Oompa.com is an online purveyor of fine European toys aimed at children age 6 and under with a policy of “no batteries, no blinking lights, no cartoon-themed toys.”
Oompa has a huge selection of gift items you won’t find at major retailers or even smaller specialty shops. And while these types of toys can cost a pretty penny, there’s an ample selection of great gifts under $25. (I especially like this Soft Puppy Stacking Toy by Rich Frog, $21.99.) The site also offers very reasonable shipping rates: $5 flat-rate shipping, with orders over $65 delivered for free.
A great site for anyone looking to escape the clutches of Hannah Montana and Optimus Prime–who, by the way, I hear are dating.
Is there anything as classic as a set of hand-crafted wood building blocks? No bells, whistles, batteries, LEDs, CFLs, or PAM*s required. Just an imagination and a desire to build things. And then to knock them down and build again.
The set of 24 blocks in walnut, maplele, and cherry comes boxed and ready to give. And as with every purchase made from Little Sapling Toys, a tree will be planted for every purchase made. Your day to water it is Tuesday.
Block set from Little Sapling Toys, $20+ shipping.
*Parental assembly meltdown
Remember that boyfriend you had who was impossible to shop for? The one who loved LEGOs, and Star Wars, and magnets, and you? And also robbing banks, which is why he’s not your boyfriend anymore? Well, if he was, you could buy him this limited edition metallic chrome Stormtrooper LEGO minifigure magnet ($9.99 at shop.lego.com). Three-pack sets are $14.99 and include characters from Star Wars, SpongeBob, Indiana Jones, and more.
This might just be the thing that gets you kids back together. That, and a favorable parole board hearing.
Admittedly, I took a long sabbatical. But now I’m back, ready to share with you my gift ideas, point you to top deals, and occasionally go off on a tangent about how much I think “Lisa Cuddy” is maybe the best made-up name for a TV character since “Elaine Nardo.”
As in the past, please e-mail me if you have any great gift ideas or NEED great gift ideas.
Nigerian banking scams will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
I’m still working out my presence on Twitter (but you can follow me at PresentProf) and Facebook (become a fan of “Present Professor).
Welcome back to Present Professor! There’s only a bunch of more days that I’m not bothering to count until Christmas. Let the fun begin!
As in, did you know that everyone’s favorite construction cartoon this side of Handy Manny is now the star of his very own stage show? The 90-minute musical extravaganza has an environmental theme and includes Scoop, Dizzy, Lofty and the rest of the gang.
A trip to a live show makes a great gift for a child: The experience will be a memory they won’t soon forget, and you keep yet another toy from clogging your home. To find when Bob the Builder is coming to a city near you, check out this TicketMaster Web site.
And if Bob’s not your thing, there are many other “ticketed” events to that make great gifts, from rock concerts to Broadway shows (Telecharge.com), to ice shows to Monster Truck shows to hockey games to. . . well, you get the idea. Not only does your loved one get treated to live entertainment, but they’ll get to spend some quality time with you. And after all, isn’t that the greatest gift? 
And hey, a giveaway! We have two tickets to Bob the Builder Live! Spud’s Big Mess on May 30, 2009 at 2 p.m., at the Beacon Theater in NYC. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us the best live event you’ve ever seen. Good luck!
The sweepstakes has ended. Congratulations to winner Jackie H.!
The difference between a dozen roses and a cookie bouquet? Both are edible, I suppose, but only one is as sweet as your sweetheart.
Your baby may be oblivious to the commercialization of February 14 we call “Valentine’s Day,” but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have something soft and smooshy to chew on. Heart rattle from Yellow Label Kids (also available in yellow and blue), $8.99 at Oompa.
