Christmas is just around the corner – along with the annual stress of finding the right presents for friends and family. A Swiss games researcher explains why traditional board games continue to fascinate us. If you have no idea what presents to buy for your relatives and loved ones this Christmas, you should know that board games and Lego are extremely popular, for young and old, a survey by the Swiss Toy Association shows. The association asked Swiss retailers such as Migros, Manor, Coop, Galaxus and Spielkiste about early Christmas trends. The results reveal that Lego is very popular, especially for adults. The same goes for soft toys and film-related merchandise, such as Disney's Stitch character from the Lilo & Stitch franchise. Surprisingly, board games are still among the most popular Christmas gifts, despite the growth of computer games. Why are board games still so popular? “Board games are popular because they bring people together,” explains games researcher Rainer Buland.
