Just in time for holiday shopping, I’ve discovered Dollslikeme.com,a website which has many dolls, but much more, including hard-to-find ethnic Santas, puzzles, and accessories such as a tea set with images of an Asian ballerina on the “china” (also available with other ethnicity shown). The tea set was rather pricey, but the site also includes more modestly priced items, such as a 14-inch doll that comes with a diary for $30.
You can buy gift tags with Santas of different ethnicities. The site carries a line of greeting cards featuring photos of Asian children—for example, as a Christmas elf. The line includes baby, thank you, holiday and blank cards. For me, the photos are almost too real—I’m not sure I want to send photos of someone else’s child. But there are some where the photos are of baby hands, feet, etc.
The site carries mainstream toys, such as a rocket that comes with a pair of astronauts, one of whom is brown-skinned. Also featured are a toy telephone with an ethnic face (girl or boy option) and balls and rattles with dark-skinned clowns that tumble and pop up.
On the educational side, the site has nice-looking action figures of notable African-Americans such as Benjamin Banneker. There is also a variety of Obama material this year, both serious and trendy, including books, a poster, a floor puzzle with detailed portraits of all America’s presidents, including Obama; and paper dolls (or perhaps you’d like a magnetic Michelle Obama on your refrigerator so that you can mix and match her famous outfits?).
There are also the TyGirlz dolls which were originally named Sasha and Malia. The site has a heartfelt statement on why they think it’s positive to have Sasha and Malia dolls, but the dolls have been renamed Sydney and Mariah. (I’m neutral on this one—I like the idea of showing all members of a prominent African-American family, but if I try to imagine strangers playing with dolls of my daughters it feels very weird. However, these are cloth dolls, so the resemblance is far less specifically identifiable than paper dolls.)
The site has many sections, including ecological and organic gifts, greeting cards, classroom materials, skin and hair care, and items for decorating children’s rooms, such as posters and clocks picturing children of different colors. One site highlights fair trade products.
The site has also, in response to customers’ wishes, found a line of children’s greeting cards wishing a “Happy Eid” for those who celebrate that Muslim holiday.