WHEN it comes to Christmas, it doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult, because we're all big kids at heart.

As a grown-up, you may feel a little embarassed about buying that pirate ship for yourself, but you can always buy it on the pretence it's for a child.

However, in this era when children are more fashion conscious than ever, it is expected that they get the "in toy" to impress their friends with when parents are counting the cost in January.

With Buzz Lightyear and Tellytubbies popular in recent festive seasons it comes as a pleasant surprise to learn that some toys of yesteryear are still popular when it comes to the Christmas hit list.

In nostalgic mode I remember the flared trouser days of my 70s childhood, in which Christmas presents consisted of dolls, books, bicycles, Lego characters, plus games such as Operation.

By the time the 1980s arrived, my presents had changed from dolls clothes to my own coveted trend-setting outfits, such as black velvet pedal pushers, frilly blouses and rah-rah skirts, tickets to see Duran Duran in concert, or a fist full of money to pay for that all-important cutting edge fashion perm.

Those of you who still look back on their 80s childhood or teenage years with fondness will be pleased to know it is not just 80s fashion which is making a come-back this season.

According to the British Association of Toy Retailers, there will be a resurgence in classic 80s favourites this Christmas such as Barbie Swan Lake by Mattel and Turtles by Vivid.

My Little Pony and the Care Bears are also predicted to be in the top 50 of must buys.

However, moving back to the modern days, the recent swash-bucking cinema block buster Pirates of the Caribbean seems to have had an influence on Worcester's Early Learning Centre's pirate ship sales.

The 2ft long and 2ft high wooden ships, complete with canvas sails, are one of the top selling toys at the moment.

"People are getting them in for Christmas. It's a good idea to get them in advance," said Barbara Millinchip, assistant manager at the shop in CrownGate, Chapel Walk.

"You can pull parts of the ship down to place boats in.

Mrs Millinchip said the centre's Happy Land range, which consists of plastic people, houses, train sets and farms was also selling well and could be another top seller for this year's Yule Tide season.

"You can make a street out of the Happy Land range," she said.

"At the moment we have an offer on. If you buy three pieces of the range, you get the cheaper one free.

Sue Leicester, manager of TOYWORLD, in Droitwich High Street reported that the Famosa Disney Castle was currently selling well.

"It's a large plastic castle which includes a number of characters such as Merlin the Magician," she said.

"But the top seller for girls at the moment is the Disney Snow White Cottage by Vivid Imaginations. And last year's top seller, the soft-bodied Baby Annabel doll, was proving to be popular again this year.

She also gave hints to those still unsure and who leave it all to the last moment.

"It is a good idea for people to start buying early for Christmas if their children have said what they want."

Smacks Toys in Barnards Green Road, Malvern, which sells many traditional and unusual toys, such as wooden farms and fire engines, was set up by Sue Mackintosh and her daughter-in-law Sara Mackintosh. In their experience the Christmas rush tends to happen after Bonfire Night.

She could not predict which items would take top slot on the toy shelves this year, but confirmed that Baby Annabel was still the top doll and had been for a few years.

"She goes to sleep and if you wake her up she cries," said Mrs Mackintosh.

Other contenders in the doll stakes include Chou Chou - a doll who feeds, sleeps and moves her face, and Baby Born, a doll which feeds, drinks and wets itself.

Call me out of touch, but I did not realise such dolls existed.

Oh well, at least some things never change. I'll go back to my Lego.