Children registering for Christmas
What the hell is happening to Christmas when I go into Toysrus and see a kid with a register gun, registering for Christmas.
What? This kid was picking out presents that he wanted, and was putting them on a registry. WHAT THE HELL? That is simply insane, crazy, and truly commercializing the holiday... welcome everyone we have now sunk to a new low... Beautiful!
*****EDIT: I think I am going to register for Birthday and Christmas gifts, Hell if kids are doing it... I might as well. I like gifts like everyone else... It seems now you can actually ask for them. SEND GIFTS! :-)
Comments
What's wrong with a good old fashioned Christmas list? Seriously. This year my in-laws, who are the only ones who've ever even asked me for a list, wanted to have my list and I had no idea what to tell them. For myself or Stephan. In the end I found a great deal on a digital camera and told Andy to see if they'd go in on it with him. And suggested some Duplo blocks for Stephan. When I really think about it I have everything I need and I'm sure they could find some great toys for Stephan.
Back to the registry thing, why teach your kid that that is the important thing about this time of year? There's so much more to the CHRISTmas season that we forget amidst all the retail crap.
it sickens me to no end...
that s why I dont give any thought or time to the Xmas thing.
Sarita will be performing anyway, we ll be *working*....
Hmm.... While I'm at it, I think I'd like to register for a new ass too. Mine used to be cute, but it's not living up to its reputation these days.
Can I do all that at ToysRUs? I am so there. My kid is just out of luck, too bad. :)
Normally I'd hate Christmas commercialisation and all that comes with it... but today I was told that instead of getting me a present, my lovely girlfriend was going to put money towards the new laptop I've been pining over for the past several months, and she's got my parents into it as well, which is great because apparently I'm impossible to buy gifts for.
I think that's just about the nicest thing anyone's done for me in a while, so I guess I've trained my girlfriend pretty decently. I'll have to think about getting her a ring one of these days.
I honestly don't know what it would be like to buy presants for a little boy. All the children in my life are girls, and they're all quite particular. One is in the "I don't want kid-stuff," stage. One is still quite pleased if we get her a doll or some crayons to play with, and the other is crafty and fashonable so that base is easy to cover... but a boy... boy's toys are so cool. I'd love to buy some and sit in the basement and play with them.... but there are no boys to get them for. :(
As for registering... I just don't know. Tradition is to make a list, and I don't see this as any different than making a list in some ways. My kids (if I had any) would be pulling the presents off of an online catalog 6 months in advance anyways, so I don't see this as any particular commercial manipulation. Kid wants what he wants, and if it keeps him occupied and quiet in a toy store for half an hour without disrupting anything then all the better in my books.
'Tis a sad day, indeed.....
I really dislike how Christmas has become so commercial.
We aren't really big Christmas people and quite honestly, my hubby and I rarely buy each other gifts. I know that sounds strange but that is how it is and we don't feel strange or bad about it. We focus our energies at Christmas on giving to others...in the way of time or gifts...and definitely lots of love. All year round we spend money on ourselves, usually buying stuff together, so it seems meaningless to make a big show at Christmas to buy each other gifts.
Growing up we always had the old fashioned list that got put on the fridge. I like the old fashioned wish list. Even to this day, my mother-in-law still asks us for a wish list which is really kinda funny....although the last couple of years she just asks us for which store we want the gift card for as she is just too busy! And she always asks for stocking stuffer ideas.
I have lots of kids to buy for and personally, I don't really ask what is on their list because chances are they are already getting it. I remember one of our nephews was into Bionicles one year and EVERYONE bought him bionicles which was crazy! I pay attention to what they like but tend to be a bit more creative....and I like getting gifts that encourage kids to be creative. Last year I gave several nephews kits to make their own comic books...which totally rocked....and then some others got storybook making kits...another got an animation kit. My niece thinks that a gift card to the local bookstore to be better than gold....but since grandpa gave her that, last year I gave her a "date" with me to go get a pedicure (she was 11). I don't give toys very often but almost always give books or an outing.
I don't think your kids are being skimped on with bikes and some other small things. I think if they grow up with getting a billion things at Christmas, then we are only encouraging their brainswashing that Christmas is all about presents and expecting lots. Presents are great but one must know to appreciate receiving them. In writing that last line, I just remembered that a good friend of mine who is a self-made millionaire, late 30's, and single dad - his daughter is about 9 and ever since she was really little, he takes her to Toyr R Us and they buy a tons of toys to give to other kids and they go together to give them to kids who don't have a lot at Christmas. And while she is not exactly hard done by, she doesn't get a massive wad of stuff at Christmas. She has learned appreciation and about giving from a very early age. Now that is a great gift!
I am a huge fan of wish lists. I have one, and a lot of my friends do, too. It makes Christmas shopping so much easier. And then there are people like my mother. This year she did tell me what she wanted but usually it's like, "Oh, I don't need anything..." and then I have to guess what to get her and I usually guess wrong.
Well, Christmas isn't bad, but her birthday and Mother's Day? IMPOSSIBLE.
Although it's usually easier to buy for kids than for grownups anyway. So I do feel like it's weird to see little kids with register guns.
I'm tired. This comment has no real point. Sorry.
I like foxy's gift giving ideas: She sounds like a very cool aunt. :)
But kids will grow up and their generation will take gift registries to the next level. It will be interesting to see what gift giving is like in 20 years.