More and more consumers are seeking out European-made products such as these cars made by Germany's HABA. (Jens Meyer/Associated Press)

Consider the annual post-Christmas haul to the trash, triggered by substantial flaws or major malfunctions. Take for instance that talking robot, so sparkly and special in the store, that will sputter and struggle before short-circuiting or that irresistible but fragile doll destined to lose a limb when pulled apart by squabbling siblings.

The yearly ritual from the toy box to the garbage bin is both frustrating and costly, particularly for parents who spend considerable time selecting the just-right gift to tuck under the tree. Adding to caregivers' irritation are rapidly changing fads, children's unpredictable whims and the prospect of recalls.

So what's a consumer to do? First, consumers should expect and demand more, says Sally Edwards, a researcher at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Think quality, not quantity

"I think in our consumer culture we think we have to buy lots and lots of stuff but so much of that stuff becomes garbage within minutes, days, months."

— Sally Edwards, researcher

"We expect low-cost products," Edwards said. "Consumers don't understand that environmental and social costs have been externalized. They're paying low prices but there's a cost in pollution and social costs that they don't see."

Edwards says the toy industry has sunk to a low point in terms of public trust, owing to the millions of made-in-China toys recalled from the marketplace for hidden dangers including lead-based paint and loose magnet pieces.

More and more consumers are turning to European-made toys that are subject to rigorous safety standards though Edwards notes that many American companies are revisiting how they test products. For example RC2 Corp., the manufacturer of Thomas & Friends trains, is now testing all batches of paint and smaller companies are taking a more hands-on approach in their Chinese factories.

Still, Edwards says she's encouraging parents to abandon the concept that it's acceptable and normal for toys to break within six months. Consumers should consider buying toys of quality over toys of quantity, she said.

"I think in our consumer culture, we think we have to buy lots and lots of stuff but so much of that stuff becomes garbage within minutes, days, months," she said.

Independent toymaker Armand Grandinetti says the concept of the heirloom toy — cherished, durable and relevant to be passed from generation to generation — should not be discounted. Parents might pay $200 for a wooden dollhouse but he promises it's not likely to end up at the next garage sale.

Go barebones

Toymaker Armand Grandinetti urges parents to avoid electronic gadgets, saying simple wooden toys can help develop a child's imagination.

By contrast, electronic gadgets fully loaded with bells and whistles typically have a short lifespan, says Grandinetti, who makes wooden toys in his spare time in Richmond Hill, Ont.

"A toy should enhance imaginative play but what is happening with these new toys is that they're so specific in nature that you can only use it for that specific purpose," says Grandinetti.

"Once they break or once they cease to perform that function, they're useless. You cannot use that item as something else, or in another context."

But Grandinetti says that children will find an infinite number of uses for a barebones wooden play stand which when draped with a sheet can become a fort, a cave, a castle, or a puppet theatre.

Grandinetti displays his wooden toys at an annual fair run through the Toronto Waldorf School, which emphasizes the importance of imaginative play. Alanah Caron, an early childhood education teacher at the school, sold her handmade dolls that subscribe to the school's esthetic at the November fair. The dolls, made of natural materials, have two eyes and no other distinguishing features.

Think your child will only play with deluxe dolls that cry, burp and coo? You'd be surprised, Caron says, noting that young children are often drawn to her dolls for their simplicity.

"[These dolls give] a lot of space for the child to use their imagination to create experiences for the doll," she said. "They need things to figure out."

Goodbye SpongeBob, hello Dora

Resisting backpacks, lunchboxes and figurines featuring cartoon characters can be tough for parents of insistent children. But Shelley Goldschlager, owner of the Toronto-based store The Toy Space, says bypassing these products may end up saving you money in the end. After all, kids can be fickle — SpongeBob may be king today but tomorrow Dora and Diego may have captured their little hearts.

"We know that children's interests go in fads, so they might like that television character today but all of a sudden next month, it's not a popular character," Goldschlager said.

Instead, Goldschlager urges parents to consider classic toys made of organic and natural materials. She acknowledges that at first it may seem like a costly proposition but she says in the end, it's a worthwhile investment that will likely lessen the post-Christmas, broken-toy haul to the curbside.

"My father used to say that only rich people can afford to buy poor quality," she said. "It takes a rich person to buy cheap things because you have to keep re-buying them. If you're only going to buy a few toys during the year, you want to invest in things that will last a lot longer than something that will find its way to the bottom of the toy box or the garbage next month."

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