Why I hate the holidays
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:09 pm
EVERY year my dd asks me for that hard to find holiday item. I don't know how the *bleep* she knows what will be the impossible item each year, but her psychic ability is quite a sight to behold. My Size BarbieThis was Sydneys fondest Christmas wish for three years running. For anyone with little girls during the MSB craze, I really don't need to tell you any story. You already know the nightmare that was trying to find this baby. I struck out two years in a row. The third year I finally found her. She was $150!!!!! I didn't feel badly about not getting it that third year. Especially after I found out the only reason she wanted it was so she could wear Barbie's outfit. Poo-ChiThe year is 2000. This stupid little dog sold out on it's release date in Japan, in ONE DAY. My daughter who had somehow learned to speak Japanese without my knowledge, and had read the story, asked for this for Christmas. Not only did she want this toy, but she wanted the Dalmation version. Admittedly Target ended up having this item in stock most of the time in a variety of colors. They however did not carry the stinking Dalmation. I mean, why would they carry the one everybody was looking for, right? My mother, and I haunted Toys R Us, Target, Walmart, Kaybee Toys. We went to animal shelters and fire stations, just in case. But alas, no Dalmations were found. Well not any electronic ones anyway.Finally I throw in the towel and buy the pink one. She should be happy to even get one at this point I think to myself. But lo and behold just days before Christmas my mother finds the Dalmation. At this point I should mention that my sister was coming from out of state for the holidays this year. She has three kids. The plan was to buy all the kids one of these stupid dogs. The dogs talk to each other so we figure the kids should get a big kick out of them.This is when a horrendous mistake was made. (Thankfully it was not made by me). Since Sydney (my dd) was the only one who specifically asked for the Dalmation, my mother buys only one. The rest of the kids got different colors. So mom and I are totally psyched for Christmas safe in the knowledge that we got everyone what they wanted. We wait anxiously for the kids to open the dogs. They do.Then all hell breaks loose. The other kids are furious that they did not get Dalmations too because hey, the Dalmation was cute and had it going on.Mom and I leave the room quickly. We'd hate to spoil everyone's holiday by being arrested for murder. Monsters Inc. Boo DollBy 2001, I'm used to being asked for the impossible toy. So, I'm thrilled when I get asked for this innocuous looking doll. She doesn't do anything too exciting, and she's ugly as sin. I'm golden!! Finally I won't have to go through the holidays with anxious knots in my stomach of Christmas gifts that can't be found.Guess again.No problem. I'm a veteran now. Mom and I are looking everywhere. We enlisted the help of my relatives in another state. I have my co-workers looking. One of us is bound to find it.This is when a friend comes along and says, "There, there, it'll be all right". Meanwhile behind your back, Reality is laughing his damn arse off!!The doll is *no where* to be found. WTH? She doesn't even have shoes for cryin out loud!! Who would want this doll? Apparently every girl aged 4-7 in the entire North American Continent, that's who.Luckily I found someone on ebay who was willing to rip me off and charge me double. Christmas is saved! Well, guess what this year's present is. (I feel bad for any parent whose child has asked for this and is unaware of what I am about to tell them.) Zune!!!Yes, my daughter wants this crappy Microsoft version of the iPod. If you're like me, I always, *always* research tech items before I buy them. So I check it out on cnet.com. The first time around this product got some pretty lousy ratings. I'm sure you're as shocked as I am that Microsoft would release a product full of bugs that doesn't do what it promises, but I digress.Last week they released the 2nd Generation Zune. It comes in 4gb, 8gb, & 80gb. This is important for you to know, as there will be a quiz later.Now another thing you should know about me is that I'm cheap. Really. So I'm worried that if I buy this thing now, on Black Friday it'll be on sale. So I consult the Black Friday web site and see that yes, the 30gb player is going to be on sale at several retailers for only $99. Score!! It only comes in brown, but too bad, she'll have to deal with it. And of course I'll have to get up at 3:30 am and get in line and hope I've picked a store that actually has more than one. Eww! But I'm the mom, so whatever it takes.But wait a minute, something's not right here. The BF ads also say that the 8gb is going to be on sale for $149?? Why would 8gb be more than 30gb? That doesn't make any sense. I try to find out more information about this Zune thing, but cannot figure out what the price dispcrepancy is all about. Then life got in the way and I never got back to checking into it and I was thinking I wanted to ask my dd some more questions about this thing anyway.So now yesterday, I was reading the news online. There's one about Zune so I check it out.Ok, ready for our Quiz? What size does the New Generation *not* come in??? If you said 30gb you would be right. And you would know why there is a price discrepancy. The BF ads with their "Fabulous" price are selling you the old bug filled Zune hoping you don't know the difference. Thanks!But then I had this sense of deja vu. The article goes on to say that the 80gb Zune sold out in one day online. EVERYWHERE. Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, Walmart, Amazon. Microsoft has "underestimated the demand". Can anyone remember a Christmas when we don't hear that from some company??So I checked again today at the online retailers, everyone is still out of stock. I noticed on Target.com though it said you could check store availability. So I figure, what the heck? Turns out the *one* store in a 25 mile radius of my area that has one is less than a mile from where my husband works!! So he went to grab it at lunch time. I anxiously waited and finally he called me to say "The dress is in the bag". This is our secret spy code for "I got it." Woot!! Woot!!! Who's your daddy now Santa??!!!