Trying to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not in the Christmas toy stakes is anything but child’s play. With newspaper lifestyle features and website listicles groaning with gift suggestions and predictions, diligent parents will be reaching for the festive sherry long before the big day.

Take heart, though, because there is one common theme running through them: what’s old is new again. Evergreen toys — from Tamagotchis to Hot Wheels, from LEGO to Star Wars action figures — are enjoying a December 25 revival, driven by tech burnout and a thirst for nostalgia.