Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Tulsa World Supplement, Sunday, November 18, 2018

Gift Guide

TOP TOYS

of 2018

What’s Cool

for gamers

Best Exercise Gifts Smart Home

gadgets tulsaworld.com/holidays

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Let’s Play

FisherPrice Power Wheels Ford F-150

This time of year, everyone feels like a kid again.

Check out the top toys of 2018 to fuel the fun this holiday season For those of us with children in our lives, it is time to explore the toy industry’s hits and misses as we prepare to buy presents for them this holiday season. The holidays are fast-approaching as well as the window to decide what to buy, and then to go ahead and buy it before it disappears from store shelves.

Regardless of whose child is on the receiving end of your gift-giving generosity this year, being an informed consumer and knowing what’s hot and what’s not is crucial for everyone’s optimum enjoyment. It’s

sad to see a child’s face light up with anticipated glee only for it to quickly dim from the sting of disappointment.

Parents know firsthand what their kids want and crave. This guide aims to inform everyone, so no duds are unwrapped this holiday season. We’ve done our research and have come up with the hottest trends sure to please the pickiest kid on your list. Read on for the best of the best in time to check them off before they sell out.

We leaned heavily on the winners of the 2018 Toy of the Year

(TOTY) Awards presented by The Toy Association. This annual compilation ranks toys in a variety of categories such construction, creativity, innovation, and licensing, as well as picks an overall winner. No one should be surprised that movies remain a top draw for toymakers, that nostalgia continues to sell, technology is still king and a few of last year’s hits are back.

In no particular order, here is our list of 2018’s most popular toys.

By Robin Gibson, CTW Features

1. Fingerlings The responsive baby monkey that took the toy world by storm last year returns with a baby unicorn and dragon. Made by WowWee USA Inc. and known for grabbing things including fingers (hence the name), the toy walked away with the 2018 Toy of the Year top TOTY honor.

Kids continue to love these baby pets that cling to your fingers and go whereever you go. You can also buy playsets for your pet.

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TOY Guide

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

that kids can take with them anywhere, you cannot go wrong by gifting them this piece of technology.

2. Lego Star Wars BB-8 Touching on the movies and nostalgia trend, this version of the droid from the wildly popular cosmic film franchise is perfect for a budding builder or engineer. The pick for TOTY Construction Toy of the Year promises hours of entertainment.

3. GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope From Educational Insights, this talking microscope featuring the voice of Bindi Irwin educates as much as it entertains.

4. FisherPrice Power Wheels Ford F-150 (shown on page 2) For the kid who has everything but needs a set of wheels, look no further than this roomy, rugged truck with two speeds and Power-lock brakes.

5. Nintendo Switch Billed as a portable gaming system

6. Fingerlings Hugs Worthy of another mention by Fingerlings are Hugs, the life-size plush monkey version of number one on the list designed to hug your actual kid, not just their finger. Imagine the same level of interaction and joy amplified on a larger scale.

7. Crayola Color Chemistry Set Make a young chemist happy and color their holidays happy with this scientific experiment set designed by real Crayola scientists.

8. Hatchimals They’re back and in demand.

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TOY Guide move, sing along with him and have a dance party.

11. Barbie Beekeeper Playset This iconic doll’s career choices are unending, and she’s now professionally vested in the longevity and health of bees. Inspire children to care about them, too, by gifting them this cool set complete with spinning beehive.

9. Spin Master Boxer Robot This small, interactive and responsive artificial intelligence robot comes right out of the box equipped with ten activity cards and its own quirky personality.

10. Playskool Friends Sesame Street Let’s Dance Elmo No stranger to holiday gift guides, Elmo has been enchanting children for years. This musical version with headphones allows them to get up and

12. The Original Spirograph Older than some parents, this creative toy has been entertaining children for 50 years by wonderfully mixing the concepts found in art and mathematics in a dazzling, mesmerizing way. Delight your creative artist with this set that is sure to entertain the whole family for years to come. The set includes a 14-page guide book and storage tray.

