| Dolls gone wild: Unhappy moms want wholesome alternatives
Moms are hunting through toy aisles for more wholesome-looking dolls, concerned that the scantily clad Bratz dolls with their Party Palaces and Magic Make-up Studios are sending their daughters the wrong message about how they should dress and act. With their heavily made-up faces, short shorts and halter tops, Bratz are the No. 2 best-selling dolls in the country, just behind Barbie, but creeping up on her with their own lines of clothing, school supplies, video games and, most recently, a live-action movie playing in theaters. And some Moms are not happy about it. "I don't want my daughter viewing herself that way," says Gloria Baca of Tempe, Ariz., who has steered her daughter, now 10, away from Barbie and Bratz in favor of an American Girl doll by Mattel named Josefina.
For the kids: Toy wishes
An avalanche of toys that encourage activity and imagination are here for the holidays. For the rock star in the house, the latest musical-instrument video games and karaoke software should fill the bill. For the budding builder, some new kits from Lego and a fast-paced, magnet-powered roller-coaster set might do the trick. Among the other offerings: a soft puppy that grows (and speaks), remote-controlled helicopters that duel indoors and a Barbie "doll" that doubles as an MP3 player and interacts in her own virtual world online. These ideas, of course, make up just a tiny fraction of the possibilities. Today, in launching our annual holiday gift guide, we've consulted magazines, retailers and toy experts. Most of the items suggested are sold at toy, retail and discount stores; and through online outlets.
Parents who worry about the message some toys send can face a doll dilemma
Moms are hunting through toy aisles for more wholesome-looking dolls, concerned that the scantily clad Bratz dolls with their Party Palaces and Magic Make-up Studios are sending their daughters the wrong message about how they should dress and act.
With their heavily made-up faces, short shorts and halter tops, Bratz are the No. 2 best-selling dolls in the country, just behind Barbie, but creeping up on her with their own lines of clothing, school supplies, video games and, most recently, a live-action movie playing in theaters.
And some moms are not happy about it. "I don't want my daughter viewing herself that way," says Gloria Baca of Tempe, Ariz., who has steered her daughter, now 10, away from Barbie and Bratz in favor of an American Girl doll by Mattel named Josefina.
Generosity makes wishes come true
Christmas Wish volunteers are gearing up for the hard task of filling wishes for hundreds of Twin Lakes Area families. The ability to fill these wishes is dependent on the generosity of area residents who unselfishly donate toys, clothing, decorations, household goods and money year-after-year to make the program successful. In the past 18 years, Christmas Wish has not failed to provide a better holiday season for thousands of children by supplying nice toys, warm clothing and food to make Christmas brighter.How to donate .
Holiday wishbook
Straight from the mouths of Culpeper kids, here's the scoop on holiday gifts for grades 1-12. Back in the day you were in the hot seat asking Santa Claus for an A.C. Gilbert Erector set, an Atari 2600 game or a scented Strawberry Shortcake doll with Berrykin case. However, times have changed. The toys that fueled our imaginations so many years ago are now called "vintage." So what's a big bad adult supposed to do when a train set just doesn't cut it anymore? The Star-Exponent set forth to find out what this generation of technology-savvy children wants these days. We visited three Culpeper schools - Epiphany Catholic, St. Luke's Lutheran and Culpeper County High - and talked with a boy and girl from every grade to give you, oh clueless grownup, a better shot at getting it right this year.
PRESS RELEASE: Nintendo Kicks Off The Holidays With Two New Nintendo DS Bundles
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 20, 2007 – Starting Nov. 23, Nintendo gives the holiday season a fresh blast of color with the launch of two special-edition Nintendo DS™ bundles. Each pairs a custom-color Nintendo DS system with one of the platform's hottest titles. The new Gold edition comes with The Legend of Zelda®: Phantom Hourglass, while the Metallic Rose Nintendo DS comes with the "Best Friends" version of Nintendogs™. "Nintendo DS remains the portable system of choice for gamers," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Our new bundles will be collector's items for current gamers while offering an attractive way for people new to video games to play with style." With its dual screens, touch-screen, amazing franchises and innovative games, Nintendo DS has been a cornerstone of Nintendo's efforts to expand the world of video games to new audiences and to get as many people playing as possible.
Young minds prefer technology to nature
Yosemite National Park may be nice and all, but Tommy Nguyen of San Francisco would much prefer spending his day in front of a new video game or strolling around the mall with his buddies. What, after all, is a 15-year-old supposed to do in what John Muir called "the grandest of all special temples of nature" without cell phone service? "I'd rather be at the mall because you can enjoy yourself walking around looking at stuff as opposed to the woods," Nguyen said. In Yosemite and other parks, he said, furrowing his brow to emphasize the absurdly lopsided comparison, "the only thing you look at is the trees, grass and sky." The notion of going on a hike, camping, fishing or backpacking is foreign to a growing number of young people in cities and suburbs around the nation, according to several polls and studies.
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