| Picking out the best Christmas presents for the | | | | they saw on television was about. What I like to |
| kids can be a lot of fun and at times a little bit | | | | do is start around September and just make a |
| stressful. There is really nothing more fun than | | | | mental note of what the kids are playing the |
| when I know I have picked out just the perfect | | | | most. |
| gift. There is also nothing more frustrating then | | | | For instance, right now their most favorite thing is |
| when I get to the store just discover that I was | | | | the Last Airbender movie that just came out. |
| not the first person to decide that this was just | | | | They are pretending to be all kinds of different |
| the right toy for their child. | | | | benders and jumping all over the house. This |
| That frustration is the exact reason why it is | | | | makes it pretty clear that they really like playing |
| important to start shopping early and not try to | | | | this so one of the things that I am going to get |
| wait for the Christmas sales to come out. You | | | | early will be some toys that are related to this |
| can save some money with the sales but you | | | | movie. Probably the movie itself as well if it is out |
| can also find that the gift you really wanted to | | | | in time. |
| give is already gone. That leaves you with buying | | | | I like for our kids to use their imagination every |
| something else or paying three times what the | | | | now and then and the kids of course love to play |
| toy is actually worth on Ebay. | | | | video games. I try to stay away from getting |
| The best way to handle this is to pick out two or | | | | too many video games but for their most |
| three things that you know you want to buy and | | | | favorite I will make an exception. I will also go |
| that you just have to make sure that you get. | | | | ahead and get some costumes so that they can |
| For these items you go ahead and purchase them | | | | dress up and play their games without the video |
| early and you don't have to worry about being | | | | games rotting their little brains at the same time. |
| disappointed later. For the rest of the items that | | | | Basically my process for picking out the perfect |
| are not as important then you can just wait for | | | | gifts for the kids is just to pay attention to what |
| the sales to start. This way you make sure that | | | | games the kids are actually playing the most. This |
| you always have just the right gift to give but | | | | rules out the commercials that influence little |
| you still save money from the sales on the stuff | | | | brains for short periods of time and lets you |
| that was not quite as important. | | | | know what they are really interested in playing |
| With young children it is not very hard to find out | | | | with. It is these toys that I will go ahead and buy |
| what they want for Christmas. All you have to do | | | | early so that I can make sure they get to have |
| is ask and they will tell you exactly what they | | | | them on Christmas morning. For the rest of the |
| want. The problem with this technique is that it | | | | stuff I will usually just wait and see what goes on |
| changes depending on what the last commercial | | | | sale. |