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| 1967.12.03 Niagara Falls NY Gazette Pg3-C |
Selection of Toys Is Described As Greater Than Ever This Year
By SANDRA ORMSBY Gazette Staff Writer
AS CHRISTMAS DAY draws nearer the number of shopping days begin to dwindle. Children are busy making their Christmas lists and writing letters to Santa. However, most youngsters do not want to chance leaving gift selection to Santa's discretion. They are invading local toylands to view "sample" toys which the jolly old man left for their inspection.
Seasoned shoppers who happen to tag along with their children will agree the selection of toys is greater than ever.
But unless parents happen to see a few television commercials they will not have the slightest idea what their youngsters are asking for when they include such items as "Incredible Edibles", "Major Matt Mason" and a "Sonic Blaster" in their letters to Santa.
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IT USED TO BE that little girls were happy with a doll. Now they want a doll that splashes real water in its own bath tub or a doll that chews its food or a doll that crawls across the floor by remote control.
There are also dolls that are dressed in mod style clothes, dolls that are cheerful and tearful, dolls that are as tall as a three-year-old and three inch mini dolls.
Also found in some toy departments are character dolls from foreign countries, "Orphan Annie" dolls, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. Stuffed animals include everything from small cuddly puppies and Siamese cats with green eyes to the ever popular teddy bears and huge elephants and lions.
Little housekeepers can set lovely tables with china and dish sets which include stemware candles, candlesticks and a bud vase. There is also an array of house keeping equipment including brooms, mops, carpet sweepers, and vacuum cleaners. Also popular this year are dish washers which really work, washing machines and cooper tone appliances just like mommy's.
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ROAD RACING CAR sets, electric baseball games, frogmen, astronauts and space capsules are heading the lists of many boys this year. Also popular are motorized monsters, miniature cars and trucks, ice skates, drum sets and guitars. Sleds, footballs and skis are other favorites. Games are more popular than ever this year. Included in this category are family or group games such as those played on large plastic game boards which are placed on the floor. Ore also sees large supplies of classic games such as checkers, ouija and scramble in most toy departments. These games always seem to appeal to youngsters of all ages
The biggest items this year are the treatmakers that make "food". There is a machine that makes candy apples, a candy kitchen that makes various candies, and a sno cone machine. Also popular again this year is the oven that bakes real cakes and pies. There is a grill that cooks everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to pancakes. Another machine makes peanut butter.
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THIS YEAR "gobbl-degoop" comes in such luscious flavors as cherry, licorice, rootbeer, mint, cinnamon and butterscotch, all of which is prepared in a sooper-gooper.
New this year on the toy scene is a fright factory which makes ghostly scars, fake fangs and blood shot eyes (all of which glow in the dark). Educational toys and toys for preschoolers are very popular this year. Included in this category are the recent line of toys that teach a toddler everything from what a dog "says" to what a trumpet sounds like. These are known as look, learn and listen toys.
For the very young there are magnetic puzzles and clocks that teach telling time, blocks and the ever-popular pull toys.
Cars, trucks (especially garbage trucks, gas stations, electric trains, paint by number sets, wagons and spring horses have not lost their eye appeal in spite of the new space age toys such as space stations and moon crawlers.
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MOST STORE personnel noted there has been a sharp decline in the sale of toy guns and rifles. They attributed this to the war in Vietnam. One manager commented it is not because these items are not available from the toy companies but rather that the parents do not wish to purchase them.
Many toys still come un-assembled much to the dismay of many parents. There are still endless instructions on how to fit notch "B" into slot "C" and bend spring "1" into bars "A" and "B".
One thing parents do not have to worry about is buying the right toy for their youngsters depending upon their ages. Many of the toys available are clearly labeled for a specific age group. If in doubt take your youngster along with you and watch his reaction as he inspects the toys.
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ONE LITTLE GIRL about two years old was observed in a toy department standing before an enormous display of toys for pre-schoolers. She could, by standing on her tiptoes, reach the third shelf from the floor. She stood there for a moment in awe.
While her mother was out of sight she began scooping the items from the third shelf and placing them on the floor. She was working like a beaver when her mother returned. The flustered mother began replacing the toys and the little girl continued removing more from the other end of the shelf.
The store manager had observed the entire scene and said with a smile "I really enjoy this time of year but I am always glad when 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 24th gets here."
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