I think I have officially crossed the line into becoming a boring adult: I spent Christmas Eve assembling a build-it-yourself children’s toy.
I know my parents did the same thing when I was a child. I could hear them in the basement late into the night putting together our Christmas gifts. Mr. Handsome’s parents did the same. (Did yours?)
I just never realized that someday that would be me.
It happened so innocently. I thought it would be fun to give Little Buddy a grocery store checkout station because he loves playing pretend with his plastic food and kitchen. He would then have the complete experience: a truck to drive to the store, a grocery cart to shop, a supermarket checkout station to purchase the food, and a kitchen to cook in.
I started assembling the kit a week early, thinking that would give me plenty of time, but as things always go, it took much longer than I thought. I also admit that I procrastinated more than I had planned, although I guess that’s the definitely of procrastination.
By Christmas Eve, it still sat unfinished, so after Little Buddy went to bed, we put on a Christmas movie (Do you agree with Mr. Handsome that The Sound of Music is a Christmas movie?) and worked on the project.
It was all worth it when, on Christmas morning, Little Buddy came running down the stairs, laughing and shouting about the new toy. He immediately started stacking toy food into his grocery cart and taking it to the checkout line.
How many of you stayed up late assembling Christmas toys?
Anonymous
I want to come play. Santa brought me the 1965 version of the AMSCO plastic supermarket when I was a kid. Check that out online. Very little late-night assembly required with that one. I played the daylights out of that store set as a kid. Don’t forget to save your empty product boxes from your own kitchen to use in your play store. The smaller packages like Jello and rice mixes are perfect for toys. Mom gave me empty boxes like those and I had a big washing machine box turned into a play house where I “cooked.”
Ellie
Looked up a photo of it. Looks like a lot of fun! Saving boxes is a great idea. Thanks for the tip!
Jane
We recently inherited a play kitchen for our grandson. He loves it. And I LOVE the idea of saving small food boxes for him to play with. Thanks for the tip!
Gabrielle!
I’m sure Little Buddy was very excited and thankful you put his new toy all together! Sounds like fun:)
I’m super excited to hear when you have your baby! And can you please write you birth story like you did for Little Buddy;) Prayers for a safe delievery, healthy baby and mama!!!
Ellie
Thank you, Gabrielle! Sure, I will share the birth story 🙂
OhioMama
We haven’t had any thing that we had to put together yet, I think we would wait until later anyways, but I do think Christmas for me has changed since becoming a mother. I do still enjoy getting gifts but I can honestly say that I wouldn’t care if I got any gifts. I’m more worried about making sure my children have a great Christmas. I’ve tried to convince my husband that him and I shouldn’t exchange gifts just get the children gifts and we could buy gifts from them to us but he still wants us to continue giving gifts to each other so we do, but I can never tell him what I want cause there isn’t anything I really want, I have all I need with my family. For me Christmas changed once our oldest was born.
Ellie
You have a great perspective, OhioMama. Thank you for sharing. Hope you had a great Christmas.
OhioMama
I did, have a great Christmas. Our youngest is starting to understand opening gifts, and I got some great gifts. Fuzzy socks my husband knows I love those and lots of Harry Potter items, I’m a huge Harry Potter fan so I always look forward to getting them.
Tiffany
I love it! My daughter would love one of those . She has a toy kitchen and just got a shopping cart for her bday .
You did a great job! I know some toys take a while to build . My husband builds the toys . It’s a lot of work , but we’ll worth it when you see your kids enjoying their toy.
I hope you had a nice Christmas .
Ellie
Thank you! We had a great Christmas. Hope you did, too, Tiffany!
EMS
Not a chance. And my parents never bought any plastic/assembly toys either. They taught me to love books and travel, so those were my presents and that’s what I give to my children. A special trip is what they love. Plus side: our house is NEVER littered with plastic kids stuff and have beautifully filled bookcases and I get lots of envious comments about that. People always assume books cost more than plastic toys, but the really don’t. I have had to teach my kids not to criticize those people whose whole library fits on one bookshelf, but they’re learning not to judge.
Ellie
How about wooden toys? The grocery store is made of wood.
Ems
Because they often last even less long than plastic, especially like the ones you showed. We had teddy bears, some dolls, for cuddling. But travel and books, that just brings your whole family’s life to a higher level. Kids who read books shout and scream less, they get better grades. Just throw out the plastic simple fake toys, like that plastic car. It’s useless and takes up so much space.
Anonymous
I agree with EMS. Books were my favorite gift to receive as a child and they are my go-to gift for my friends’ kids.
Anonymous
I disagree. At age 3-4, imaginative play is extremely important for development. That means providing toys such as the supermarket set or the truck or anything that takes a child to a place where they get to try things out or choose what happens. Playing with those types of toys with others helps develop verbal and social skills, helps kids learn to make decisions, and helps them learn to cooperate. Even playing alone with those toys enhances creativity and helps a child understand and process real-world situations. Little Buddy will certainly use what he experiences at a real supermarket when he plays with his set at home. Books and travel are lovely, but they should not be the only way a child is allowed to play. Developmental toys definitely have a place in a child’s life.
