TORONTO, ONTARIO, Oct. 8, 2009 (Marketwire) --

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/08/09 -- Mattel Inc. (NYSE: MAT) -

Attention: Lifestyle and Assignment Editors

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It's that time of year again - children are starting to make their holiday wish lists and parents are racing to get a head start with the shopping. To help overwhelmed Canadians stay hip to the coolest toys for kids this season, Mattel® has created www.mattelfun.ca, an easy-to-use holiday web site that is informative for parents and fun for kids. Starting today, Canadians can visit www.mattelfun.ca to explore the hottest toys this year for girls and boys of all ages at a variety of price points, including revitalized classics from Fisher-Price®, Barbie®, and Hot Wheels®, as well as new favourites from Tyco®, Polly Pocket® and Mattel Games.

"The holidays can be overwhelming at the best of times. We want to provide some relief for Canadian shoppers and give families more time to spend together over the holidays," says Reidin Goode, senior marketing manager, Mattel Canada Inc. "We created www.mattelfun.ca as a fun and easy information site for parents and children alike. Parents can learn about the hottest and most innovative toys this season and kids can create their own wish-lists to share with their family."

By visiting www.mattelfun.ca, Canadians can browse Mattel's extensive "Toy Store" toy catalogue or use the Toy Recommender to sort through suggestions for toys by age and gender and find gifts for kids who are often tough to shop for. The Toy Store includes over 60 great gift ideas, including classics that parents may remember from their own childhood such as the Fisher Price® Little People® toys as well as new, trend-setting, innovative gift ideas such as the Matchbox® Rocky the Robot Truck(TM). Shoppers can also view detailed information about individual toys including where they are available for purchase, helping to avoid any unnecessary trips to the crowded malls.

"Toy shopping can be a challenge especially during the holidays, but in today's tough economy, Canadians are particularly mindful of getting the most bang for their buck when purchasing gifts," explains Goode. "That is why Mattel is conscious of ensuring that we have a great assortment of gift ideas at a variety of price points. At www.mattelfun.ca it is easy to search for gifts for every budget."

Kids can also ring in the fun and get into the holiday spirit by ranking their most-wanted toys and creating a wish-list on the site.