Last year, I was all dynamite and gung ho about Toy Sales. I had a strategic plan, I had accessed all the pre-pre catalogues that didn't even show the prices, circled everything I wanted for Carter carefully, and wrote many a list. I checked and rechecked that list, conferred with Deon over every.single.item driving him completely batshit crazy and looking like he wanted to die every time I flashed the catalogue at him.
On the day of the toy sale, I went a little Hunger Games and actually stalked someone for the last Boris from Dinosaur Train. They'd pick it up, stare at it, walk for a bit and then put it back down then. Drove me crazy. I still can't believe they were oblivious to the eyes burning in the back of their head. I noticed a small group of people watching Boris in the same manner I was, and my competitive streak kicked in. I enlisted Margaret who had been dragged into this with me to set up position on the other side of this poor guy so in the off chance I failed to reach it, she would be my backup. I just wanted that plastic orange monstrosity so bad that all rational thoughts went out of my head and by the second time Boris was placed back on the shelf, I swooped in pushing others out of the road, gave an insincere 'sorry!' and fled off as quick as I could.
All for a motherfreaking plastic dinosaur. What we do for our kids. Who had I become?
This year, I've flicked though the catalogue with a passing interest and felt an overwhelming 'Thank God that's not me' when reading tweets and Facebook statuses about queues and toy tussels. I have to go to Target tonight anyway so I'll pop in to see what's there, but there will be no stalking this year.
Maybe.
Oh my! So glad I am not the only one who is oblivious. They are just toys FFS… (I live in an apartment and we move a lot so we do not have many toys). And they are OH WOW - FOUR DOLLARS OFF. OK so there are some OK specials but you get what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI went to Target yesterday to look for jeans, and the toys had taken over the store (OK so I get that they have about double the range they usually do) and they had extra registers set up and everything. And I had a look around just to see if there was anything that was worthwhile, out of curiosity, and I saw nothing. There is no way I am going to spend $20 on a toy that does one thing that will entertain my kid for 3 months… So yeah. I definitely do not understand why people were lining up at 6pm to get into that sale...
now come on, you know you're up for a bit of push and shove!! you love it!
ReplyDeleteI think alot of the appeal is the christmas layby, giving you 6 mths to pay off gifts as well as being organised. or maybe thats just me?
ReplyDeleteLiza, today I'm feeling a slight panic that I may have possibly missed out on something good. I'm trying to squash it, and resist the urge to run out of my classroom and straight to Target :P
ReplyDeleteLast year I was crazy stupid. I bought so much gear that Carter was completely overwhelmed, and it just looked ridiculous! This year my key word is MODERATION :P
ReplyDeleteit's been a few years since I even bothered with the toy sales - last year my husband and I went shopping a couple of days before christmas, got awesome deals, and a week after christmas neither the kids nor I could remember what they got. this year we're going with way more moderation and handmade.
ReplyDeleteCate, we are too. The kid changes his mind about what he's into so much that if I get something now for Christmas, 6 months later he'd be all crazy for something else :P
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughter started school last year I took a "no more toys" vow, and have pretty much stuck to it. Husband did buy her some of the new girly lego, and I got her two special dolls - which she adores and plays with all the time. No sales for us! My facebook feed is clogged with it too, people in a panic because they can't access websites etc. It's just toys! Plastic junk!
ReplyDeleteI went at midnight last year, for the first time ever. Never, never again. This year I was invited to the VIP night and I went only because I had never been to one before. It seems our local store wasn't as busy as many others but there was still a bit of pushing and lining up for ages. I'm over toys. This lot have enough.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of plastic fantastic crap we have is absurd. After moving house last week, I now have 3 tubs of 'stuff' to find a new home for as I refuse to move it into the new house! I'm so over it too!
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