12 Toys For Christmas ...$25 Or Less

You don't have to break the bank to make your kids happy this holiday season. There are plenty of $25 and under gifts they can be excited about.

And here's one important piece of advice from Eric Model, owner of Seal & Co, Summit. "Shop locally and avoid shipping charges."

Here are Twelve Toys of Christmas …that you won't have to drive more than twelve minutes to find.

Mini Polka Dot Piggy Banks by Elegant Baby: These mini pigs in eye-catching colors can be paired with some coins to make a fun keepsake for a child. A toddler will entertain him/herself for hours by putting the money in and shaking it. They can be personalized too, a smart way to teach a toddler to recognize his/her name. Definitely one bank you don't have to "break" to put a smile on your little one's face. $25, Poppyfields Home. Westfield. **Remember, the store is moving locations, so there's a store-wide 30% off sale until January.

First Pops Pop Beads: A jar of 14 pieces that stack and pop together for baby. It's bright, vibrant, educational and looks like a lot of gift for the money. $16.99, Learning Express, Westfield.

Scratch N Sketch Books: 64 pages of black scratch-off fun will keep your kids busy for hours. They come in a variety of themes for boys and girls. They're great for long travel, like an upcoming holiday vacation.  $12.99 to $14.99, Learning Express, Westfield. Michael's in Blue Star Shopping Center sells them too. If you have your 40% off coupon from the newspaper, you can get them for much less.

Dinosaur Stamp Sets My kids can't get enough of anything they can imprint with ink! The set, by Melissa and Doug, is $9.99 at Learning Express, Westfield. There's also a "Friend" and "Horses" set.

Make-Your-Own Puppets: These whimsical monster puppets by Melissa & Doug have interchangeable eyes, ears and other parts. They're the bigger, softer kid version of Mr. Potato Head. $20, Barnes & Noble, Springfield.

Groovy Scrapbook Kit: it includes the scrapbook and all of the accessories. It's a great deal considering what individual supplies go for at the big chain stores. It's made by Alex. $19.99, Learning Express, Westfield.

Shrinky Dinks: They'll take you back to your own childhood. Shrinky Dinks will still keep your kids and their friends entertained for hours. From $9.99 for a jewelry kit to $16.99 for Friends, Fashion & Fun kit, Learning Express, Westfield.

Bananagrams by Bananagram: It's scrabble without the board, and the pieces come in a travel size banana pouch. "Fast & Fun" according to Summit's Seal & Co. owner Eric Model. The game is part of a series of Fruit Word Games, including Pairs in Pears and Appletters, geared towards the younger player. They travel great. $15.99 at Seal & Co, Summit. 

B-I-N-G-O Cage: like the old tournament play Bingo sets back in the day, this set comes complete with number balls in a round metal cage. It's fun for kids to spin around and read off the numbers, especially those just learning their letters and numbers. There's a much more expensive wooden model at Restoration Hardware for $69,   but this is exactly the same idea. $5, Five Below, Springfield.

Cats Cradle Book by Klutz: take a trip back in time to your own childhood when string games kept you busy for hours. The book brings it all back for your kids. $9.95, Learning Express, Westfield.  

WII accessories: If they're getting the WII this holiday, and you want to accessorize at low cost, there are authentic WII products for $5 at Five Below, Springfield.  

Video Games: Game Boy Advance, Xbox 360, Playstation II Sonic and Leapster never seemed so cheap. At Five Below, Springfield, you can find legitimate games for $5.