They're the Christmas toys more naughty than nice, and in many cases they're downright dangerous.

Consumer group CHOICE has tested popular kid's presents and found the majority fail mandatory safety standards.

They are Santa's little testers, and they're making a list, of banned toys. CHOICE subjected 23 toys to an Australian standard test, and two thirds, 15 toys, failed.

The Fair Trading Minister, Anthony Roberts, is calling on families to show some common sense when purchasing toys this Christmas.

"There are some toys that are just not suitable," the minister said.

Shopkeepers should show common sense too, or they face fines of more than $1 million for selling unsafe toys.

Gift buyers are being told to avoid toys that; break easily, have unsafe projectiles, rough and sharp edges, or toys that are choking hazards or contain them.

All of the bad products came from discount stores or markets; which are prime targets for Fair Trading's toy squads. But the 15 failures are just the tip of the dodgy toy iceberg.

"There will be others out there and it's really, really important that parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles are really careful," CHOICE spokesman Alan Kirkland said.