So my daughter doesn’t want to make a Christmas List. She only wants iTunes and XBox gift cards. She doesn’t want anything else.
She’s nine.
Nine.
She asked me if Santa can get gift cards for kids (of course he can)!
Intrigued by this unexpected course of events I said, “well, that will make for a dull Christmas Morning with so little under the tree…”. “I don’t care” she said. “I only want to download songs and buy skins and maps for Minecraft.”
Ug.
“I can look in catalogs and try to find some other stuff” she continued.
By now, I am speechless.
I am in my mid-40s and can think of ten toys that I want for Christmas. And that’s off the top of my head.
So, Mr. Claus. I’m trying to help a brother out. But should I cultivate a more greedy bud in my dear child’s heart so that she may construct a proper Christmas List for you?? All in an effort to accumulate more stuff that she will play with until 10:37am Christmas Morning and then retreat to her iPod and XBox. Never to look back again at the cute dolls, warm fuzzy pjs, DVDs, bracelet making sets and Easy Bake Oven supplies.
She’s nine years old.
And more wise than her pop, apparently.
Christmas use to be about excess and “how much stuff did you get”. Now, without realizing it, my daughter has taught me it’s about logical, practical gifts. Quality over quantity.
From the mouths of babes…
Agent Argyle 
My kids make a list (they are told they need to limit it to their top 10 items – one of which is always “surprises”), but then Santa buys whatever the heck “he” wants them to have. I don’t like the idea of gifts as a request only item. But I am a little resistant to direction in general, I suppose :)
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