General News
20 September, 2026
Toy searches show Christmas clues
With fewer than 100 days until Christmas, early search data indicates that nostalgia, collectables, and classic family games are likely to be popular gift choices again this year.
This content was created in partnership with Google Trends.
Why was there a big queue outside several shops last week? The Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration is a sneak peek into the possible shopping trends this Christmas season.
Sorry to inform you that there are fewer than 100 days until Christmas, and we know that will approach faster than you want to admit.
Google Trends data from the past three months analysed several popular toys in Australia, revealing a rapidly fluctuating graph from week to week.
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration dropped on September 16.
With 30 variants of the iconic Pikachu, new mystery cards and classic reprints, the new set was hugely popular across Australia.
While the 30th anniversary set was announced in February, the trading card game’s search index peaked at 100 in July when Mega Evolution (Pitch Black expansion) was released.
Over time, searches for Pokémon TCG slowly declined, then tripled in two days, from 26 to 79 on the index score.
Twenty-four hours later, the interest dropped to 49.
If you are looking for a Christmas gift, there’s the Ultimate Collection (available from November) featuring 29 celebration booster packs, a classic collection booster pack, and premium accessories.
Hot Wheels
The timeless classic Hot Wheels is an easy choice any time of year.
Data shows that while Pokémon TCG had its ups and downs, Hot Wheels remained consistent across the three months; Pokémon TCG’s search index averaged 30 in the past three months, whereas Hot Wheels averaged 49.
Interestingly, while interest in the toy cars idled during the week, it revved up during the weekend, with 22 per cent higher searches on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday, July 19, was the strongest day for Hot Wheels, with a search index score of 83.
If you are looking for a Christmas gift, there’s the Hot Wheels City Transforming Stunt Garage.
The playset converts from a multi-level garage into a stunting speedway, featuring a gap jump.
Uno
The classic card game has more variations than a standard rose.
A popular, low-cost activity that can be played in any group sees a similar jump in interest during the weekend.
This can be seen in its stable but strong search history across June, July and August.
It averages an index score of 23.65 during the week before increasing to 28.20 on weekends.
Interestingly, not many people searched for Uno rules.
If you are looking for a Christmas gift, there’s Uno F1, which features a new ‘overtake’ mechanic.
Meanwhile, Liar’s Uno is a combination of the old kids' game ‘cheat’ and Uno.
Maybe keep that one away from the uncle who took his bat and ball home last Christmas.
This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends.