Top Kid Toy Picks for 2012 Holiday Season: Gift Guide

A look at the hot toys for tots this holiday season.

Every holiday season, the mailbox fills with the latest toy catalogs. Children peruse the pages as they scribble their lists, daydreaming about what they will find under the tree come Christmas morning. Parents pull out their pocketbooks, spending hard-earned cash as they anticipate the joy on those little faces. What will be the runaway favorites this year is always a guess, but here are some of the latest trends, mixed with tried-and-true perennial favorites.  jChews Smartphone teether by Jellystone No tears for parents or babies. Babies love nothing more than to gum Mom and Dad’s cell phone, but now they’ll be too intrigued with their own smartphone to chew on. The Jellystone smartphone teether comes in seven funky colors and is BPA …

•  34 Comments
• Photos (1)

Vote for the Best Jewelry Store

Vote for your favorite in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

The nominations in each category are in, and now it's time to vote for your favorite: Where is your favorite jewelry store? Voting is open until Aug. 17 to cast your ballot in the poll below for your favorite place to shop for jewelry in and around Madison. Just sign in and place your vote to pick the best in the area. The number of poll votes will determine the winner and the 2012 winners will be announced on Aug. 24. After you vote, be sure to weigh in on our other Readers' Choice categories. You can click here to find all 25 categories in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

• Photos (1)

Vote for the Best Wine Store

Vote for your favorite in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

The nominations in each category are in, and now it's time to vote: Where is the best place to shop for wine? Voting is open until Aug. 17 to cast your ballot in the poll below for your favorite wine store in and around Madison. Just sign in and place your vote to pick the best in the area. The number of poll votes will determine the winner and the 2012 winners will be announced on Aug. 24. After you vote, be sure to weigh in on our other Readers' Choice categories. You can click here to find all 25 categories in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

• Photos (1)

Vote for the Best Thrift/Consignment Shop

Vote for your favorite in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

The nominations in each category are in, and now it's time to vote: Where is the best thrift/consignment shop? Voting is open until Aug. 17 to cast your ballot in the poll below for your favorite place to shop second-hand in and around Madison. Just sign in and place your vote to pick the best in the area. The number of poll votes will determine the winner and the 2012 winners will be announced on Aug. 24. After you vote, be sure to weigh in on our other Readers' Choice categories. You can click here to find all 25 categories in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Arleen J. Gaetani

1:17 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012

Thank you sweetie.....please keep in touch!   more ›

Vote for the Best Gift Shop

Make your selection in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

The nominations in each category are in, and now it's time to vote for your favorite: Where's the best place to buy gifts? Voting is open until Aug. 17 to cast your ballot in the poll below for your favorite gift shop in and around Madison. Just sign in and place your vote to pick the best in the area. The number of poll votes will determine the winner and the 2012 winners will be announced on Aug. 24. After you vote, be sure to weigh in on our other Readers' Choice categories. You can click here to find all 25 categories in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

• Photos (1)

Vote for the Best Toy Store

Select your favorite in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

The nominations in each category are in, and now it's time to vote for your favorite: Where's the best toy store? Voting is open until Aug. 17 to cast your ballot in the poll below for your favorite place to shop for toys in and around Madison. Just sign in and place your vote to pick the best in the area. The number of poll votes will determine the winner and the 2012 winners will be announced on Aug. 24. After you vote, be sure to weigh in on our other Readers' Choice categories. You can click here to find all 25 categories in Madison Readers' Choice 2012.

• Photos (1)

Today: Local Shopping Event to Benefit Seniors

Shop for SAGE will donate 20 percent of proceeds towards programs for senior citizens. Artisans and shop owners from Chatham, Westfield, Hillsborough, New Providence, Madison, Mendham, Scotch Plains and Stirling will be on hand to offer their merchandise

SAGE Eldercare will hold its first “Shop for SAGE” event today, May 3 from 10 am to 7 pm at 290 Broad Street in Summit.  Local artisans will be on hand to sell elegant handbags, chic fashion and jewelry, fabulous artwork, homemade treats, dazzling stationery, fragrant lotions and soaps and more!   “We are very excited to bring together some unique vendors who are willing to help support SAGE Eldercare services and programs,” stated Dawn Knill, Director of Development for SAGE.  “This is a great opportunity forgetting the perfect Mother’s Day gift, graduation presents, year-end teacher gifts and more,” she added. Some of the local vendors include: Sandella Art – Sandy Marmorato, Summit After teaching art for many years, Sandy Marmorato …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (6)

Holidays in Madison

Main Street Stores in Better Holiday Mood

Downtown stores benefit as consumer spending slowly revives.

Shoppers in downtown Madison seem to be loosening their pursestrings—a good sign for borough merchants hoping for improving business during the end-of-year holiday season. In a good sign for retailers, the Commerce Department on Thursday said consumer spending rose 0.4 percent in November from October, adjusted for inflation, on more optimistic consumer sentiment. At Creighton & Edward, the home lifestyle store at 89 Main St., "people who have been coming into the store are buying," said owner Creighton Hilstad, which he said is a change from a year ago. However, "traffic has been up and down, day-to-day, and I don't know why. On Tuesday we were slammed and [Wednesday] there were not so many shoppers." Hilstad said his most popular items …

• Photos (5)