Vote for worst toy of the year

It's too late now to save money if you bought these toys for last Christmas, but at least consumers can keep from looking like a chump at birthday parties by staying away from the potential worst toys of the year.

The children's advocacy group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, or CCFC, is having a contest until Feb. 8 to vote for the Worst Toy of the Year award for 2008. The winner will be announced Feb. 12, days before the Toy Industry Association gathers Feb. 15 to present its Toy of the Year Awards.

CCFC is starting its TOADY Award, with TOADY standing for Toys Oppressive and Destructive to Young Children, as a way to point out toys that promote violence or precocious sexuality to children, and push branded entertainment at the expense of children's play.

To make voting easier, the group is listing five candidates. Here they are, in no particular order, with some of what the group wrote about them.