All of the rush, all of the hustle, all of the running around like crazy - it’s all over. And, odds are, you are a little overwhelmed with all of the new merchandise that found its way into your house. Especially if some if the new stuff in your house aren’t exactly things that you would pick for your family. The funny thing is that someone, somewhere bought that toy because they were just certain you, or your child, would be crazy about it.
Kind of like the Christmas when my son received a drum set. He was three at the time. Or the 300 piece puzzle for my puzzle loving two year old. Not to mention the itch inducing sweater that smelled like a wet dog. And what about the time that my daughter received not one, not two, but THREE battery operated stuffed animals that barked and sang in chorus?
Knowing that those gifts were bought by someone who loved my child, if not entirely in touch with reality, helped me see that the gifts were not “bad”, just not the right gift for our family. The right gifts for my family involve a little less noise and a little more manual labor for the child. In years past, I’ve had the distinct chore of holding on to those unwanted toys until sufficient time had passed, and then throwing them in the garbage. This year I won’t do that. I’ll list the unwanted items on Zwaggle, saving the environment from the extra trash, allowing them to find the right home, and turning those Zoints into things that we really can use. Puzzles, blocks, books - there’s a list a mile long. Thankfully, I’ve got plenty of choices, both in what we don’t need anymore and things on Zwaggle that we really do!
The Holiday season is tough. It really is. You are constantly barraged by a million different messages. “It’s the New Gotta Have It Toy of the Season!” exclaims one television commercial. “Less is More!” screams a second. Children who want more, more, MORE, NOW. Well meaning friends who add to the stress by listing the extensive list of toys that they’ve managed to acquire for Precious Billy, including those hard to find toys that no one has on hand. The very ones that you feel you need, in order to make the holiday complete.
I lived this very experience a few years ago. One of my daughters wanted a life size Barbie. I called around three towns, looking for the toddler sized doll. I haunted the local toy stores, I knew when the shipments arrived, and it took three attempts before I was able to secure two of the dolls. Two, you see, because I have two girls close in age and I couldn’t bear for one to have a toy that the other might want. Grand total? $200. They played with those dolls for two days. I lost almost a month of my life to those dolls, which ended up sitting in the corner for months, haunting me with their spooky eyes, until I finally trotted them out to the thrift store. A waste of time, a waste of money, and, most importantly, a valuable lesson in overconsumption that I wish I had learned before the season began.
Stop running around. Stop making yourself crazy, hunting online and in stores for the toy of the minute. You know as well as I do that next year, maybe even before a new Spring breaks, that very special “Must Have” item will be gathering dust in the cabinet, long forgotten and rarely seen. Like, ahem, life size Barbie dolls.
At this moment there are eight pages of toys posted on Zwaggle. There’s everything from blocks to trains, baby dolls to computer games, with new ones added every day that are a lot easier and cheaper to get than that life size Barbie. And why don’t you make another family’s holiday special by posting last season’s “Must haves”? Maybe this can be the first year that we can all destress and enjoy ourselves.
