Every year, Toy Wishes magazine reviews thousands of toys and interviews retailers, parents and children to come up with their highly influential list of the top holiday toys. Below is a look at this year's list with my review of their picks. As a doll collector, retailer and commentator, I'm fascinated by which dolls and plush toys made the list as well as whether the other toys chosen are high tech or traditional toys. You can use this review to help shape your holiday gift giving this year.
1. TMX Elmo
Is it any surprise that the T.M.X. Elmo doll made the Toy Wishes list of this year's top toys? He may be hot because of the hype, but when you get right down it it, T.M.X. Elmo is an extremely entertaining toy. With his sweet laugh and amusing body motions when tickled, T.M.X. Elmo is a natural for this and for most other top toy lists. Suggested retail is $39.99, but he is hard to find and going for much more on eBay.2. Bratz Forever Diamondz
Bratz are still the hottest mass market dolls around, and they are represented on the Toy Wishes list by the Forever Diamondz dolls. Each doll shows off all the glitz and bling that Bratz are known for, and each doll comes with a (tiny) diamond pendant for their new owner. Personally, however, my Bratz pick for the 2006 holiday season are the adorable Bratz Kidz. Suggested retail for the Forever Diamondz Bratz is $29.99.3. Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses
Although Barbie is not the media darling she once was, Barbie is a perennial favorite on the Toy Wishes Top Holiday toys list and this year is no exception. Barbie shows up on the list this year straight from her new DVD, Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses. The DVD is engaging, the dolls pretty and appealing to little girls, and they are priced right, at a suggested retail of $24.99 for the dolls and $32.99 for the carriage.
4. Butterscotch, My Furreal Friends Pony
Butterscotch, My Furreal Friends Pony is adorable, realistic and amazing...but, zowee, with a suggested retail of $299.99, you might want to go straight to My First Laptop Computer. Seriously though, I do understand why Toy Wishes selected this toy for this year's list. Butterscotch, My Furreal Friends Pony is as close to a real pony as you can get It is 3 foot tall, moves realistically, even makes clip-clop and walking sounds when the child sits on it.5. Wii by Nintendo
Toy Wishes chose the Nintendo Wii over the Playstation 3 for the list. As a proponent of traditional and imaginative play over electronic play, I'm glad to see this, since Nintendo seems to favor games aimed more at children than does Playstation. Many doll lovers tend to be technophobes who don't play video games, but even they may want to give the Wii a try. It features a real-motion controller that lets you experience tennis, fishing and more. Suggested retail, $250.6. LEGO Mindstorms NXT
I was blown away by LEGO Mindstorms NXT at Toy Fair this year, and evidently so was Toy Wishes. With LEGO Mindstorms, you can make a very complex robot (think of it as a robotic doll!). Although this is clearly a toy incorporating technology, it still allows endless traditional play since the child or adult can build whatever they can imagine. This is, however, another expensive toy, with a suggested retail of $249.7. Kid Touch Digital Camera
This is a camera made by Mattel/Fisher Price for little children, age 3 and up. Although I'm a bit confused about electronics for toddlers, taking photos is a creative and imaginative pursuit, and this camera makes it easy for them with large buttons (and a limited amount of options). Suggested retail is $69.99.8. Monopoly Here and Now
I simply cannot help my collector's nature. My family already has 4 Monopoly games (Star Wars edition, Pokemon edition, Classic edition and Internet edition with a space for About.com!) and even so I'm drawn to Monopoly Here and Now. This is another limited edition Monopoly, and the properties reflect the United State's here and now (Times Square) plus today's real estate prices. Suggested retail is $29.99.