I confess, I hate Christmas. ::insert gasps here:: I'm a bah humbug. A grinch. A scrooge. It's a fact...and I'm sorry to all you shiny, happy Christmas lovers.
Why, do you ask?!? I guess I've become jaded by the whole "commercialism" of the holiday. The season of "giving" has turned into the season of wanting, stressing and spending. People are actually mean and nasty to each other, instead of cheery and giving. Take the local mall, for instance. I won't go
near it between October 31st and about January 15th when all the returning and sale madness has died down. Those people are INSANE, seriously certifiable!! Me and black Friday certainly don't mix either, unless it's online bargain shopping from the comfortable safety of my home, away from aformentioned greedy, scary, crazy people. It just gets me in a very bad mood (kinda like those ya-whos on
my treadmill at the gym come January 2nd...GET OFF! We know you'll only last till maybe mid-February, so how about throwing in the towel now so I can have my treadmill back. Thank you!). BAH HUMBUG! I have started adopting a family for the holidays, and this has helped my Christmas spirit incredibly. I recommend everyone try it. Pre-Christmas events have helped as well, like a trip on the Polar Express, going to see Santa, and checking out the holiday Zoo lights with my kiddos. I find much pleasure in my little ones enjoying the little, simple, much cheaper joys of the season. I guess this is why Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of all. It's fairly greed & stress-free, and includes all of my most favorite things: a pre-feast run (a yearly tradition), food and family. Yippee!
So now, after a long-winded explanation of my distaste for the Holidays (sorry!), I come to my point. What are your thoughts on the use of electronic wishlists for your children for holidays/birthdays (i.e. Target, Toys R Us or Amazon)?
I should admit at this point that
I am a user of said electronic "lists". I started when Tyler turned 2 (if memory serves...it might have been the Christmas before that), because family members were pushing me for ideas of what to buy him. I have used Toys R Us for years, but have switched this year to Amazon.com, as I couldn't put one more member of my family through the trials and tribulations of a trip to the local ghetto (literally) craziness of that God-awful, overpriced, unorganized place! (can you sense my distaste!?)
At first, I was resistant to use such a tool. I felt like I was being somewhat "greedy". And, lets face it, it's like "registering" your child for gifts. It felt a bit wrong (given my current feelings on "asking" for gifts anyway). But...Tyler is now 4.5 and I've since gotten over the negatives. It has proven to be quite useful, and as each birthday or Christmas comes up, families continue to ask for the list to help them with their shopping.
What do YOU think about them? I promise, no judgement here!
And...here are just a few of the items on my kids' "wislists" this year (with the help of Amazon.com of course!) And no, they're not getting ALL of this! I recycle the lists for the next birthday and refresh it with new items:
For T:
LEGO Ultimate Building Set
5. Wooden Barbarossa Pirate Ship & Pirate Figurines
Along with Bearnstein Bears books, superheros, the Green Lantern Jet, the game Operation (Toy Store version), a remote-controlled monster truck, light-up shoes, DVDs, leapster games for his Explorer and a few other odds and ends.
For B:
3. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn My Pretty Learning Purse
B is also asking for the start of our girlie DVD collection: Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid (yippee from mom!), a nuby bristle teether, a tub seat and a new crib toy. I also put a little playkitchen on her list, as well as a few toys she might use when she's finally walking (hopefully not for a while!).
Any other cute ideas, new toys/gadgets we've got to add to the wishlist for a 7 month old girl or a 4 year old energetic boy???
I myself hate how Christmas has turned out to be. In my family we all agreed to forgoe presents...except for the kids...and my parents because after all, they raised 5 of us...and my in-laws because I like brownie points.
ReplyDeleteIt's so much easier that way and AND it focuses on us just being a family and enjoying each other.
And if we don't enjoy each other, that's when the wine helps...kidding.
I would agree with the Christmas comments and am not a fan of Black Friday. It kills me even more this year that stores are opening earlier and actually on Thanksgiving which should be spent with family...not out shopping.
ReplyDeleteAs for the electonic wish lists, I haven't dabbled in them much but I feel that it could be a good idea to an extent.
Have a great holiday!
(stopping by from Shell's PYHO)
I'm okay with the wish lists- we have family far away who are always asking what the boys want- it makes me feel better to have a list for them to pick from rather than trying to tell them exactly what to get. Or having them get something they already have.
ReplyDelete