Ah, the holiday season! The time of year when toy catalogs flood my mailbox like confetti at a parade. This week, as I flipped through the glossy pages showcasing everything from remote control cars to plush superheroes, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the days when my little ones would snuggle next to me, black markers in hand, circling their most-wanted gifts. They’d eagerly compile their wish lists, sealing them in envelopes addressed to Santa with childlike excitement.
However, this year feels different. My little ones have transformed into teens, and the piles of shiny toy catalogs will promptly meet the recycling bin, never to fulfill the whimsical wishes of small children again. Sigh. My days of playing Santa are officially over, and the relentless rush of toy shopping has come to a screeching halt, faster than a sleigh on a snowy night.
To cope with this new reality, I might just need a spiked eggnog or a grandchild—both options sound delightful! These days, their Christmas lists are filled with items you won’t find at the toy store—no more Lego sets or scooters for the kids. Instead, I’ll be navigating the aisles of an outdoor sports store, hunting for a cooler with a name that sounds like Bigfoot, which supposedly keeps ice cold for months. Seriously, who goes camping for that long? And let’s not even get started on the grooming products I now have to buy—how many varieties of AXE spray does one person need? When I offered to upgrade their outdated video game console, I got a lazy “Nah, we’re good. We don’t want to relearn the controls.” What?!
While I should celebrate their decreased interest in video games, it’s a stark reminder that little boys do, in fact, grow up. I just want to yell, “Don’t grow up! Go back to playing, because the real world is tough! Minecraft forever!”
There’s a small part of me that’s relieved to have the Christmas Eve toy assembly chaos behind me, along with the frantic search for AAA batteries. I won’t miss the symphony of beeping and honking from plastic toys or the endless hunt for missing game pieces. But I will deeply miss witnessing the pure joy on my kids’ faces as they raced into the living room on Christmas morning, tearing open wrapping paper to uncover their eagerly awaited gifts. Their wide-eyed wonder and the question, “How did Santa know?” will be sorely missed. I’ll also miss the all-day play marathons, where they’d insist on taking their new treasures to Grandma’s house, eager to share the magic with cousins.
Yet, this new normal with older children does have its perks. I love not being jolted awake at 4:30 a.m. by overly excited kids on Christmas morning. I enjoy having teens who can drive and run holiday errands for me, even allowing them to borrow my debit card with a simple request: “Go shop for your dad and brothers, will ya?” The season feels a bit slower and more peaceful without the constant question of “How many days until Santa comes?” So I’m embracing these cozy years with tweens and young adults, stuffing stockings with cash instead of toys and gifting “family experiences” rather than plastic playthings. And you know what? I’m not feeling guilty about enjoying a more laid-back Christmas.
But let’s be real; it won’t be long before toy mania makes a comeback—I just hope my future grandchildren are ready for it!
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Summary: The holiday season shifts as children grow into teens, leaving behind the toy-filled Christmases of the past. While the author reflects on the joy and chaos of past holidays, they embrace the quieter, more relaxed celebrations with older kids. With a hint of nostalgia, they acknowledge the inevitable return of toy mania for future generations.