NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Never underestimate the power of cookies and milk.
In spite of the struggling economy, plenty of families this year will be pulling out all the stops as they hit the stores for holiday gifts. From pint-sized SUVs to jungle gyms that cost more than a college degree, fantasy toys make the wish list of every kid in America. But they don't show up under everyone's tree.
For the privileged few, it'll be a Christmas to remember. Let's hope they've been good.
Everything but the kitchen sink
Driving without a license? Children jonesing to get behind the wheel can now have their own cars, for a mere $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the model.
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| Mini Humvee, $23,000 |
Take the Mini Humvee, for example. It's made in Europe and sells at retailers like Harrods, FAO Schwarz, and Mobileation.com, a Web site that sells luxury gas-powered toys for kids. Mobileation.com sells the Mini Humvee for $23,000. The baby Hummer reaches a top speed of 18 miles per hour and takes unleaded diesel fuel; it has hydraulic brakes and three gears.
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It's not the only kiddie car on the market, though. Other models include the 1957 Chevy Go-Kart, available at Hammacher Schlemmer, a steal by comparison at $4,000. It's about six feet long and has the '57's characteristic tail-fins; it runs on gasoline and can hit just over 25 mph.
Moving out Consider following in the footsteps of actor Chris O'Donnell and New Jersey Nets player Jason Kidd, who bought playhouses from Poshtots.com for their kids to play outside.
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| Le Petit Chalet, Poshtots.com, $35,600 |
These playhouses, which are custom-made and custom-built on site, are either sponge-painted or stenciled on the inside, have simulated hardwood floors, and many have windowboxes and doorbells, said Andrea Edmunds, president of Poshtots.com.
Windows are made of safety plexiglass, open outwards and have screens. Some are even heated and insulated and come with running water. The playhouses start at $3,199 for the Teddy Bear Tudor, and reach $87,510 for the Tumble Outpost.
"They are not sheds. They are little houses, and they're really, really sweet," Edmunds said.
Your very own electronic pet Forget the kittens and puppies this Christmas. Who needs the responsibility - or the hair? Now, there's the AIBO, a pet robot from Sony that retails for $1,299.
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| AIBO 210 Series, $1,299 |
"It's as close to an organic pet as you can get," said AIBO spokesman John Piazza. The robot has facial recognition software that allows it to recognize up to five faces. The robot can pick its owner out of a crowd -- and can identify his or her voice as well.
With a digital camera inside its head, AIBO downloads e-mail and can answer commands in Japanese and English. It can also go back to its recharging station and refuel itself, eliminating the need for all those pesky feeding bowls.
Time for a skate If your kids would like to indulge in an outdoor skate, you don't have to drag them to the local rink or pond -- not when you can get them a rink of their own.
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| Backyard Ice Rink, 37 by 81 ft, $759.95 |
The biggest and baddest Backyard Ice Rink measures 37 by 81 feet. Ice freezes to about two-and-a-half inches thick, and is ready for your skates after two or three days of freezing temperatures. Blue and red lines mark hockey zones, just like a professional ice hockey rink.
Parents of eager skaters can order the rink from Hammacher Schlemmer, which sells it for $760. (That doesn't include shipping and handling, which -- when you're shipping an ice rink -- defies the imagination.)
For the little collector If your darling is a diehard Barbie fan, a few vintage or limited edition dolls might be just the thing. Barbie has been striking a pose since 1959, when the first dolls were unveiled at New York's annual Toy Fair by Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel Toys.
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| #1 Ponytail Barbie, one of the first ever made. Retail price: $5,695.00 |
Vintage Ponytail Barbies, made from 1959 through 1964, are the most sought-after, said Marl Davidson, creator of Marl & B, a Web site for collectors of vintage fashion dolls. They range anywhere from $300 to $10,000 apiece, if you have a mint one still in the box.
"She's quite the gal," Davidson said. Ponytail Barbies come with bathing suits, shoes, the box and a booklet.
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| Steiff Teddy Bear PB 55 (1902 replica), $700 |
On the other hand, Steiff teddy bears - manufactured by the company that invented the teddy bear 100 years ago - are for collectors with a penchant for plush. Three thousand units of the first Steiff bear created, called PB 55, were sold to a toy store in New York City and sold like hotcakes. You can get a limited-edition bear - one of 7,000 - built with the specifications of the PB 55, like a sealing-wax nose and boot-button eyes, for $700.
Steiff bears have gold buttons in their ears that distinguish them from imitations. But the buttons became standard after PB 55 was created -- so there's never been one uncovered from the original set. But an original PB 28, the next bear Steiff created, sold in 2000 for $123,000. Pocket change, right?
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| Mini Two Seater Golf Cart, $549.95 |
Golf, kid-sized If you spend your days on the green and your kid wants to follow in your footsteps, look no further than this two-seater golf cart for kids. It runs on electric power and has foot pedals for acceleration and braking on the floor, reaching a top speed of five miles per hour.
It even has space for a child's golf bag behind the driver's seat, and sells for $549.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer.
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