What To Get the Hard-To-Buy-For Kid

Over the past few Christmas seasons, kids had to have Beany Babies or Cabbage Patch Kids or Tickle Me Elmo.  This year, it's "Car Crash!"

Santa's Hotline

Why is is that toddlers cry when they're put on Santa's lap? It's supposed to be fun!  A time when kids can tell the jolly old elf from the North Pole what toys they want him to deliver on Christmas Eve. What could be more delightful than a jolly grandfather bringing you free toys?

Well, first off,  a large man with a big bushy beard has got to be incredibly scary to a little kid.  Second, your parents WILLINGLY hand you over to him and then walk away!  

For me, the scares didn't end there.  My mother used to keep me in line with the old "Santa is watching you, so you'd better be good or you won't get any toys on Christmas!" warning. Except I took it to heart.  I remember being 4 or 5 and scared to death to look out my bedroom window at night for fear I'd see Santa peeking back in.  Some kids were afraid of the Boogeyman -- I was afraid of Santa.

So here's where Santa gets payback for scaring me.