OK, so we couldn’t find a picture of the product without the screaming kid. Nevertheless, we’ve always said if you buy a kid a carboard box, he or she would be plenty happy and have hours of imagination fun. It’s still the best gift ever - if you can convince the kid that a box is a gift.

If not, here’s a step above. A cardboard box with a little built-in imagination. The company, Carboard Creations, out of the UK, makes this plane, a teepee, a fort and some other great ready-to-fold, very sturdy cardboard toys. They’re quite a bit more than the $2 job from the storage place down the street, but they look like much more fun.

$50
Carboard Airplane from Spoon Sisters

Even if you’re lucky enough to be doing well in these economic times, the idea of paying out hundreds of bucks on video games and Nintendo systems is daunting, if only because you hate succumbing to the current idea of fun when you know the real deal was so much –well, funner.

And what was more fun than this?

From $16.99

Operation by Hasbro

Why measure your portions in ounces when you can measure them in portions equal to the volume of water in a cumulus cloud, the volume of one human breath, or the volume of the brain of a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Traditional measuring units are included, but  making the switch is half the fun. A terrific gift for budding chefs.

$12.95

Measuring Cup