An Island Publishers Newsmagazine

® cially on Dec. 25, means a great

€ Toys in Canada are a $1.2 billion

KIDS RATE TOYS

« Toyshop interviews reveal
| what’s hot and what's not

By LYONEL DOHERTY

This Week Staff

andy Gibson is not
the only 43-year-old
daddy in Victoria
with a big dilemma
this Chastnns. His six-year-
old daughter likes every toy
she sees on TV, and she wants
_all the things her friends have.

JARED LINDZIE “GAELI
CARSON MCINTYRE WALDHAUS

BRENDAN _—KATHERINE
JANZER BOVEY

Sound familiar?
Making his daughter happy, espe-

deal to Gibson, but he also wants
her to learn something more than
dressing Barbie dolls.

“I want something more educa-
tional, durable, more natural _. .
like wood. But ll probably end =
getting her a Barbie set,” Gibson
said in the aisle of a local toy store.

The toy industry in Canada has -
you right where it wants you, by
dazzling your kids to death with
advertisements that even over-
whelm some adults. There are
enough toys on the market to con-
fuse even veteran shoppers who are
bombarded by everything from
pizza-throwing turtles to dolls that
wet themselves,

industry, compared to its U.S.

Sonn ISTOneE of $12, Bilon andcal FACING A PARENTING DILEMMA, Peter and Julie Forster search the

ly. Continued on Page 3

shelves at Toys and Wheels in Mayfair mall.

Photo by CHUCK RUSSELL

GOLDENROD: Just what is a

Christmas admission?”’ Ivy
Kent tells us about the
seasonal phenomenon in her
column on Page 6.

The Furry News

How to Make a Noysppes

wruten and illtstrated by.

LOREEN LEEDY

BOOKSWEST: Mike Steele
concludes his series on
Christmas books with some
impressive titles for children.
See Page 7.

RECREATION: Mount
Washington is open and ski
conditions are just great. See
Our repo on Page 8.

ENTERTAINMENT: Tired of
those loud, boozy New Year's
parties? Craving some
wholesome, family fun? First
Night is the answer. There’s
an impressive array of enter-
tainers lined up. Read alll
about it on Page 9.

CALENDAR: Let This Week
help you plan your week. Our
Calendar section starts on
Page 12.

HISTORY: Turkeys were rare
back in the good old days.
Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken
wrote of one Christmas when
a mysterious disappearing
turkey provided some
laughs, along with Christmas
dinner. See Page 14.

SILVER SCREEN: Film critic
David Ryland gives us the
picks and pans of the season
on Page 17.