! It uses simple-but-clever tech in-service to a really neat idea.

Sylvanian Families
What does it say about this brand that – 40 years after it debuted – I’m still able to sing the song from the TV ads? I say sing… Anyone that knows me can attest to my misuse of the word. As always, the toys are a gentle joy. My personal favourite? The family of snow leopards complete with skidoo.

Tomy
To my eye, Human Controller was garnering the most attention for the Tomy stand. Heralding itself as a party game of trust and blind faith, this game was nominated for a Mojo Nation Play Creators Award… And for good reason! It’s funny to play and fun to watch. You can read an interview about it with James Wing, Matt Jordan and Alex Fuhrer here.

Golden Bear
Sleek and sporty, this stand focused attention on just three lines: Soccer Bot, Soccer Dash and Soccer Launcher. Given my near-phobic aversion to all things football, it should’ve been lost on me! However, these products are absolutely great… And it wasn’t just me saying that! Visitors were impressed not only by the products themselves but also the consummate dream-team of Chris Smith and Becky Matthews.

Ravensbuger
Frankly, it’s a miracle I paid attention to anything on the stand because they had a Crash Cats on display! I just love that product: you can read about it here: But what else caught my eye and won my heart? To my surprise, it was the Brio World Train Set Dinosaur: Deluxe Set. I loved its head-dipping diplodocuses, smoke-billowing volcano and all the other creatures and features! Terrific.

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