Top-10
Most-Wanted Gifts for Girls
from TD Monthly
Girls Go for Baby Bliss
and Flower Power
By
Dennis Furlan
November 2007
With additional
reporting by regional correspondents Virginia
Davis, Terri Hughes-Lazzell, Christine Lebednik
and Greg Rock.
What will girls want from Santa this year?
Webkinz by Ganz
are sure to stick around, retailers told
TDmonthly Magazine, and
younger girls are likely to clutch onto the
latest dolls from Corolle and
Madame Alexander.
Alex's Knot-a-Scarf
and Melissa & Doug's Flower Power Kit
will likely to do well with the older crowd.
Here's what's bound to be popular with girls
this holiday season, divided by ages 4 to 8
(first five toys) and 8 to 12 (last five toys):
Coralie by
COROLLE DOLLS
This
doll features a huggable soft body, moving eyes
and long silky hair that can be brushed and
styled in lots of different ways. Coralie is a
quality, loveable addition to a young girl's
doll collection as well as her world of
imagination and role play.
— "I have seen the doll category grow
significantly this year. Corolle has been a good
brand," said Diane Gervais for
Amato’s in Middletown, Conn.
— "Dolls will do well for [the 4 to 8] age
group. Probably Corolle," said Ginger Milligan,
owner of
Fantasy Island Toys in Fairhope, Ala., when
predicting Christmas 2007 sales.
— Twelve of 54 retailers, most of whom are
located in Southeastern states, told TDmonthly
Corolle would be a hot seller for young girls
during the 2007 holidays. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$50.00; Age: 3 and Up)
Webkinz Dalmatian
by GANZ
This
adorable Webkinz pup is the life of the party,
as long as you bring along some of his favorite
five-alarm chili from the W Shop. As with the
entire Webkinz line, the Dalmatian comes with a
special code that allows a child to interact
with it on the Web. His "special item" includes
the Ganz Rapid Rescue Fire Truck.
— "We just got the relatively new Dalmatian.
Their new stuff is great," said Chris Walsh,
owner of The Whiz Store in Westborough, Mass.,
about Ganz."The demand for Webkinz is going
down, supply is up and prices are coming down.
Yet, it's still selling quite strongly.”
— Almost 25 percent of the 58 retailers
TDmonthly spoke with expect
strong holiday sales of Webkinz.
— Although many specialty retailers have
complained about how Ganz has handled Webkinz’
sudden popularity, they haven’t quibbled at all
about the thousands of dollars these little
plush toys have added to their cash registers.
The extra publicity the toys have generated
hasn’t hurt either, which makes Webkinz a
shoo-in for the TDmonthly Top
Seller 2007 award. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$7.75; Age: 3 and Up)
Shop for Webkins
at The Kimmy Shop
Groovy Girl -
Sarina Soccer by
MANHATTAN TOY
Sarina
knows how to have a ball, or at least kick one,
as she sports her green "#8" tank, colorful
shorts, knee-high socks and orange sneakers. As
a bonus, the 13” doll also comes with a soccer
ball and net.
— "Groovy Girls and all the accessories" are
among the hot-selling items for young girls at
Briar Patch in Alpine, Texas, an employee
told TDmonthly.
— "Manhattan has brought out new Groovy Girls,
so I think that will pick up again. That’s
usually for ages 6 to 10," said Renee Nordhus,
owner of ABC Zone in Rochester, Minn.
— Five of 54 retailers predicted that the Girls
from Manhattan will still be groovy for
Christmas 2007. Even though older Groovy Girl
models are now offered in mass market and the
initial GG fervor has slackened, they
consistently make our best-seller lists, thus
earning them a TDmonthly Top
Seller 2007 award. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$20.00; Age: 3 and Up)
Find Groovy Girls Soccer Sarina at Amazon.com
Calico Critters -
A Carriage Ride for Connor & Kerri by
INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS INC.
Connor
and Kerri Snow-Warren bounce happily in their
carriage as Mother Shannon takes them for a
stroll to Cloverleaf Corners’ Community Park.
The Carriage Ride for the Connor & Kerri set
includes Mother Shannon Snow-Warren Rabbit, the
Snow-Warren Rabbit twins, Connor and Kerri, a
pram with a pillow and blanket, a rattle and a
bottle. This playset also comes with a storybook
about the Snow-Warren family.
— "You know what? Calico Critters do great in
[the 4 to 8] age range," said Linda Hays, owner
of
Hopscotch Inc. in McMinnville, Ore., when
sharing her Christmas 2007 predictions with
TDmonthly. Six of 54
retailers agreed.
— "Calico Critters: It’s been crazy and I expect
it to continue," said Cathy Foland, manager for
Imagination Station in Fenton, Mich., when
discussing the upcoming 2007 holiday season.
— "The carriage is highly detailed with a moving
wheels, sun shade, pillow and blanket," said Sue
Tice for International
Playthings. 9/20/2007 (Price: $16.99; Age: 3 and
Up)
Baby Bliss
Beatrice by
ALEXANDER DOLL CO. INC.
Part
of the Sweet Nursery line, Baby Bliss Beatrice
is 18" high and comes with a rattle and milk
bottle. Adding to the realistic features of the
doll, the milk even disappears. Little girls
will find it hard to resist wanting to hold and
cherish her with love, care and imagination.
