Toy Story

If trains are more your speed, envision a Pennsylvania Flyer chugging past tiny trees and through darkened tunnels on custom-designed railroad tracks in your home. Beginning at $10,000, a Lionel designer will make a house call to help create your own Lionel Railroad using bespoke dimensions, tracks and terrain.

And for the ultimate FAO experience, you can craft a keepsake to last generations.

A design team can be dispatched to your home to recreate your house in a 1-inch-to-1-foot scale. This personalized dollhouse can include fine details such as wallpaper patterns and your furniture's fabric; the minimum cost is $10,000.

The Land of Make-Believe

An active imagination and a few props are all a kid really needs to create his or her own little world of make-believe. But you can always help them along.

FAO's Wooden Kitchen ($695) is constructed of alder and birch, has metal fixtures, oven and cabinet doors that work, and a real faucet. Made by carpenters in a town on the outskirts of Prague, this mini-kitchen is so authentic looking you'll be ready to prepare a meal there yourself.

"It's durable, well-made and [at] a fabulous price," observes Schmults. "In a small New York City apartment, you could have one in your living room." And, as Schmults notes, the "[gender] lines do tend to blur these days," making this an ideal gift for any budding chef, boy or girl.

And talk about being the envy of all their friends -- your child's first ride could be a shiny black Jaguar or Mercedes, just like Mommy and Daddy's.

FAO's exclusive fleet of battery-operated cars range in price from $375 to $650 and include Mini Coopers, Jaguar XK convertibles, Mercedes SLKs, Enzo Ferraris, even Vespa scooters -- all perfect replicas of the real models.

Unlike Detroit's Big Three, "We do a good car business, especially during the holidays," Schmults notes. "These are ideal for the driveway or a large indoor playroom. They move along, but not enough to get your child into trouble."

Waxing Nostalgic

Older brands like Lego and Mattel evoke warm memories for adult shoppers and have a special place within FAO's inventory.

	Noah's Ark with Wooden Animals ($1,200)

"We have a whole section of nostalgic and classic toys, and games like Monopoly and Clue," says Schmults. "We also have large Lego toys that no one else has."

That includes everything from a Lego Airport with mini-jetway crew ($90) to a one-of-a-kind, life-sized (6' 6") Batman figure priced at $27,000. "He's very imposing and actually makes for a great adult present," Schmults points out.

There are also items like the Digital Jukebox with iPod connection ($5,750) that combines classic looks with new technology. "This is a great traditional product, made relevant by key technical upgrades," says Schmults.

The jukebox's server holds 1,500 hours of music or video, comes with Internet access via a touch screen, is compatible with iTunes and can burn CDs with audio or Quicktime video content.

Still stumped?

There's always the option of giving your kids gift cards and letting them choose for themselves.

FAO gift cards are available in denominations from $25 to $10,000. Its Signature Gift Cards, issued in amounts from $50,000 to $100,000, include transportation to the store in a chauffeured limo, help from a personal shopper, the option of shopping privately during the store's off-hours and a guided tour of the store by a genuine toy soldier.

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