European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 16, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazines soda Vidilia classics Loya make better gifts than lad items which May soon be discarded end forgotten. Toys for Christmas associated Pressw Hen shopping for children this Holiday season avoid the fad toys suggests an association of Early childhood professionals in the United states. Fad toys often bore children quickly says Susan Bredekamp of the National association Tor the education of Young children Naeye. There is n reason is same toys Are played with generation alter generation wooden blocks crayons puzzles Rucks dolls and so  she says it s because they meet the need that Young children have always had and will always have she  other ideas � know is age of the child you re buying for especially up to age 3."when in double about what a child might like she says pick something he or she Wilt  within six months buy toys that involve the child not those that Only entertain. Pries has no beating on the interest a child will have in a Ley Many favorite activities of children involve inexpensive articles packets of coloured construction paper a Box of Chalk plastic stacking cups Harmonicas,1 she says some o the worst Icys for children Are the expensive Gimmicky Spectator Type such As talking dolls and bears because they do things As the child watches passively according to Jack Lochhead of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst such toys squelch the child s imagination and limit play explains Lochhead,1 director of lha University s denier for cognitive research processes. The Best toys he says Are Tow Cost Low tech toys that offer imaginative play unpainted wooden Brocks that help Leach Geometric patterns and mathematical concepts and the educational toys often found in schools. Yuletide s coming buy n buy by Charlie Bowden Munich bureaus ased on the a sculls of a pc con cafes sate chances am Good that a lot of looks will find themselves wish a new designer watch when they open presents Christmas morning. During a period of live Days including the recent customer appreciation Day. Cafes Europe exchanges tallied roughly $10 million in sales of dress watches the majority of the 250.000 watches sold had manufacturer s Price lags of $100 and up but All were on Sale Lor $39.95 each it would appear that a lot of people will be getting watches Lor  said Guy Ormiston. Chief of cafes Europe s inventory management Branch at the Headquarters in Munich. Ormiston said that some customers had questioned whether the watches were real or perhaps just copies. They re real he said. The Exchange service gets direct my the manufacturers based on phase oils production overruns or inventory closeouts said merchandise manage Chuck Mcdonald. Woro a Good Market Tot them because it does t Impact on their .  the Walcher Are just one example of the annual gear up for inc Christmas buying season. Exchange to lands which officially opened in september Are reporting Strong sales although the big Rush by shoppers does t normally come until after thanksgiving Omni Slon said. Although Mill lao cml Lor hard sates data reports from exchanges show that dolts generally arc setting Well. However perennial favorite Barbie is Down slightly trom past years. Go Joo Atso is idling Well Ormiston said Overall toy sates apparently peaked last year and fell Short of projections leaving the exchanges with carryover. This year officials Cut Back about 15 percent in their sales forecast hoping to avoid being left with lots of toys Hal ate hard to move outside of the Christmas season. Still european lowlands received about $17 million Worth of toys this year. But toys probably won t dominate the Christmas Market according to Mcdonald. The opening Price Points on computers has dropped allowing for Price cuts that can be passed on to the customer. This includes ism computer products and ism compatibles which Means there probably will be a lot of computers and associated hardware under the Christmas tree he said. Computer software also  to sell Well i never cease to to amazed at the volume of sates in.  he said. For the financial year that ends Jan. 25, computer software sales should reach about $135 million he said and about a third of Hal will move during the three month Christmas Selling season. Aside irom the obvious Gilt giving nature of the Christmas season it also is a Good time for smart shoppers 1o pick up bargains Mcdonald said.,manufacturers offer special promotional sales during the season and it also Marks the end of the electronics Model year when tots of models Are marked Down in Alast ditch Effort to move leftover merchandise. They re not in every store he said but they re out there and there s substantial savings to be had a person just has to shop around. While vendors Are of Lenng promotions cafes also is planning a manager s Christmas special highlighted by a Slick sales flier featuring 118   trom nov 17 through dec 24 and includes chocolate covered cherries priced at 87 cents on the Low end. Loan ism Compa Lilc computer Lor $587 on the High end in Between Are a wide assortment of toys clothing cameras jewelry and. Foi those who missed out watches. ,.-. Wednesday november 16, 1988 the stars and stripes Paga 13