— "Madame Alexander has come out with a cute
play line that has done well this summer, and
I’m sure it will be a hit for the holidays,"
said Joyce Matthews, owner of Just 4 Funn in St.
Simon’s Island, Ga., in fall 2007.
— "Dolls do well ... and Madame Alexander is
growing," said Carolyn Meyer of
Imagination Station in Fenton, Mich.
— Five of 54 retailers told TDmonthly
that Madame Alexander dolls are the ones to
watch during Christmas 2007. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$50.00; Age: 3 and Up)
Knot-A-Scarf
by
ALEX-PANLINE USA INC.
The
Knot-A-Scarf makes scarf-making easier than
ever. Girls just knot and lace and it's done. No
knitting is required. The set includes precut
fleece pieces plus laces, a plastic needle and
easy instructions. The line of Alex crafts also
includes Knot-A-Quilt, Knot-A-Poncho and Flower
Crochet Jewelry.
— "Arts and crafts by Alex are big and I expect
them to continue to be big. Knot-A-Scarf should
do well. The [Knot-A-Quilt] did well last year,"
said Patricia Masing, co-owner of
Tree Town Toys in Ann Arbor, Mich.
— Twelve of 54 retailers told TDmonthly
to watch out for Alex arts and crafts in the
tween girls section during the 2007 holiday
season.
— Following the huge success of our
Knot-A-Quilt, we created two new products [in
2007] — Knot-A-Scarf and Knot-A-Poncho.
Knot-A-Scarf is a wonderful craft kit because
there is no sewing or knitting involved. You
simply knot the fringed fleece pieces together
to make a super soft, colorful fleece scarf,"
said Elin Kabo of Alex. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$14.99; Age: 6 and Up)
Webkinz -
Knapsack Purple by GANZ
This
soft violet backpack is a perfect way for
Webkinz lovers to take along their favorite
furry friends. It adds function and style to the
Webkinz universe that has captivated collectors
everywhere.
— "Webkinz by Ganz is our hottest selling item
right now. ... With Webkinz, girls start at
about 6 to 7 years old," said Amy Oliver, owner
of Giggles in Hamilton, Mass.
— "The Webkinz are coming up with a whole slew
for Halloween and Christmas. They're the most
popular right now," the manager of Fun Among Us
in Ipswich, Mass., told TDmonthly.
— Eleven of 54 retailers believe the Webkinz
craze will also carry through for tween girls
during the 2007 holiday
season. 9/20/2007 (Price: $14.99)
My Very Own Horse
Book by
KLUTZ
“My
Very Own Horse Book” is the perfect item or gift
for the horse lover. All the horse sense packed
into the book can be applied to a hand-painted,
collector-quality horse model that comes with
it. Since no horse is complete without its tack,
the materials and instructions needed for making
a saddle, blanket and bridle are included. Every
page features color photography and beautiful
artwork. The book is written by Cornelia
Thompson.
— "They love horses, and the Klutz horse book is
still popular," said Priscilla S. Moore, owner
of Mr. Fub's Party "Toys and More" in Yellow
Springs, Ohio, when predicting what girls ages 8
to 12 will prefer for the 2007 holiday season.
— Six of 54 retailers told TDmonthly
that Klutz books will be hot with older girls
for Christmas 2007.
— "My Very Own Horse Book will teach readers
everything they'd ever want to know about horses
— from gaits and grooming to breeds and body
language," said Samantha Wolfert, publicist for
Klutz. 9/20/2007 (Price: $19.95; Age: 8 and Up)
Flower Power
Jewelry Kit by MELISSA & DOUG
The
Flower Power Jewelry Kit offers a delightful
variety of shapes, colors and patterns to create
necklaces and bracelets that are sure to please.
The kit includes more than 150 wooden beads and
five laces with beautiful wooden flowers to
accent a piece. Children can even make their own
bracelet or necklace and take it home as a party
favor.
— " Beads — I'm selling Melissa & Doug," said
Frances Finfrock, owner of
Aunt Franny's Toys in Richland, Wash., when
asked to predict a hot-selling item for girls
for Christmas 2007.
— Four of 54 retailers who spoke to TDmonthly
in fall 2007 said Melissa & Doug jewelry and
arts and crafts items will be popular holiday
picks for girls ages 8 to 12.
— "The Flower Power Jewelry Kit is a wooden bead
set featuring a customized organizer, stunning
varieties of beads and stringing cords —
everything needed to make beautiful jewelry,
decorative items and gifts," said Valerie
Cavallaro of Melissa & Doug. 9/20/2007 (Price:
$9.99; Age: 4 and Up)
Doll Cottage
by KIDKRAFT
The
doll cottage is designed with a child’s
imagination in mind. With open space to navigate
and redecorate, this charming dollhouse offers
hours of inventive play. Features include three
levels, charming flowers and scalloped trim,
rooms typical of any household, sturdy wood
construction and a welcoming family of four
dolls. The cottage measures 20" x 12" x 25" and
weighs 20 lbs.
— Dollhouses by KidKraft are predicted to be hot
sellers during Christmas 2007 for girls aged 8
to 12, according to Lisa, manager of The Toy Box
in Augusta, Ga.
— KidKraft dollhouses are also expected to sell
well at Briar Patch in Alpine, Texas.
— Four of 54 retailers cited KidKraft —
especially their dollhouses — when discussing
upcoming sales for the 2007 holiday
season. 9/20/2007 (Price: $99.95; Age: 3 to 7)
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