Christmas is almost over, the tree will be coming down this weekend. I have an ongoing problem, allow me to share…
Myself & Mr Halfpintpixie love Christmas, love the songs, the lights, the decorations, the food and general snugglyness of the season. But I don’t like the consumerism at all. Now I’m no Scrooge, I love giving and receiving presents, but every since littlepixie’s arrival we have started amassing a little army of toys. Why do they all make noise??
Between her birthday in November and Christmas, we have doubled our toy brigade (which wasn’t very large to begin with). I don’t want any more toys in the house! I tried mentioning it discretely to family members, and was told I was being ungrateful, and that it wasn’t fair to tell people what to get for littlepixie, that they were just trying to be nice, and that she enjoys the toys. Of course she enjoys them, millions of dollars has been spent researching toddlers to find out what they enjoy, it’s a business like any other!
We get her cousins book vouchers, not very exciting, but I’ve seen their faces when they’re in the bookstore trying to choose a book and clutching the voucher, they love books. Littlepixie, young though she is, also loves books. She got some for Christmas which have become her new favourites and are shown off to all visitors. I love seeing her leafing through a big board book, pointing out all the animals and exciting things.
I know this sound moany, but isn’t that what a blog is for, to moan & get stuff off your chest! So excuse my moaniness for today, I guess I just need to come up with a plan for next year, maybe ask people for specific books that she really wants? That might work. Maybe print out the entire Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood website, get it bound into a massive book and then hit them over the head with it? Too extreme or worth a try??
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Pixie, my girl, I feel your toy-pain. I am ASTONISHED at the amount of toys my darling daughter has to choose from. It is easily the biggest hassle we contend with- HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO STOP BUYING HER TOYS. Especially the ones that take batteries and talk, thank you very much.
So, I think hitting them over the head is probably not a strong enough message, really. Tatooing it on their bodies, maybe?
Happy Playing!
I was drowing in Legos this morning! We did convince some family members to do the no-toy thing and instead we all spent the day at the museum and the other side of the family is all going to one of those fun jump centers to celebrate together instead of giving gifts. Otherwise, the toys will take over the house!
Steph
I feel your pain.
I asked people to avoid plastic and to go for either books or toys that were made from textiles or wood, which helped a little. We still got some plastic, but a lot less than I feared.
For next year I am planning to ask people to buy her experiences – like swimming lessons or tickets to a children’s music concert etc. plus books (of course).
It won’t work on everyone, but you can certainly work on the more receptive people in your family.
I also packed up a little over half of her toys after Christmas so that Lily is not overwhelmed with choice. I think I’ll just rotate toys every now and then so that they are a little fresh. After a respectful amount of time I may also just donate some of our excess toys to charity…
we are lucky as we don’t celebrate christmas
I think giving book vouchers or tickets for museums or other activities as Cristy says are excellent gift ideas.
Our wee man was three months two days before Christmas and still got loads of toys and of course loads of plastic and noisy stuff. My side of the family know we don’t like that stuff and give books and wooden toys that are……APPROPRIATE for his age! He got pressies that are put away now and will only come back out in a couple of years, when he is actually ready for them. What do people think????!!!