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Twas the recall before Christmas
September 04, 2007 - 06:50 PM
by Colette Weeks
If Santa’s been outsourcing his toy-making to China, he may have a problem on his hands.

According to The Associated Press, Mattel Inc. will announce yet another toy recall Wednesday — again because of lead in the paint.

Add that to the list of high-profile recalls of tainted toys this summer. And like it or not, Christmas is just around the corner. Yes, red and green holiday themes are already popping up in some stores.

So it’s not too soon to ask the question:

What will Santa do? Is there such thing as a toy that wasn’t made in China?

My parents used to talk about getting fruit and socks for Christmas, and being very happy about it.

But children these days — even the poorest among us — have had cheap, plastic toys available since birth. Socks don’t tend to impress them much.

The latest recall involves a Fisher-Price toy and accessories to a Barbie playset, though other details were not yet released. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the toys were made in different Chinese factories than the previous recalled items. And it probably wouldn't matter. At this point, the problem is "Made in China," not who made it in China.

But what is clear is that many parents will go digging through the toy boxes once again, looking for the brightly colored and sometimes smiling items that could damage their babies’ brains and bodies.

Meanwhile, the mantra “Buy Local” sounds better all the time.