Early Christmas shopping is one of the best strategies when it comes to nabbing one of the year’s hottest toys.  After all, trying to find that latest “it” toy is much easier in September than it is in November or December.  (Unless you’re talking about something like the Nintendo Wii, which has had low stock ever since its introduction in late 2006.)  However, shopping this early also means you aren’t seeing as many Christmas toy-related advertisements, so you might be wondering what the new, hot toys will be this year.

Character toys related to movies and television are expected to continue being a hot item for 2009, with Transformers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Bakugan anime series leading the way. Hannah Montana and High School Musical are still ringing in the sales. For teens, Twilight and Harry Potter are expected to be tops when it comes to licensed product sales.  As always, Dora the Explorer and Thomas the Tank Engine remain popular with the younger set.

Classic toys are another good move, with updated versions of toys like Lincoln Logs and Legos out on store shelves. The Lego Builders of Tomorrow set even includes an online component, so the fun extends to virtual building as well. Barbie is also still popular, now that her body sports a more realistic dimension and her many careers include several that are typically male-centric, including an astronaut, doctor, or chef.  Of course, when it comes to classic toys, we can’t forget the #1 best-selling ride-on toy of all time, the Big Wheel. Any parent who grew up in the 70s or 80s remembers how much fun can be had riding around on a Big Wheel!

As Christmas gets closer, there’s no doubt that the list of “must have” toys will grow, but we hope that this small list of suggestions will help you get ahead of the game on your holiday shopping.