I queued outside Aldi at 7am to buy Christmas presents

It’s easy to understand why parents are so enthusiastic about the annual Aldi wooden toy event, which arrives in the supermarket around this time each year, just in time for Christmas. The items are significantly cheaper than those of its rivals, and they’re also adorable.

This year’s range surpasses that of previous years. One aspect of the wooden toy event that I believe parents particularly enjoy is the variety of role-play food and furniture.

There’s a slight sense of vicarious living when you purchase mini toy versions of Colin the Caterpillar and miniature replicas of Aldi food for your child.

Aldi doesn’t replenish its Special Buy items, meaning the stock available on Thursday morning is all they have , reports Wales Online. So for those who are desperate for a particular item, it’s worth being there at opening time to ensure they don’t miss out.

I chose to attend the event at opening time on Thursday morning, arriving at my local Aldi store around 7.40am and I joined the queue with approximately 15 people and about eight trolleys ahead of me.

I’d heard whispers about previous years where stores only had two or three wooden kitchens, so even though it wasn’t on my shopping list, I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance. As I thought about this, the queue behind me began to grow rapidly.

One shopper in the line shared with me that their sibling had visited a separate store to increase their odds of securing the desired items. Another individual revealed they had come directly from a night shift to avoid missing out.

By the time the shop doors swung open at 8am, I guessed there were approximately 50 eager customers waiting for entry. As the crowd was admitted, a flood of trolleys all made a beeline for the Special Buys section. Although I wasn’t leading the pack, I was well-positioned to reach the toy section and swiftly secure the few items on my list.

However, the frenzy took me by surprise. The sight of the packed area, filled with frantic arms reaching for toys, was astonishing.

The abundance of smaller toys was unexpected. There was a generous supply of the popular Colin the Caterpillar toy cakes and other food items, which are always a big hit.

There was also a surprising amount of various wooden climbing toys on offer. However, many customers were left disappointed as the store had run out of toy kitchens.

All that remained were large boxes of toy fridges and an empty space where the wooden washing machines would have been.

The experience was quite overwhelming, having to quickly scan the available items and return to my trolley, which was being jostled as more shoppers flooded in. I’m grateful I had a shopping list, allowing me to bypass many items and concentrate on acquiring what I needed, rather than deciding on the spot what to buy.

It seemed that most of the other shoppers had a similar strategy. One mother shared that she had a list she intended to stick to and was also shopping for others.

Another mum mentioned her task of buying five kitchens if she could, due to the high demand among her friends. However, the toy kitchens were evidently the hot ticket item here, and I suspect only a fortunate few nationwide will manage to secure one.

There was also an abundance of doll houses and corresponding accessories. The quantity of items in some people’s trolleys, particularly larger ones, took me by surprise.

The whole affair felt like a rapid dash, and I’m relieved I only sought a few smaller toys for myself, my sister and a friend and managed to exit the store by 8.15am.

Upon loading my car, I realised I’d mistakenly picked up toy biscuits instead of the requested macaroons, but it was no trouble to pop back in and correct the error.

I managed to secure two sets of the loaded doughnuts, the toy biscuits, a Colin the Caterpillar cake, the macaroons, the dentist role play set, a wooden activity board and a toy truck.

If you’re planning to attend the event at any point, it’s advisable to set off as early as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the main items are sold out by the end of the day.

The fan favourite Colin the Caterpillar cake could potentially be sold out in most stores by 9am, and you’ll need a stroke of luck to get your hands on a toy kitchen.

Should the event recur, if there are larger items you’re after, I suggest going with another person. This way, one can guard the trolley while the other navigates the aisle, avoiding other shoppers and their trolleys.

Overall, although initially overwhelming, it didn’t take me long to grab what I wanted and exit the store, with no squabbles over items. I’d certainly queue up for a Special Buy event again.