If you were a kid before the dawn of online shopping you used to look forward to the Toy Catalog. The biggest one I believe was put out by Toys R Us and to a kid it was the best reading around.
Of course it didn't mean you were going to get any of those toys. I don't think my parents were even aware of what was "in" as far as toydom so I normally got clothes and if I was lucky some educational thing-a-ma-jig. Never a Transformer, or Video Game Console (had to buy Atari and Nintendo on my own, though my Dad was nice enough to match me dollar for dollar) or new bike on Christmas Morning.
It wasn't that my parents couldn't afford an extravagant gift now and then it was simply that I don't think they knew what that gift was. I suppose I should have been better at begging but then after awhile I got used to the idea that if I really wanted something I was going to have to acquire it on my own with my allowance or take a loan out with the bank of Dad. Can't complain too much, I had a roof over my head and plenty of art materials. I just remember going over to my friends' houses and seeing all the action figures and the latest games and thinking how cool it would be if I got such stuff.
I believe my wife had the same problem with her family, but then in her case there was a language barrier to also deal with. These days I would think it would be easier for parents to keep up on the toy trends. I'm not saying they have to spoil their kids all the time, but there should always be that present you remember getting from your Dad and Mom on Christmas that was the "coolest". |
