life, love & laundry
Note to self: Next year, ban Christmas Lists
I don’t think I’m alone in that I sort of like the magic of making a child’s Christmas Wish come true. It’s part of the magic of the season, right? And this year I worked HARD to be able to afford that.
And I planned…..oh how I planned. I made lists, I forced my kids to make lists. We sent Santa letters early. I knew what everyone wanted. I shopped frugally and saved a fortune. I wanted to be done shopping early. No last minute scramble. NO SURPRISES!
And then December 15 hit, like clockwork, and suddenly ONE of my kids has to throw a wrench in it all and change things up. Usually this kid is Noah. This year, it’s Addy. And Noah (who suddenly decided he couldn’t live without another AquaPet – which they no longer make – but he already has a plan to purchase it with gift money). But mostly Addy who really had a few wishes but no real “list”. Her wishes were simple and consistent and easy to fulfill for the most part: A baby that cries real tears and a baby that’s sick.
So imagine my horror tonight when I found this picture, which she proudly calls her “Christmas List”:
This picture, my friends, is Addy’s ONLY gift that she put on her “list”. The gift? “Lulu my Cuddlin’ Kitty Cat“.
Oh no. Hell no. There will not be any LAST MINUTE purchases. There will not be any last minute $80 fake cat purchases.
We own enough FurReal pets to fill an animal shelter. They are one of the stupidest, most unused toys we own. That was somewhat justifiable when they were $10 a pop. but $80 for a fake cat? HELLO!?!?! We have THREE REAL CATS! One of which lets Addy dress her up, carry her around and is the best pet ever. There is just no way – on PRINCIPLE – that I am indulging this wish. I can’t. I won’t.
If I wanted an $80 cat, it had better be alive. And I don’t want a fourth cat. Never mind that we actually have a puppy coming home two days before Christmas. NO CAT. Not alive. Not Furreal. Not $80.
So this may be my breaking point. The first year I’ve ever let my kids down. And probably Addy will grow up needing therapy because of “that one year when her only wish in the world was for Lulu my Cuddlin’ Kitty Cat”. But honestly? I’ll pay that therapy bill. FAR better investment than this cat. Which, by the way, I could have bought for half price weeks ago when all the sales were going on. And I still wouldn’t have done it. On principle.
Dumb Christmas Lists.
6 Comments
Leave a comment
Recent Posts
When I was a kid, all I wanted was an EZ bake oven and a snoopy sno-cone maker. My parents said, “hell no” to the oven that cooked with a lightbulb and the snoopy thing.
Well, I will tell you that I was not scarred in the least – there were tons of things I asked for and didn’t get. But I will ALSO tell you that I SAVED UP MONEY to buy the darn Snoopy sno-cone thing when I was 12, and no, that is not a typo, because I was DYING to see how it worked.
And it sucked.
She’ll be okay. :) Maybe she can earn some money and buy it herself in a few months if she still wants it.
(but I’m with you, a fake cat? for $80? hells no.)
[Reply]
Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am
@rachel, I’m trying to think if I ever felt bad about missing out on a much-wanted gift but I don’t think I did. I don’t have any real memories of wanting things until I was closer to 10 or 12. And my Mom always delivered.
I’m not seriously worried. She’s 3. She will not remember this Christmas. Nor will she probably even remember that she asked for Lulu in 10 days from now.
[Reply]
Nope, don’t do it. I said no to the almost life size Dino that moved and you could sit on. I even had a relative offer to pay for it. I am so glad that never happened.
The biggest things she really plays with all the time are baby dolls, dress up costumes, and paint/chalk/stamp arts and crafts stuff. At Addy’s age she also loved “Melissa and Doug”, play food sets like party pizza
[Reply]
Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 9:34 am
@m, Yeah we are getting Addy a ream of paper and I can almost guarantee it will be the biggest hit. It’s all she really uses. Noah was totally spoiled so she really has everything from him but it’s always still the things like big empty boxes and plain paper and chalk that make her the happiest.
[Reply]
Maybe you can get one for half off if you ask for the 3-legged version? ;) Seriously, though – awesome drawing, Addy!
[Reply]
Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
@Jonathan, bwahaha – I thought the same thing!!!!!!!!! Turns out its a tail, not a third leg.
Wonder if they’ll give me a deep discount for a 2 leg cat?!?!
[Reply]
ick, fake pets are weird. that drawing rocks!
I didn’t get stuff and I resented my parents but it wasn’t until I was older, so I think you are ok.
[Reply]
Do we have the same child?! I stumbled across your blog looking for cloth diaper patterns for Baby Alive, and now I see mention of Lulu. These are exactly the two items on my 4-year-old’s Christmas list, and the two things she is getting! What is it with animatronic (sp?) toys? All I wanted as a kid was a bike…
Either way, have a Merry Christmas!
[Reply]
Reply:
December 18th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Dana – thanks for stopping by! I definitely know how you feel. Somehow a nice bike or a ball never makes the list!
[Reply]
I agree- pay the therapy bill ;)
[Reply]