The ultimate toys, games and gifts for your family this Christmas

The race is on to get the very best Christmas gifts for your family, but as the big day gets ever closer it can be more and more of a nightmare figuring out what everyone is wanting this year. It's okay, most of us leave it all to the last minute, but it needn't stress you out too much now, thanks to the joy of the internet. So then, what are the best toys, gifts and games for the whole family this year? Here's a selection of tips to help you with that last minute bargain hunting. These items are amongst the most wanted this Christmas, and although the shops may have sold out, the internet is alive with ways to get that ideal Christmas gift. So, without further ado, onto the gift ideas:

There are some superb tech gifts on the market to thrill and enthrall the whole family. The big ones this year include the incredible Playstation 3, the portable and engrossing Nintendo DS Lite, Apple's latest version of the iPod nano (now with skew and augmented shuffle functions) and a wide range of home theater ideas such as widescreen HD TVs, Blu Ray players and fantastic new sound systems. For the gamer who has everything, how about a gaming chair? That way the lengthy periods sat at the controls won't harm their bodies so much.

There's some great items out for the girls, including the My Life Virtual Console, pink laptops, pink guitars and more. Traditional girls' toys include the adorable baby Born with Magic Potty doll, the Chou Chou My First Tooth doll, some great merchandise from the High School Musical films and the wonderful Girl Gourmet Cupcake maker, that the whole family will be able to enjoy.

For the boys, some of the most wanted toys this Christmas include the Ben 10 Omnitrix replica, the Power Rangers Operation Overdrive Tracker, the hugely popular Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer helmet, the Indiana Jones Whip and Hat set and the fun Catcha Beats game too.

For fans of animal toys there are some brilliant ideas on the market this year. There's the massive Kota the Triceratops for starters, and there is a wide range of interactive animal toys from the makers of the Furreal range, with The Furreal Biscuit, My Lovin' pup being the most popular. There are lots of other animal friends to choose from in the FurReal range too. There's also the cute Honey, My Pony toy horse.

For younger kids, the most popular toy by far is the wonderful Elmo Live toy by Fisher price, an all singing, all dancing Elmo that will become your childrens' best friend with his stories, songs and dances.

For the family, how about a board game? there are some excellent new games out there now such as Pictureka or 20q, but the old favourites are back with a vengeance New editions of Monopoly (Monopoly Here and Now World edition), Scrabble, Cluedo, Etch a Sketch and the legendary Rubik's Cube are all available to keep everyone entertained while Christmas dinner settles. There really is something out there for everyone, so don't delay in seeking out the best toys and gifts for Christmas. All the very best season's greetings to you, and have a prosperous new year!