When I was growing up, my mom would always make a joke around this time of year. She would say that I would all of a sudden start playing with the bundle of toys I received during the previous Christmas and birthday season (I was born 3 weeks after December 25th). She would go on to claim that I would abandon much of the presents by Spring, if not sooner, only to return to them the following winter as a way of ensuring that my parents once again spend too much money at the toy store.
While I don’t doubt that I was a clever boy, I find it hard to believe that I was that dastardly and sneaky – “Mom and Dad look how much I still love and play with all my gifts from last Christmas!”
Mom, if you are reading this, I am wearing that super nice sweater you got me last year. I Love you!
My girls, being just 3.75 and .5 years old, are surely not up to my old games…are they? It seems an odd coincidence then that the toy cash register, wooden dog house, trumpet, doll stroller and other items that entered the house eleven months ago are enjoying a bit of an encore now – just 6 weeks out from Christmastime 2007. Hmmm, how peculiar!
Seriously though, repositioning is the main reason for this newfound love of last year’s toys. We are in the midst of major home construction and as a result our livable space has been pinched quite a bit causing items that were once safely stored away, to be moved into the living room and our girl’s bedroom. She is being forced to interact with these toys!
My oldest has been having a blast rediscovering toys that while not new, per se, are definitely new enough to make them fresh and exciting for her and worthy of a 2nd go-around on the toy rotation. So as we approach toy utopia (or overdose, depending on your vantage point) consider repositioning your child’s forgotten-about-playthings around the house and see what happens. Maybe your kids will find that they have so much already and won’t desire as much this time around…or maybe not!