SEX robots and life-like dolls are enjoying a festive boom, with sales surging in the run-up to Christmas.
Retailers say demand spikes every winter as buyers splash their Christmas cash on increasingly realistic dolls, many now powered by artificial intelligence.
From silicone bodies to conversational AI, customers are snapping up the latest model in search of pleasure and companionship.
Eye catching promotional snaps show dolls posing beside Christmas trees, sipping cocktails and even dressing up as a raunchy “sexy Santa”.
One UK-based retailer says the festive season is one of its busiest periods of the year.
Cloud Climax, which imports sex dolls from around the globe, says interest goes through the roof from late November onwards.
While some customers are focused on appearance – choosing hair colour, body type and outfits – the company says many buyers are actually craving connection.
A spokesperson told The Sun: “The run-up to Christmas is always one of our busiest periods.
“From late November on, everything suddenly spikes: enquiries, orders, custom builds and last-minute ‘I want this before Christmas’ requests. It all ramps up fast.”
They say Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people who feel isolated.
The spokesperson added that dolls are increasingly filling an emotional gap during the holidays.
They said: “Christmas can definitely play a useful role in society for people who are lonely at Christmas. Christmas can be an isolating time for a lot of people especially if they’re single, bereaved, or just not surrounded by family.
“A companion doll can offer comfort, routine, presence and a sense of connection. They don’t replace real relationships, but they absolutely can make someone feel less alone. We hear that from customers every year.”
Last year, demand was so intense the company was still delivering right up to Christmas Eve.
They said: “Last Christmas was incredibly busy. We were still doing deliveries on Christmas Eve, and even between Christmas and New Year, because the demand kept going.
“We were joking about people spending their Christmas money! This year we’re expecting it to be even stronger, with more interest in silicone models, more AI enquiries, and a lot of returning customers upgrading their existing dolls.”
Looking ahead, the retailer predicts the industry is only going to grow.
They believe “2026 will be a big year” as AI technology continues to evolve.
The spokesperson explained: “For dolls in general, we’re expecting more weight-reduced silicone bodies, better skeletons with smoother joints and more realistic posing, even more detailed skin textures and finishes and easier customisation and interchangeable features.”
They say the AI side is advancing at a fast pace as we will soon be seeing “more natural, expressive faces, smoother conversational AI with better memory, better eye contact, head movement and micro-expressions.
“There will also be a stronger app and smart-home integration, faster on-device processing for privacy and responsiveness,” said the spokesperson.
Inside the secret sex robot ‘swap shop’
THE Sun has been given exclusive access to the Doll Forum (TDF).
It’s an online community of sex doll collectors who share images, and their experiences, of their hobby.
Threads include ‘cheating wife dolls’, ‘my first doll’, ‘looking for dolls with extremely fake looking breasts’ and ‘I married a witch’. There’s also a whole category on ‘male dolls’.
Founders say it has around 110,000 registered users, up from 10,000 in 2009.
User MrMike, who first became curious about sex dolls after seeing one at a stag do party in 1986, is one of them.
MrMike, from Calgary, Canada, stumbled across TDF having spent decades experimenting with other toys, and wanted to find affordable dolls.
At TDF, which he joined five months ago, he found thousands of other people who shared the same hobby and offered their guidance.
The rise of sex dolls isn’t just being driven by retailers – entire online communities have sprung up around them.
One of the largest is The Doll Forum, founded by documentary producer David Prescott.
Prescott, now 71, quit his job to launch the forum in 2009.
He says it has grown from just 10,000 users in its first year to around 111,000 registered members today.
According to Prescott, Christmas is a major theme on the forum, with users sharing festive photos of their dolls.
The Sun was given exclusive access to the site, which features numerous Christmas-themed threads.
These include galleries dedicated to holiday outfits – from ‘Sexy Santa’ costumes to characters inspired by Avatar, the hit James Cameron film.
One post shows a brown-haired doll in a gold bikini standing beside a Christmas tree.
The user wrote: “Zafira wanted to say Merry Christmas.
“She likes her sparkly gold holiday outfit. Now I’m feeling a little sheepish, apparently this is the only thread I have dedicated to her.
“So I guess the holiday pictures go here. Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas.”
But Prescott insists the appeal goes far beyond sex.
He says the dolls offer comfort and companionship – especially during long, lonely periods.
Recalling a road trip across North America in 2008, he says his silicone companion helped ease the isolation.
Mr Prescott told The Sun: “I spent 7 weeks driving across the USA and Canada doing interviews for my documentary in 2008 and I can say one can start to feel a bit lonely.
“Just having the doll sitting in the passenger seat does give the feel of a presence of another person.”
He even claims the dolls can be convincing enough to fool police.
He said: “If you are in a hurry and need a passenger in order to use the faster commuter lane these dolls are so realistic looking, if you give her a nudge with your elbow and pretend to be talking to her when a police car is driving by he will probably think it is a real passenger!”
Prescott says Christmas is one of the most active times on the forum.
He added: “The forum has lots of photos at Christmas.
“I tell people the dolls have a presence when they are sitting in the room with you plus they can also provide the closest simulation of sex with another human.
“The dolls are like people. You dress according to the occasion.”
Another major retailer, SEDOLL, has also unveiled a new festive range this year.
The brand, which typically imports dolls from China, says tastes have changed dramatically.
Fantasy bodies are out – hyper-realism is in.
A spokesperson said: “We did a Christmas shoot this year which featured a holiday atmosphere and a dual-character storytelling setup with full body and head master makeup.”
They say seasonal releases have become an expectation.
They added: “We’ve released Christmas-themed sets almost every year to match the seasonal mood and user expectations. The inspiration has been classic red and white Santa outfits with snowy and winter themed aesthetics.
“Holiday demand has always been present and it has become a yearly expectation. But since our dolls are not limited editions, they are available all year round.”
Companionship, they say, remains the top reason people buy dolls.
The spokesperson explained: “On The Doll Forum, a frequently asked question is: ‘why did you buy a doll?’ ‘Companionship’ consistently ranks as one of the most common answers, and during the holidays, this sentiment becomes even stronger.”
They believe technology will soon take that connection to another level.
They said: “For now, companionship mainly exists through visual presence and emotional projection, but we are already exploring future developments such as the sexbot, voice interaction, AI communication, emotional expressions, facial dynamics and more.
“These may allow companionship to move beyond the static, toward something more ‘alive’.”
The company says 2025 marked a turning point in what customers want – shifting towards “realism and authenticity” as users crave dolls that “truly feel present”.
That push for realism has already led to major upgrades.
They said: “This year, we upgraded several features such as master makeup, realistic oral structure, realistic skin textures and moveable eyelids.”
And the future, they believe, will be even more personal.
The spokesperson concluded: “We believe realism will continue, but be more personalised and defined. Users may want dolls that feel not just real, but unique, with distinct personalities, stylistic differences, regional and cultural characteristics, facial diversity and narrative/background story settings.
“Two major research directions should remain important: lightweight structural design, easier posing and handling, AI interaction, voice, expression response, emotional cues and more.
“In the future, people may not simply ask: ‘does she look real?’ But rather, ‘can I form a connection with her?’ That may be the next phase worth watching.”
