Top Ten Christmas Gifts

To Buy, Or Not To Buy This Holiday Season

article by Cindy G. Foust

Hello BayouLife readers as I report in from what is now the cusp of the holidays and the weather outside is definitely frightful…frightfully hot, that is. Oh, we had a cool snap this week, and what I mean by snap is there was a drop in temperatures just long enough to snap your fingers. But alas, it wouldn’t be “fall” around here if we didn’t have ceiling fans and flip flops to look forward to on Thanksgiving, right? Speaking of Thanksgiving, that will be a crazy busy week for me as my son gets married the weekend after (not that I will get lost in my feelings this month like I did last) and my life will be totally made because for the first time in years my entire family will be together for a holiday. I’m already mentally working myself up to just soak up this time, because the older I get, the more I realize these times are precious. My readers are probably thinking that the older I get, the more I sound like a Hallmark card…but what’s true is that there is no price on spending time with your family and friends. It doesn’t matter if you are able to take some elaborate vacation or just go to the movies one night, spending time with the ones you love is truly a gift. 

Speaking of gifts, has anyone out there started their Christmas shopping? This is where I would insert the emoji that is raising her hand because, I, Cindy G. Foust, have bought one gift. For my husband. I typically wait until Black Friday and just shop till I drop and get all my gifts bought, but this year I’ll just be too busy. Well, that’s a joke, I’ve only ever gone Black Friday shopping like one time and this lady yanked a Fisher Price farm set out of my hands so she could save $5. So, on the outside chance that some of you are going to pass on the Black Friday madness this year, too, but are wondering what you are going to get those kids in your life, your wait is finally over. 

I took the liberty a few years ago of writing a column on the “Season’s Hot Must Have Toys” and let me tell you, I got a lot of positive feedback. If you’ve been with me in what is now nearly 10 years (in case Cassie forgets January is my 10-year anniversary), you know I am a problem solver. I like to seek out problems and “fix-it” as often as possible so I did the research for my readers and here’s what I got. Incidentally, research in my day simply meant waiting on the Sears Wish Book or JCPenny Christmas catalog to come in and dog ear the pages of the treasures you wanted. Man, those were the days weren’t they, when all you had to worry about was whether you were getting a Barbie Dream House or a Huffy? Anyway, where was I? I had to narrow it down to the “top 10” toys by the way, or else I would get fired from my decade long (oh, the memorable columns we share) stint if I didn’t. So what’s hot? First on the list is the Magical Misting Crystal Ball. “Kids will be amazed when they use their magic wands to really summon a magical creature from a crystal ball filled with mist! (Note: Good Housekeeping Institute testers say the mist smells like a rock concert.) Once it’s summoned, the Mixie can do things like perform spells and tell fortunes.” I think this is where I will insert the “huh?” What happened to the Magic 8 Ball days where you ask the ball if “James liked you” and shook it wildly hoping for a “yes?” This toy is likely to catch your house on fire…so moving on to number 2 which is the Squishmallows Mystery Box. For those of you, like me, who doesn’t know what in the cat hair a Squishmallow is, it’s the toy that splits the difference between a stuffed animal and a plush pillow. Is there a need for that in this world? Why don’t you just buy a stuffed animal and a then a pillow, but that’s just me? Third on the list is the Cry Babies First Emotions Doll. Wait. This interactive baby doll helps kids name and identify their emotions. Wait. Can babies talk now? How are they going to “identify their emotions” if they can’t even hold a cup? On top of that, the baby looks constipated and her eyes scared the bezees out of me, so I am sure it will give comfort to your baby who is working to identify their emotions, too. Moving on (and wishing for the days of Monopoly and Twister) to number 4 which is the Madrigal House from Encanto, none of which I have ever heard of. It only has 587 pieces, so yes, this is a treasure. Number 5 is National Geographic Geodes Breaking Set. Okay, you have to supply your own hammer? I know I will get criticism from the geologists out there but is this a thing? Seems like you could just hand your kid a hammer and tell them to go in the yard and smash a rock and not spend $50, but okay. Number 6 and are you ready to become a genius? It’s the Genius Starter Kit and I was going to buy it for myself until I read that it comes with all you need to do tangram challenges, solve rudimentary physics puzzles, learn to draw, do basic arithmetic and practice spelling and vocabulary. The instructions are already over my head so, nah, passing on this one, too. Number 7 is Throw Throw Avocado. Hummmm. This game challenges players to collect matching sets of cards while dodging the soft, squishy avocados. I think we will just stick to dominoes around here, but a squishy avocado probably doesn’t hurt as bad as the domino does when we throw it at each other. Number 8? Finally one I can sink my teeth in is the Barbie Dream House! Yes! Except this one has a slide that Barbie can take right into her swimming pool? Number 9 and get ready for it…Little Mama Surprise. Friends, what has our Christmas gifts come to? I’m glad little children can’t read my column because this “Little Live Pets Mama Surprise guinea pig” gives birth to three babies. Just feed and brush mama until her heart starts to glow, then place her in her hutch, and she will have a baby that comes with a special care package. Repeat the process and she will birth three babies in total. I truly just had a heart attack and rolled my eyes at the same time. And finally, number 10 on the hot, hot list is, CoComelon as this season’s toy MVP, and its main character, JJ, a cartoon star, is on everything from beach towels to sugar cookies! I personally have never seen nor heard of this character, but apparently, it’s being listed as the “toys you won’t be able to find.” You’ve been warned to get your CoComelon village started now! 

I hope this list helps you decide what you need to get in your virtual toy carts (that’s kind of a joke) because I am truly making fun of some of the choices. Next month, though? I’m going in the trenches with my second roving reporter column and I’m asking the experts…the kids. My December column will feature the wish list out of the mouth of our Bayou babes, so get ready for it. In the meantime, my prayer for you and your family is to have a wonderful, safe and glorious Thanksgiving season.

Cindy G. Foust is a wife, mom, author and blogger. You can find her blog at the alphabetmom.com for weekly columns about home life,  parenting, small business stories and insight with a smidgen of literacy. Give her a like or follow on Facebook and Instagram.