When I attended his class Holiday Party, I moved around the room to see all the work displayed from floor to ceiling. There were glittery poinsettias, construction paper dreidels, and reindeer’s antlers made from their own hands. And tucked away into the far side of the room, where most parents still hadn’t ventured, was handwritten letters to Santa. All of the letters started the same way, “Dear Santa, I’ve been a very good boy/girl.” I’m guessing the teachers gave the children some examples of what to write next. Some said they were nice to their little brother or sister. Some said they picked up their toys. Others said they listened to their parents. But that was the end of the similarity. What came after was the wish list. After all, one doesn’t write to Santa to ask for World Peace. It’s all about the toys.
I was getting quite a chuckle from the list of toys requested by the class. There were dolls, what I think was supposed to be a zhu zhu pet, superheroes, and even a request for a new bike. But then I came to my son’s paper. Darius wrote, clear as day, “I want a DS.” As in a Nintendo DS.
It shouldn’t surprise me that he went big this year with the list. After all, Santa has always brought him what he wanted. But those wants then weren’t as expensive as the wants of today. Then it was a football helmet or a Lego Star Wars set. It wasn’t a toy that costs over $150. This year he had originally told me that he was asking Santa for Bakugans. And you know Santa already finished his shopping and bought those darn plastic thingamabobs and has them well hidden at the top of the closet waiting for Christmas morning. Santa isn’t buying a DS. No way in hell.
Sure, there’s a lucky 5 year old in his class who already owns a DS. One whose mother lets him play the darned thing before school, much to the horror of the rest of the moms who’d rather see our active boys run off some energy on the playground than huddled on the bench watching James play his DS. We already have the educational version of a DS – the Leapster. Wouldn’t you know, Santa has also brought a new Star Wars Leapster game for his stocking.
I know lots of people, adults included, who are the lucky owners of a Nintendo DS. In fact, I have a new DS game wrapped under the tree for my 13 year old godson. He received the gift of the DS last year when he was twelve; a far more appropriate age for a handheld toy that is easily break-able, lose-able, and steal-able. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with a DS. Responsibility that I’m sure my 5 year old cannot achieve. At least not without me constantly keeping track of the thing. And frankly, I have enough to keep track of already.
So yesterday, I broke the news to my son. I told him that I saw his very nice letter to Santa. And that I read it. And that while getting a DS would be very exciting, that Santa wouldn’t be bringing it into our house for Christmas. Mom wouldn’t allow it because it isn’t an appropriate gift for his age. And that when he’s 10 we can discuss it again. He seemed a little disappointed until I told him that I was sure that Santa would be bringing some special presents for my good boy. His eyes brightened, his smiled widened, and he shouted,
“Like an Xbox 360?!?!”
Original post for the Silicon Valley Mom's Blog