Perfect for ages 8 and up.

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TOY Guide niches and encouraging kids to stay inside, it’s nice to give them something that requires the great outdoors.

Awarded the 2018 Outdoor Toy of the Year at TOTY, this inexpensive entry by Zuru is for the kid in all of us.

13. Really Rad Robots MiBRO Billed as the “ultimate BFF” by the folks at Toy Insider, this electronic toy aims to engage kids in all types of overt and covert activities.

14. Bunch O Balloons Filler Soaker With so many toys filling electronic

15. Pomsies Plus Interactive Toys Here to give Fingerlings a run for their money, but instead of attaching to fingers, this virtual pet will be clinging to your child’s backpack, clothes and anywhere else deemed popular to display collectible swag.

16. Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Trike Resurrecting memories for the older crowd this holiday season, Radio Flyer delivers this fully-assembled, portable tricycle set to win fans from a whole new generation.

17. Rubie’s Jurassic World T-Rex Inflatable Costume A dual-purpose gift always comes in handy, especially for parents, and this officially licensed costume from the Jurassic World doubles as your recipient’s Halloween costume.

Holiday Gift Guide was produced by Tulsa World’s Advertising Department.

For more information, call 918-581-8524.

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Find more ideas in Holiday Countdown Sunday, December 9.

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TOY Guide

19. Playmobil Explorers Hidden Temple with T-Rex Kids will be wearing T-Rex and playing with him, too. Foster their imagination in the jungle with Playmobil’s popular Explorers Team and watch as they navigate and create hours of play with this feature-filled jungle playset.

18. Moj Moj The Original Claw Machine Playset A life-size arcade favorite has shrunk itself in order to fit under the tree.

Filled with six different mystery prizes, imagine the amount of time your kids will spend clawing for treasures. Bonus: prize packs are refillable and can be customized with your additions.

20. Marvel Guardians Dancing Groot Figure Move over Elmo, you’re not the only dancing toy that’s hot this holiday season. Look out for this groovy guy ready to shake his limbs and cut a rug.

21. Harry Potter Quidditch Mystery Flying Snitch Young Harry Potter fans everywhere will jump at the chance to perfect their wizardry skills with this battery-operated flying snitch connected by a barelyvisible thread.

22. Osmo Genius Kit Screen time can be good for kids in the case of this educational offering for iPads with fun games that teach them reading, math and other cognitive skills.

23. Pie Face Cannon Game Parents may hate us for this, but we would be remiss not to include this

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messy yet fun twist on the original Pie Face game. Ready, aim … FIRE!

24. Hot Wheels Corkscrew Crash Track We love gifts that keep on giving, and that’s exactly what this Hot Wheels gift does. Considering it only comes with one car, you can thank us for letting you know what to buy them on future occasions.

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Top 2018 smart home gadgets If you’re smart, you’re making your home smart too. This is the year of the smart — everything. By smart, we mean gadgets that connect to the internet in ways that free you to do other things.

So if that person in your life isn’t on board, the holiday season is a great time to give them a push toward smartness.

Here are three affordable home gadgets — smart, of course — that will make great holiday gifts this year.

By Barry Waldeman, CTW Features

1. WeMo Smart Plug This is the smart gift that makes other gifts smart. Plug a device into the WeMo Smart Plug in order to control that device remotely, even on the other side of the world.

Left the iron on? If it’s plugged into the Smart Plug you

can turn it off from the Roman Coliseum, the Great Barrier Reef or the Taj Mahal — assuming those places have cellphone reception. Use it to power on and off lights when you’re away, too.

Continued on page 9

different Consider something

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 MAKE IT MAGICAL

SHAKE IT UP 

Set in 1920s Paris, the birthplace of classical ballet , Marcello Angelini’s vision of The Nutcracker has been a Tulsa favorite since 2003. Whether you’ve seen it once or one hundred times, this magical holiday spectacular is guaranteed to capture your imagination. This production will be retired in a few short years, be sure to see it now before it’s gone forever!

