Thursday Thirteen ~ Things I'm NOT Getting My Kids For Christmas

It's that time of year, and while I love the holidays, I don't love the commercialism of it all. I like getting my kids things they need and even want for Christmas, but I don't like the constant begging for things that I would never buy them anyway. It doesn't help that the commercials on their channels (the only ones they are allowed to watch BTW) are all about these super-duper, priced up the wazoo toys that are most likely poorly made and will break once my boys start really playing with them. So, my list is thirteen things I will NOT buy for my kids for Christmas.

1. A Cell Phone ~ Are you kidding me? My oldest is only 9 years old! I see kids his age with their cell phones out texting back and forth, playing games and downloading things. Heck NO! He does NOT need a cell phone to call his friends, he can use the house phone. He does NOT need a cell phone to listen to music or play games, he has an MP3 player and Gameboy for that. He doesn't need one for the walk home from school... we live right across the street. I'm just as neurotic as most parents these days... but giving a 9 year old a cell phone is just asking for an astronomical cell bill.

2. A PSP (PlayStation Portable) ~ They can barely take care of their much cheaper, much more durable Gameboys (and not the DS kind either). Why in the world would I get them something else they can treat poorly?

3. A puppy ~ Somehow I don't see Harley taking too well to a hyper little puppy invading his space. He has a hard enough time finding a quiet spot away from my rambunctious kids... a puppy would drive my poor baby insane! Not to mention the fact that I would be the one who would have to do all the taking care of a training. I'd rather not when my health is so... off right now. LOL

4. Night-Vision Goggles ~ OH, don't get me wrong... these look cool as all get out! I even considered them until I remembered that I have a hard enough time getting the little darlings to go to sleep as it is. They don't need another excuse to slip out of bed. "Mommy... I can seeeeee yooooouuuuu!"

5. An Actual TRAIN ~ I just don't have the room... or the money! Four boys + All their toys = Enough clutter to last a lifetime! :-D

6. Designer clothes ~ *SNORT* If they can tear holes in the knees of Levis with reinforced knees... Can you imagine how much it would cost me to pay for designer clothing? :::shudder:::

7. Tickle Me Elmo Extreme ~ Cuz it's just plain creepy! Come on, you have to admit... that little Elmo doll that giggles and kicks and rolls around... GAH gives me the willies!

8. A Wii ~ Mainly because I can't afford one. We do well enough with my hubby's job and my dance classes. We don't go hungry, we have a house and some luxuries... but we already have a perfectly good gaming system that still makes games. I don't see the point in upgrading. Yeah, yeah... it's not gonna happen... deal with it.

9. A Laptop ~ HA! Do you know what I had to do for Santa to get MINE? The pervert! *snicker* They don't need one, they can use the desktop PC just fine... and that's that!

10. A New Car ~ Umm... yeah, my oldest is NINE YEARS OLD! I don't even get a new car. Did I mention we probably couldn't afford it anyway? Why put ourselves in debt over something we don't really need? BUT, isn't this one so puurrty?! *sigh*

11. A Furby ~ :::shudder::: Yet another creepy toy! I get chills whenever the darned thing open their little eyes and start talking.... GAH, I just now gave myself the willies!

12. A Set of Golf Clubs ~ Did I mention I have boys? Yeah... I'd be buying new windows too. No thanks!

13. Heelies ~ A couple years ago my mother bought a pair for my oldest son. I hated them! I think that they teach poor manners. My kids aren't supposed to RUN through a store, and yet I see all these kids popped up on their heels rolling through the stores at top speed with no one telling them to stop. Granted, whenever I caught my son doing it I threatened to remove the wheels and he stopped, but the temptation was ALWAYS there. I won't stop him from wearing them if someone else buys them... but I won't be buying them.

So that is my list, I hope you enjoyed it. Like I said, I DO love this time of year and trying to find the perfect gift for my family and friends is really a blast when I'm not so tired... and sometimes even when I am. Happy TT!