Here it is, nearly Christmas and Hanukkah, and you`ve forgotten to buy a present for your nephew Billy, your favorite babysitter or the children of friends who have invited you over for holiday dinner.
Don`t worry. Relief is as close as your nearest video store-which probably will be open late Christmas Eve-and you`re sure to delight any child on your last-minute list-no matter what their age.
”It`s an easy gift and you don`t have to worry about the size,” says Leslie Burnside, co-owner of the North Shore Video Adventure stores, who has sold a lot of videos for holiday gifts. ”People can watch them over and over again.”
Burnside and others advise that you keep the children`s ages in mind, as well as their interests. Perhaps call their parents before you head for the video store. Then, Burnside says, a salesperson can direct you to a good choice.
For example, a very young child would be sure to enjoy ”Baby Songs,”
”More Baby Songs” or ”Turn on the Music.” They all sell for $14.95 and contain snappy songs about a young child`s life-about not washing their blanket, for example, or walking or eating.
For the slightly older child, there is the ”Wee Sing” series, including a Christmas offering called ”Grandpa`s Magical Toys.” They retail for $19.95 and include lots of children`s songs.
”Animal Alphabet” is recommended by Peggy Charren, who heads Action for Children`s Television. The 30-minute video, which sells for $14.95, contains 26 songs about animals, using the alphabet as a theme and National Geographic footage. ”It`s really delightful,” Charren said.
Charren, who spends a lot of time criticizing what commercial television offers children, suggests gift-buyers choose a tape that was derived from a story book. ”The loveliest gift is to give both the video and the book,” she said.
For example, there is a new animated edition of ”Beauty and the Beast,” narrated by Mia Farrow ($14.95), and a book and audio tape gift set produced by E.P. Dutton that sells for $17.95. ”Dr. DeSoto and Other Stories” is another possibility, as is Kipling`s ”The Elephant Tales” and various Dr. Seuss stories, including ”The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” ($14.95). You also might choose a classic like ”The Snowman” at $14.95.
Don`t forget those old musicals, Charren said. Consider ”The Wizard of Oz,” ”Annie,” ”Mary Poppins” or even ”West Side Story” and ”Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”-shows the entire family can enjoy together.
But there are plenty of new choices around, too. The adolescent sports nuts on your list probably would love Sports Illustrated`s Great Moments in Sports” for $14.95, although ”Not So Great Moments in Sports” Comes in at $9.95.
For the younger set, animated videos of ”Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” ”Frosty the Snowman,” ”Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and
”The Little Drummer Boy”-all taken from television specials and all priced at $14.95-are available this year.
Fisher-Price is offering animated versions of ”Hansel and Gretel” and
”Little Red Riding Hood” for $14.95 each.
The company also has a terrific new series about twins, Jennifer and Max, who take kids on funny, musical adventures, letting them experience living in the ”grown-up world.” These tapes-”It`s a Dog`s Life,” ”Grown Up Today,” and ”Things That Go Vroom”-sell for $14.95. In the ”Grown Up Today” story, for example, the twins discover what life is really like if you`re a grown-up: They take their parents` places for a day.
Another option might be a new series of ”Stories to Remember,”
distributed by Hi-Tops Video ($14.95), in which well-known artists narrate animated stories. ”Baby`s Storytime” includes fairy tales that are told by Arlo Guthrie, ”Baby`s Bedtime” includes lullabies sung by Judy Collins, and ”Noah`s Ark,” is narrated by James Earl Jones. At the same time, book-audio versions of the four will be available from Dutton Children`s books.
