1,2,3 FRESH DIP: Nicky (top left) looks cool but stays warm with his North Face Nuptse puffy down vest ($137, call 800-719-6678, ext. 155 for stores). And Missy (above right) is stylin’ with Delia’s Ski Kids Tee ($20, item No. A07060) and Avalanche Pants ($49, No. A03078); call 800-335-4269 to order. (Below, a gift-juggling Missy is comfy in her own PJs.)
4 KILLER CUBE: The Lights Out Cube (Tiger, $30) gives you six surfaces to worry about at once. Train that brain!
5 MOVE TO THE GROOVE: Test your reflexes with Bop It (Parker Brothers, $20), an electronic version of follow-the-leader. Obey its commands quickly, cuz this baby can speed-talk! Hope you get the “pass it” command before you blow it.
6 DIALUP DARTH: Get your own “Star Wars” ‘bot with the R2D2 Phone (TeleMania, $90 at Sharper Image, Spencer Gifts and Brookstone). It makes the weird little R2D2 noises when a call comes in.
7 PAINT WARS: Have a paintball war at home with Paintball Blaster (Oh! No!, $25). It splats… it smears… then it disappears -the balls contain vanishing ink.
8 YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU: Game.com (Tiger, $69), the newest hand-held eight-bit system, truly breaks some ground. It’s slightly smaller than Sega Game Gear, bigger than Nintendo Game Boy, but more loaded than both. Play games (titles sell for $20 to $30 each), use its phone directory, calendar and calculator, and (if you get the optional Internet cartridge for $20) surf the Net and send e-mail.
9 BEANIE GEAR: Give your Beanies a berth of their own on the roomy, wooden Beanie Noah’s Ark (no, it doesn’t float). The small one ($100) holds 30 Beanies, and the large one ($150; shown above) holds 40. Call 888-634-8328 for store locations.
COPYCAT: Star Wars R2-D2 Ditto Droid (Tiger, $10) is way cool. It’s basically the same game as Simon (match the sounds the game makes in the same sequence) in a fab new form. Plus it makes “Star Wars” sounds instead of tones.
BIGBLAST: Lazer Tag (Tiger, $40) beats the competition, because you don’t need to strap on a vest, the target is built into the gun (no cheating by covering the target with a hand), you can fire 10 shots in a row, and the playing field is more than 100 feet.
WORD GAMES: The memory game Bird Brain (Tiger, $25) has you match up popular sayings (think “ants in your pants”) by pairing the beginning with its ending. Don’t think it’s so easy; there are two skill levels, and four players can compete at once.
STUMP YOUR SIBS: Remember which one of the Seven Dwarfs wore glasses? Know all the words to your fave Disney tunes? There’s something for everyone in The Wonderful World of Disney Trivia Game (Mattel, $34). So break out the videos before you play, and here’s a tip: Doc wore the specs.
WHEEL AND DEAL: Learn how to bid and bluff with Masterpiece (Parker Brothers, $15.) It’s all in the name of art (you’re after paintings that are actually at The Art Institute of Chicago), but whoever hoards the biggest stash of stuff wins.
DOLL TALK: Forget the usual holiday editions. We predict the two dolls destined to be collector’s items are first-evers: Talk With Me Barbie (Mattel, $90) and Her Imperial Highness Anastasia (Galoob, $60). Babs comes with a CD-Rom for you and her own doll-sized computer to download info from your computer to hers (her lips move in sync with what she says). And Anastasia’s lovely in her glitzy, jewel-studded gown.
GP REMOTE: Back flips, rocket rolls and 360-degree turbo twists are a breeze with the remote-controlled Tantrum (Tyco, $70). It has superhigh traction wheels and two motors (one for forward and reverse, the other for turns and twists). But it needs a 6.0V Jet Turbo Battery Pack System (Tyco, $20, sold separately).
TECH TREATS: Create your own weird robot with Lego Technic Giant Model Set (kit No. 8277, $40) or a savage-looking space ship with the Lego System Alien Avenger (kit No. 6975, $60). Both kits have instructions, but you can always wing it and see what you concoct.
THINK GREEN: You’ll never need another battery with the K’nex Solar Power 10 Model Set ($50). Thanks to a solar panel, energy from the sun or any incandescent light source will fuel the motor, which can be used to power anything you make with the kit. Instructions are included for 10 models, or you can invent your own.
HOT HOOTY: Hop up your miniature die-cast cars with the hot wheels custom Designer CD-rom (Mattel, $20) You can customize your car and track with stickers and make pretend driver’s licenses and plates.
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Check regular toy stores for these products unless other locations are specified.