Who doesn’t love a snow globe? Ida Red partnered with The Queen of Snow Globes to produce this hand-painted treasure featuring a sculpted view of downtown Tulsa. They go quickly so be sure to get yours today.

TULSA BALLET 1212 E. 45th Place, 918-749-6006, tulsaballet.org

IDA RED 3336 S. Peoria Ave., 918-949-6950 208 N. Main St., 918-398-6700 idaredgeneralstore.com

DRESS COMFY 

 ADD SPARKLE

Great fashion ideas can be found in the pro shop of many golf courses. Horned Legend features a cotton and spandex blend that ensures that it is not only soft, but has a nice stretch to it as well.

This garment will maintain its original look and form so that you can enjoy wearing it time after time.

Show your love for the special people in your life with a beautiful piece of jewelry. Artfully decorated with baguette and round cut diamonds, this stunning pendant delivers a glamourous look that will put a sparkle in someone’s eyes as well as their wardrobe.

STAR JEWELERS 120 S. Main St., Broken Arrow 918-251-7827, starjewelers.com

LAFORTUNE PARK GOLF COURSE 5501 S. Yale Ave., 918-496-6200 lafortuneparkgolf.com

 TAKE CHARGE A portable generator from Honda comes in handy in more ways than backing up your home’s electricity during or after a storm.

It also is a welcome feature when tailgating at the big game, powering tools in remote locations and during a camping trip. Don’t wait until you need it. Get it now and be prepared.

HONDA OF TULSA 4926 E. 21st St., 888-395-5135, hondaoftulsa.com

SUPPORT YOUR TEAM  Everyone has their favorite team, and December is no time to quit savoring your champions. Garbe’s offers a huge selection of collegiate nutcrackers, ornaments and table toppers. Also look for other themed nutcrackers.

GARBE’S LIGHTING & HOME ACCESSORIES 4137 S. 72nd East Ave., 9188-627-0284, garbes.com

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gadget Guide Continued from page 7

2. Ring Doorbell 2 Turn your phone or tablet into a mobile peephole with the Ring Doorbell. It senses when someone is approaching your house and alerts you, then it allows you to speak, see and hear the visitor from anywhere in the house or across the world. It’s amazingly easy to install, so even if the person for whom you’re buying it isn’t very tech-smart, they can make their doorbell so.

3. Ecovacs Winbot Window Cleaning Robot You’ve seen the magic of the Roomba, the computerized vacuum cleaner that navigates around your furniture and pets. The Winbot takes that concept to glass surfaces. It cleans framed and unframed glass of any kind or thickness, and it even cleans horizontal surfaces. Cleaning mirrors and other glass surfaces is easy when you let Winbot and its suction devices handle the job for you.

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Keep Rockin’ Skullcandy Crusher 360

Everyone loves music, but not everyone loves to hear what you’re listening to so give your favorite music lover a great pair of headphones.

noise canceling Venue which has refined acoustics and a built-in mic.

Your loved one will get up to 29 hours of battery life.

JBL Everest If you have the JBL Everest headphones, you can simply ask Google to play your favorite music.

These hands-free headphones incorporate the Google Assistant so you can multitask and get all your presents wrapped and cookies baked, while you sing along. There are three models of the JBL Everest headphones, so you can choose from the inear JBL Everest 110GA, the JBL Everest 310GA (on-ear), or the JBL Everest 710GA (over-ear).

Skullcandy The popular headphone company, Skullcandy, recently introduced two new wireless products that would make great holiday gifts. Crusher 360 and the

Gaming Headphones Don’t forget your favorite gamers.

When they play video games, they will want the sounds to be loud and clear so they can feel like they’re in the middle of the action. The ROCCAT’s Khan AIMO gaming headset has a built-in soundcard, so it can be used for gaming or listening to tunes. The gamer will feel as if they stepped into the middle of Fortnight.

