I have to admit that I get pretty annoyed when I see people putting up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. It makes me sad that some folks value the look of a plastic Santa more than that of a beautiful cornucopia reflecting America's bountiful blessings. (Yeah, I know -- bah, humbug -- at least until Nov. 26!) I really like slowing down and taking this month just to be thankful, celebrating the colors of autumn and the taste of pumpkin pie. And I find it pretty hard to be in a fall mood whenever I walk past a neighbor's fake snowman. But...
That said, I have to think about Christmas earlier than I'd like to this year, as the kids are out of school a week before the holiday, leaving not a lot of time after Thanksgiving to get things together -- especially if anything is being shipped.
And so, what will be in Santa's bag?
My kids' wish lists this year aren't too out of control: They asked for a Playmobil schoolhouse and its accessories as a shared toy; since they still enjoy playing Playmobil together a lot, it's a reasonable request. Petunia wants a beginner's sewing machine and fabric (and, Mama adds, lessons), some Nintendo DS games, some Lego board games, and some drawing books. Dash wants a Nintendo DS, some Star Wars costumes, some Star Wars Legos, and about a million more Star Wars-related thing. But that first thing on the list, the DS? That's the part on which I'm stuck.
The little guy is only 5 and in kindergarten, and he has a Leapster: a Leapster with which he's been very happy, when he can find its cartridges. And helllllooooo, DS cartridges are about a tenth of the size of a Leapster one! HOW could I give him a DS (or okay Santa to do so) when he already has a Leapster which he can't keep track of half of the time? But there's that big sister with the DS (which, by the way, she got at the end of her first year of kindergarten -- and still has the same one nearly 5 years later), and she's probably going to get some DS games, highlighting, to him, perhaps, the fact that he does not have his own.
I've wracked my brain about it, and I really don't feel right about giving him (or Santa giving him) a DS at this point. I love the idea of giving them fun, complex toys, especially ones they share, because we probably only have another year ahead in which they'll do that. Playmobil, Legos, board games -- all of those things are great, all full of hours of fun. And if Dash gets a DS, that may take away from some of that other great play. I've never been against "screen time," but he's only 5 once, right? And with a big sister headed to middle school next year, how many years of shared Playmobil and Lego fun do they have left?
It's hard because I hate that he won't get what he wants most ... he's a good kid! Then again, his birthday is in March, so we have another opportunity if it turns out to be a really big deal. Do you think I can distract him with something like a remote control R2D2?
Santa's glad this is only an annual dilemma.
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