Our Five Ring Circus: The Quest For The Coveted Toy

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Quest For The Coveted Toy

Just like any other young child, Lexie wants everything she sees on TV. However, two things she repeatedly asked for turned out to be hit toy items. Meaning, I couldn't find them anywhere.

I should have just bought them in September, when the shelves were overflowing with them. Lesson learned.

Those coveted toys went on sale in early October, at Toys R Us. Gotta love buy two get one free sales. But I couldn't find the two sets she wanted. I bought the other sets, and figured I'd keep searching for the ones she wanted.

My search was a waste of time. I checked every time I went into a store that carried toys. Nada. I began checking online every single day. They were all out of stock. And then Amazon got them in. However, I am the mean mom that refuses to pay a ridiculously large amount of money for a hit toy.

I finally decided she would just get them for her birthday when they were in stock. Hassling yourself over a must-have toy is not the point of Christmas. And honestly, I didn't think Lexie would even realize she didn't get what she asked for. So I ended my search.

Last week, the Christmas panic started to set in. I wasn't sure how I was going to manage to do everything in time, and I really wanted to sit back and enjoy the season instead of worrying. We only had one present for Dylan, so we decided to brave the cold and the crowds last night, and do some shopping.

Grant and I had a good time shopping for our kids, and Grant quickly picked out Dylan's presents. As we were leaving the last store, I decided to swing into the girls section and find one more gift for Lexie. And there, sitting on the shelves, were the two sets I had spent months searching for. There was only one left of each, and together, they cost less than what Amazon was asking for just one set. I snagged them up!

My patience paid off. The moment I stopped looking, I found them. It didn't really matter if I found them or not, but I know she's going to love them, especially after she gets the big Disney Princess castle from my parents.

I do wonder, though, why these toys are must haves? Why not the Belle set or Cinderella set or Rapunzel set? Those you can find easily! What makes these ones special?


I guess I'll never get it! And don't get me started on teacup piggies!

I do have to say, I feel very relieved that the majority of my shopping is done. Just a bit more, and I can sit back and enjoy Christmas! I always say that I'm going to get it done early, and I never do. I even bought my first Christmas gift for this year the week after New Years!

Next year? I'm going to get it all done by December...and forget about hit toys!

14 comments:

  1. I'm glad you found them :)
    My daughter has been asking about the Teacup Pigs too...I just don't see it!!

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  2. This makes me a smidge thankful that Ironman only really cares about video games, and that we don't have cable, so he never sees any toy commercials! :)
    I just ordered him a really cool solar system to hang in his room!!!

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  3. We got the Cinderella one! The Target where I live had them all this week. I was going to tell you I'd go pick them up for you if you hadn't found them!!

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  4. What are they and what are teacup pigs?!?! Never seen these sets before :) Glad you found them though!

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  5. Great shopping! I haven't had any probs with stuff for the boys, but i almost did ordering a John Deere bike for Asher. The first 4 stores were out of it!

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  6. Thank goodness you found them! HA! =)

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  7. Oh gosh,even though GG is still too young to ask for certain items, I swear every year that I'll get my shopping done early! Not so this year but next year will be the year I get it all done by Turkey Day!

    Have a great weekend!

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  8. Aw, Lexie is such a lucky little girl :)

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  9. Glad you found them. It's so hard to plan too far ahead with toys because they change their minds so often. At least my boys do.

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  10. I think the stores limit the quantities on purpose so people will think they are SO POPULAR and they NEED to have them! I am so mad at the stores this year! Walmart and Toys'R'Us raised their prices in November so they could lower them back in December and say there were on such a great sale! This made it hard for me to get my shopping done early but made me try VERY hard to get things at other stores!!

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  11. ohh the things we do for our children! She'll be SO thankful! I always wonder what makes the hit toys SO special each year?? It's funny because they catch on like wildfire to ALL the children and they ALL want it :)

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  12. I haven't seen those before, but I know what you mean. How and why something becomes popular is beyond me!

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  13. we still have not started......talk about panic setting in....I'm glad you found them for her!

    Laura wants super hero squad stuff...which is mostly available in the states...some here, but not much...makes it harder.

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  14. I'm so glad you found them. My daughter is obsessed with toy story 3 right now and desperately wants a Jessie doll with bullseye the horse. I found the Jessie doll, but can't find bullseye anywhere. They're selling him for over a hundred dollars on Amazon, which is absolutely ridiculous. She may just have to wait until after Christmas. I too refuse to pay more than retail for a toy. I don't care how "hot" it is.

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