By Lisa Iannucci, CTW Features

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Play On!

Got a gamer on your list? You can’t go wrong with these Game Critics Awards 2018 winners Best of Show “Resident Evil 2” (Capcom for PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Best Original Game “Dreams” (Media Molecule/SIE for PlayStation 4)

Best Console “Marvel’s Spider-Man”

(Insomniac Games/SIE for PlayStation 4)

Best VR/AR Game “Tetris Effect” (Resonair/Enhance Inc for PSVR)

Best PC Game “Anthem” (BioWare/EA for PC, PS4, Xbox One)

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game Guide

Best RPG “Kingdom Hearts III” (Square Enix for PS4, Xbox One)

Best Fighting Game Best Hardware/Peripheral Xbox Adaptive Controller (Microsoft)

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” (Bandai Namco Studios/Sorta Ltd./Nintendo for Switch)

Best Action Game

Best Racing Game

“Anthem” (BioWare/EA for PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Best Action/Adventure “Marvel’s Spider-Man” (Insomniac Games/SIE for PlayStation 4)

“Forza Horizon 4” (Playground Games/ Turn 10/Microsoft Studios for PC, Xbox One)

Best Sports Game “FIFA 19” (EA Vancouver/EA for PS4, Xbox One, Switch)

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game Guide Best Strategy Game

Special Commendation for Sound

“Total War: Three Kingdoms” (Creative Assembly/Sega for PC)

“The Last of Us Part II” (Naughty Dog/SIE for PlayStation 4) CTW Features

Best Online Multiplayer “Battlefield V” (EA Dice/EA for PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Best Family/Social Game “Overcooked 2” (Ghost Town Games/ Team 17 for PS4, Switch, Xbox One)

Best Independent Game “Ori and the Will of Wisps” (Moon Studios/Microsoft for PC, Xbox One)

Best Ongoing Game “Fortnite” (Epic for iOS, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One)

Special Commendation for Innovation “Cyberpunk 2077” (CD Projekt Red for PC, PS4, Xbox One)

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Exercise gifts for the

fitness buff Fitness is foremost on the minds of Americans and our interest tends to peak in the new year, which makes the holidays a perfect time to take a look at exercise related offerings to help loved ones to keep those resolutions.

Here are some options, from apparel to trackers, to enhance their workouts.

ProForm 505 CST Treadmill

By Cheryl Jackson, CTW Features

Polar Vantage M training watches

Polar Vantage M Geared toward athletes focused on improving their performance, this training watch can be customized to more than 130 sports. It provides metrics that guide athletes to their ideal amount of training — informing them when they’re under- or overtraining. In addition to insight into personal performance, workload and recovery, the device uses three sensors to provide an accurate heart

rate. Coaches can add to the workout plan and view the wearer’s data.

ProForm Treadmill It’s time to take that next big step. The ProForm 505 CST Treadmill has 18 preprogrammed workouts and adjustable incline control to help you transition into a pro. To get started, hook up your iPod® and tablet for motivation, personalize the settings and start running.

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fitness Guide

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The Polk Boom Bit Keep the music close to your body with this tiny Bluetooth speaker, designed to play just the right amount of music for your workout while drowning out surrounding noise. Or use it to take hands-free calls. It attaches to shirts, backpacks or helmet straps.

Everlast Heavy Bag Kit

NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle This home bike keeps motivation high and workouts efficient with LiveCast Streamed Workouts on its Smart HD rotating touchscreen displays. The iFit personal trainers can remotely control the bike’s incline, decline and resistance during the at-home workout. An Autobreeze Workout Fan automatically changes its speed to match your workout intensity.

Start practicing right away with this Everlast 70-lb. Heavy Bag Kit. Not only does it come with a rugged synthetic bag, but it also provides gloves and hand wraps to help you get started.

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