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Golden Oldie Toys
By J Gardener
It's the season of giving, the season of joy, the season of peace and love
for all mankind, the season to give thanks for family, friends, and all the
blessings we share. But if you're the parent of a small child, and your child
watches commercial TV, it's also the season of frustration, befuddlement, and
ear plugs.
The frustration comes when when you realize that Christmas advertisers have
been wooing your kid since September. The befuddlement is what you feel about
the electronic gizmos and video-doodads the advertisers are pushing on your kid.
And the ear plugs are what you need, as said kid orders you-starting in early
October-to make sure Santa brings him, on Christmas morning, the latest version
of the New, Improved, Most Expensive Widget, or he'll die of a badly broken
heart.
You can't blame your child-that Widget looks so beautiful and perfect on that
commercial, and the child-actors playing with it look like the happiest children
in the world. Who wouldn't want a new Widget? But then the next commercial
convinces your son he needs a Whatchamacallit, too. Or he'll die.
You don't want to lose your son at this tender age over a Widget, but you
can't see yourself (I mean, Santa) spending two hundred bucks apiece, for
glorified toys that he'll outgrow, or tire of, before the New Year. Go ahead and
pick one, the Widget or the Whatchamacallit, and take the gamble that he'll
survive without both.
Then, why not consider getting him (I mean, asking Santa to bring him) some
oldies-but-goodies? There are dozens of toys and gifts that you enjoyed as a
kid, which are just as great today as they were, then. And your son will enyoy
them for years, rather than days.
Remember Tinker Toys? They're still around, and though they may lack the
initial appeal of anything that has to be plugged in and makes noise, they
provide a new experience for your child, every time he opens that
plastic-and-metal canister. Remember when you believed, you were the first kid
ever, to build a car that really rolled, out of Tinker Toys?
Lincoln Logs are still providing kids with construction adventures. They're
"new-and-improved", but still basically the same notched-log pieces you
remember, with roof-pieces and windows added. Years from now, when the Widget
has become an obsolete antique, your son will suddenly pull the Lincoln Logs out
of the closet and build something, just for fun.
The most versatile of all the "build-it-yourself" sets-Legos-is another
childhood staple which can still keep kids occupied for years.
Even Silly Putty and Play-Doh are still around, in new-and-improved forms.
They may drive parents slightly batty, but kids never seem to tire of the myriad
ways they can be used.
The best thing about these "golden oldies" is the cost and the value. They're
relatively inexpensive, and will entertain your son-and any younger siblings he
may have-for years. Assuming he survives Christmas without receiving both the
Widget and the Whatchamacallit. About the Author Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, focused on how families get by in this wonderful world of ours. To help create the perfect family holiday scene in your home and for the best selection of GKI/ Bethlehem Lighting visit http://www.holidaylighting.com.
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