Of course, not all of the Christmas toys are just for kids! Both the young and the young at heart will love one of the latest finds at JokeGifts.org–a talking toilet paper holder. Basically, you record a message on the holder, and then it replays that message each time the roll turns over. You can use it for humor, or you can use it for more serious purposes (like keeping us girls from falling in when we sit down on a toilet that’s had the seat left up).
If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for someone on your list who would consider themselves a techie or a geek, we’ve got a few suggestions for you. ThinkGeek.com carries hundreds of different items for the “smart masses,” as they say it. Their web site boasts lots of goodies to decorate a cubicle (and some to start a cube war), gadgets for your computer, caffeinated candy, mugs, posters, T-shirts, unique clocks, and much, much more. We could be here for days talking about all of the fun gadgets on their web site.
Here are a few highlights:
- A classic Rubik’s cube, or one of the many other variations they offer
- Nerf dart guns or USB rocket launchers for cubicle warfare
- LOLmagnetz for those who enjoy ICanHasCheezburger.com or IHasAHotDog.com
- Staple free staplers
- Digital measuring tape
- Magnetic pushpins for the refrigerator
- Electronics cleaning putty
- Jolt gum or Foosh Energy Mints
- And, for the uber geek, a binary clock
Early Christmas shopping is one of the best strategies when it comes to nabbing one of the year’s hottest toys. After all, trying to find that latest “it” toy is much easier in September than it is in November or December. (Unless you’re talking about something like the Nintendo Wii, which has had low stock ever since its introduction in late 2006.) However, shopping this early also means you aren’t seeing as many Christmas toy-related advertisements, so you might be wondering what the new, hot toys will be this year.
Character toys related to movies and television are expected to continue being a hot item for 2009, with Transformers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Bakugan anime series leading the way. Hannah Montana and High School Musical are still ringing in the sales. For teens, Twilight and Harry Potter are expected to be tops when it comes to licensed product sales. As always, Dora the Explorer and Thomas the Tank Engine remain popular with the younger set.
Classic toys are another good move, with updated versions of toys like Lincoln Logs and Legos out on store shelves. The Lego Builders of Tomorrow set even includes an online component, so the fun extends to virtual building as well. Barbie is also still popular, now that her body sports a more realistic dimension and her many careers include several that are typically male-centric, including an astronaut, doctor, or chef. Of course, when it comes to classic toys, we can’t forget the #1 best-selling ride-on toy of all time, the Big Wheel. Any parent who grew up in the 70s or 80s remembers how much fun can be had riding around on a Big Wheel!
As Christmas gets closer, there’s no doubt that the list of “must have” toys will grow, but we hope that this small list of suggestions will help you get ahead of the game on your holiday shopping.