Mum… I REALLY want one of those for Christmas….!

I’m no stranger to the toy adverts between programmes on Channel 5’s Milkshake. I’m bombarded with them every morning before my eldest goes to school. As we approach autumn, these advertisers up the ante and in turn, so does my son. The better the toy commercial, the more he begs, wheedles, whines and pleads: “But Mummy, I REALLY want one of those.” And I (barely lifting my head from whatever I happen to be doing) reply: “I know dear. You want everything.”

It has been over a month since I started my search for THE toy/game for 2009. So many have come out of the woodwork that it was hard to choose just one.  Here are a few destined for the festive line-up…

Who doesn’t love their cuddlies? It doesn’t matter how many soft toys we receive, there is always room for ‘just one more’ ; and they’re even cuddlier when we can make our own. At the Build A Bear Workshop, with hundreds of different fur, faces, growls and accessories to choose from, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating THE perfect plush toy.  The Christmas range is now available to give your new friend some seasonal cheer.  Choose from Snowman, Moose, Puppy and traditional teddy.

Rubiks 360 – the new brain-teaser from Rubiks, this sphere will have you and yours cursing through sheer frustration, but mark my words, you won’t be able to keep your hands off it for long. The idea is to get the coloured balls out of the inner sphere and into their corresponding-coloured pods in the outer sphere. Sounds simple? Oh, didn’t I mention that there are magnets weighting the inner ball down…?

Wordinoes – A great one for all the family (ideally ages 8 and over) after a heavy Christmas dinner, Wordinoes is a completely different take on the original Dominoes game. This time you have to match words either like-for-like, by phrase, by association or by rhyming them. A good way to give the brain cells a work-out, when you’re too full to move.

Squeeballs Party (Wii, iPhone, iPod Touch, DS/DS Lite, DSi) Hopelessly addictive, laugh-a-minute, muscle aching Level-fun for all the family!  Squeeballs are (mostly) round, multi-coloured characters, subjected to a fate of being launched from a cannon, cooked or catapulted through the air. Players can battle against each other or play single challenges. From 170 mini-games or 11 party games, there should be enough to keep you going til the New Year!

In between each level, a short animation lets you know what’s to come. We found ourselves cruelly laughing at poor unfortunate squeeballs being electrocuted in a chamber. Morally wrong but so funny! My son and I whiled away a good couple of hours playing on the Cooking level before we realised what the time was. (Favourite Squeeball characters are being made into plush toys in time for Christmas).

Battle Strikers – my son and husband absolutely loved this game! The battery-operated hand consoles wind the battling tops, then each player ‘guides’ their top to bash their opponent’s out of the arena. Definitely a game fuelled by testosterone. I just sat back and let them play!

Vtech Kiddizoom Digital Camera – If there was ever a kid-friendly piece of technology, this is it. Winner of 3 awards, the Kiddizoom Camera is a digital camera, MP3 player, on-the-move games and video creator all on one. Aimed at 3-7 year-olds (and let’s face it, our children know more about this stuff than we do half the time) if you want some peace on Christmas Day, then put this on your shopping list. Includes: 16MB internal memory, SD card, cables and CD ROM.  Absolutely brilliant! Pssst, don’t tell my son but Father Christmas is definitely ‘bringing’ him one of these…

Quadrilla Twist & Rail Marble Run - Available from Great Little Trading Company, this is sure to bring a smile to faces young and old. Marbles run down a wooden spiral and then along rails to the coloured pillars at the end. Beautifully made and sure to last a life time, you can’t beat traditional toys that look like they came straight out of Santa’s workshop.

The Gruffalo Trunki - Inspired by the popular Gruffalo story by Julia Donaldon and Axel Scheffler, Trunki have launched their (limited edition) Gruffalo Trunki in time for the book’s 10th anniversary and its 30 minute animation.  Designed to look just like the real thing (purple prickles and poisonous wart included) Gruffalo Trunki can be customised with stickers to give it that personal touch. A real must-have for all Donaldson & Scheffler fans.

Harry Potter Figures – I’m mad about Harry Potter myself, so I might be adding electronic wands and sculpted character action figures to my own wish-list. Choose from your favourite characters from the Half Blood Prince; including Harry and Ron in their new Quidditch kit, young Tom Riddle and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Limited Edition Jim Stoten Poster -  “Fair In The Wood”, drawn by Jim Stoten and a limited edition piece,  is sure to strike up many a conversation among visitors. Measuring 42cm by 59.5cm, it will brighten any kids bedroom or playroom.

‘Jim The Owl’ by Chloe Owens -  Just too cute for words and exclusive to Anorak, Chloe’s pieces are handmade bespoke originals, made using 60s style vintage fabrics and felts. Jim comes with his own birth certificate. If you think he’s adorable, you had better get in quick: only 25 ‘Jim’s have been made. To give Jim The Owl a home and to purchase a Jim Stoten poster, visit Anorak’swebsite: shop.anorak-magazine.co.uk