My teenagers no longer really play with toys. Unless you count the balls, tennis rackets and sporting equipment which still take up a prime spot near our front and back door entries. Still, I think it is fun when the toy catalogs start to arrive this time of year–both in the mail and tucked between the folds of our local newspaper–my kids get excited to flip through and see what’s out there. Offering critique and opinion, as well as a healthy dose of reminiscing about toys and holidays past.
Sure, there is a certain amount of “I never got that ___that I always wanted”–but there is also a lot of fond memories of favorite toys. I am amazed at the sharp memories my kids have–they can remember specific holidays and what they got, as well as how the played with the toys and what finally happened to it (I’ve heard more stories about some strange endings for toys–they ended up lost while we were on vacation, buried and forgotten, broken and destroyed, or they may even still be tucked away in a box or closet somewhere in this house.)
The toy catalogs are spurring some pretty fun and interesting conversations. My eldest daughter gets quite agitated that everything is gender-specific and shuns the “pink” section. Even though she is pretty darn girly, she still has been brought up to question such things and it is fun to see her evolving into an opinionated, strong-minded person. We talk about pricing, what makes a “good” toy and what doesn’t. Even though when there were little, they wanted all those bells and whistles and toys with tiny pieces–now they have the fondest memories of the building blocks, play dough and board games. It is fascinating!
So, even though there are no small children in our house for the time being, we are still devouring all those toy catalogs.
Also: Why Not Make Up Your Own Holidays?
The Joys and Challenges of Family Projects