Back to the Basics: Holiday Toy Shopping Done Right

It's going to be an old-fashioned Christmas once again this year. By "old-fashioned," I mean very low tech, no $300 PSPs or DSIs or XBoxs under the tree this year. It'd be nice to surprise the kids with an iPhone each, but they'd be even more surprised by the lack of food on the table for the next several months after we wrapped up Christmas morning. So, back to the basics. And I know I'm not the only one doing this. Most of us have no choice but to continue to be frugal through a very indulgent season.

So, with that in mind, I went on a hunt for little things; special things that capture the imagination and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Turns out, just like back in the day of my childhood some 20 years ago, the classics still reign supreme and now they’re even cooler!

And, it turns out, I only had to make one stop to find some cool, affordable toys: The Gifted Child on Railroad Street in Great Barrington (they also have a store on Church Street in Lenox).

They have virtually everything for everyone at every price range. I perused the place for at least an hour and a half and I know that I still didn't cover all the ground I could have. But I did find some amazing toys for every child (even the child at heart).

Magformers are apparently very popular, and I can see why. They are brightly-colored plastic shapes with rotating magnets inside so that each piece connects to another at any given angle, and even in midair! You can shape the connected pieces into three-dimensional structures (houses, cars, rockets, you name it) and just as easily disassemble your creation and start over. And, of course, Magformer sets are interchangeable so there is the potential to build an impressive collection over time. A 30-piece set run about $35 (which, by the way, is less than a single game cartridge for a Nintendo DSI).
 

In my little family of three, we are word wits. Everything is about finding the right word or expression. Remember "Scrabble?" Well, now there is the word-building anagram phenomenon of Bananagrams. Anyone can play, it's a combination of a crossword puzzle and Scrabble and all 144 letter tiles fit neatly into a little "banana" pouch. The damage, about $15. And I am confident that when I'm not playing the game with the kids that they will have a free-for-all with the tiles (which may include some inappropriate words, but at least they will be spelled correctly with enough practice).

And if you really want to get old school with words, pick up a couple of "Mad Libs" pads and use them as stocking stuffers. At $4 a pad, they provide endless (and somewhat disturbing) laughter and they now come with themes such as Star Trek, "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings."

If words are too exhausting (or the holidays for that matter) there is always the Zoobie. While

I'm not a big stuffed animal fan, mostly because of their complete lack of function, but the Zoobie isn’t just a stuffed animal. It unfolds from a furry friend (could be a panda, a frog, a wolf, you name it, there’s a Zoobie for it) into a fairly sizable comfy pillow.

And if you unzip the bottom of the Zoobie, out comes a soft fleece blanket that could warm even a holiday-exhausted parent (and they do make Jumbo Zoobies; the blanket is 34 by 53 inches). The damage on this one is $35. Not bad considering you get three things and each is FUNCTIONAL.

So, when you're shopping for your kids this year, don't hurt yourself. Keep in mind that this is supposed to be a FUN time of year where meaning trumps quantity. If you are not having fun and you are stressing about money (more so than usual) then it's time to get back to the basics. A chess set, a an aerodynamic Frisbee, a book about making slime, a papier-mache volcano kit; these are all great gifts under $20 that are guaranteed to be exciting and even entertaining, no plug in necessary.

And remember, shop local. All you need and want is at your fingertips, including your holiday feast.