Star Wars and adult colouring books top presents

WALKING OFF THE SHELVES: Neil Lambess, manager of Whangarei's Replicant Hobbies, said while Star Wars products are always a hit they are even more popular this Christmas following the release of the latest film.PHOTO/MIKAELA COLLINS

Kids and dads go mad for replica kitsets

The force is strong in Northland this Christmas with Star Wars products on the list of "must haves" for many gift-buyers this festive season.

The Northern Advocate hit the streets of Whangarei to find out what Northlanders may find under the tree this Christmas. In a survey of stores around the city, we discovered adult colouring-in books and Star Wars products were on the top of shoppers' lists.

Paper Plus Whangarei manager Chris Juddery said the store had never ordered so many colouring-in books before. "I don't think we're going to see that stop, that's going to continue. We're ordering them in, in the 50s and 60s, and we have never run out of colouring-in books until now."

Tracey Deane, from Whangarei's Tuatara Design Store and Gallery, said she was seeing the same trend, with adult colouring books from New Zealand selling quick. "I think it's because people want to relax but right now when people are relaxing they are doing it in front of a screen so this is something different for them to focus on."

Mr Juddery and Ms Deane said the books appealed to a wide audience and said punters were purchasing them for a range of different people.

Also topping the list, following the release of the latest Star Wars movie this week, is anything and everything to do with the film. Neil Lambess manager of Replicant Hobbies said the day after the midnight release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens he had about 300 people through the store, which he said is busy for a little local shop. "It's always popular but more so after the release, in fact we've nearly run out of stock."

He said the Star Wars kitsets were doing well, but the Millennium Falcon set was number one on shoppers' lists. "You get some kids in and you ask them if it is for themselves or a present and they'll say, 'No it's for my dad,' and then you ask others if they are buying it for their dad and they say, 'No it's for me.' It's really popular with all ages."

Mr Juddery said Star Wars products were also doing well.

In terms of popular books, Mr Juddery said Dan Carter: My Story, Chelsea Winter cookbooks and books about different YouTubers and bloggers, were selling fast. "It's amazing how well the vlogger (video blogger) books are doing," Mr Juddery said.

On the technology front, FitBit, a wristband that monitors fitness by connecting wirelessly to a mobile phone, is popular again this year and the top three console games are Destiny, The Last of Us and Minecraft.