Speaking of “plastic simple fake toys,” my niece used to pretend that plastic spoons were people. The spoon part was their head and the straight part was their body. She’d make the spoons into families and bounce them around like they were moving, while talking in their different voices. Very imaginative. You can’t hold this back in a child.
AmyRyb
Wow, that sounds really judgmental. I believe in exposing my kids to a wide variety of toys and experiences. I’d much rather make my kids’ Christmas dreams come true with a plastic toy they had their heart set on than limit them to things that *I* want for them. Sometimes you just need to let kids be kids. You can teach and direct them to hopefully appreciate books, but not every kid fits that mold and forcing them into it could have terrible consequences. I feel that any sort of extreme limitations can lead to challenges down the road–even just in making them too different from their peers and not have as much in common to discuss with kids their age, or just resentful they never got to experience things that their adult friends did. You’re very fortunate you have kids that “scream less” and get better grades, and the travel is no doubt wonderful, but just because other people make different choices for their kids it doesn’t mean they are less effective parents that their family is at a lower level than yours.
Anonymous
“ I have had to teach my kids not to criticize those people whose whole library fits on one bookshelf, but they’re learning not to judge.”
So you are teaching them to not be like you.
Ems
They just don’t understand why people buy coffee at Starbucks instead of buying books! And I’m proud of that! It’s so wasteful to buy coffee when it’s literally less expensive to buy a second hand book! And the look my kids get when they tell someone that is absolutely priceless. Besides, who on earth has a book collection that fits on ONE shelf when reaching adulthood. I mean, come on!
Anonymous
It’s really none of your business if someone chooses to buy a Starbucks drink instead of a used book. Maybe you should just be concerned with your own choices.
Anonymous
Maybe people buy coffee AND buy books. I have an extensive collection of books, mostly bought at the huge annual library sale (the proceeds fund the library, win-win), but I also buy food and other things too. “Man shall not live by bread alone” – life should be a variety. Our brains need all sorts of stimulation. I had books as a child, mainly bought through Scholastic at school or on loan from the library, but I also had lots of other toys, dolls, bikes, art and sewing stuff, and so on. I was very artistic and creative. I didn’t scream. I was always on the honor roll at school and in the accelerated classes. I was active in clubs and after-school activities. I had no trouble making friends. I didn’t spend all my time with my nose in a book and I still don’t. I save books for “down” times when work is all done and I need to relax. If I spent all my money on books, I’d have to add a wing onto the house…and that would drive the final cost of those books sky high! Point is, books have their place in life but they shouldn’t be anyone’s, especially a child’s, entire world. Life doesn’t happen in a book, it happens when the book is closed and your eyes are open to what’s going on around you.
Anonymous
Your kids actually tell adults they should be buying books instead of coffee? I’ll bet the looks they get when they tell an adult that are “priceless.” Are you interpreting those looks properly though?
Anonymous
Well, I very much enjoy my Starbucks coffee. I also enjoy books. I have two bookcases full of books downstairs. I also have a full bookcase in my office. I have a full bookcase in my bedroom and three full bookcases in my “coffee room” where I enjoy reading and drinking my Starbucks coffee. I also have books stacked on the floor because I’ve run out of bookcases. This doesn’t include the other bookcases in my vacation home and also the hundreds of books that I’ve sold to second hand stores for you to buy.
Johnna
Only sweet memories for me as my youngest is 16. It’s vinyl records and miniature vintage fridge for her room now.
Merry Christmas to all
Ellie
Merry Christmas, Johnna!
Anonymous
Glad to hear that vinyl records are still in demand. I have quite a collection from my teenage years and my husband’s years too. I thought maybe nobody would want them someday and they’d be trashed. I have some autographed albums too. A musician friend got me backstage at concerts to get autographs.
Jane
As a mom of grown daughters I cannot recall much assembly required, although they would have loved the grocery check out. They loved toys like this that required imaginary play. We did spend many Christmas Eve’s wrapping gifts and stuffing stockings. The Sound of Music is 100% a Christmas tradition and movie. After all the Saltzburg Music Festival was set at Christmas time. lol Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Ellie
Merry Christmas, Jane!
Marilyn
Glad you had a nice Christmas. My father always was up late on Christmas Eve assembling toys. One year he stayed up to assemble three bicycles for our neighbors three daughters. The father of the girls was not handy at all. Joan received a grocery store when she was a little girl. It was a gift from our aunt. Wishing you and your family a Blessed and Happy 2022. God Bless.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Ellie
It sounds like your father was a very kind man! What lovely memories. Happy New Year to you ladies!
Regina
I’m not sure that Sound of Music is necessarily a Christmas movie but I think Meet Me in St. Louis is. Silly I know!
I do remember so many years ago setting up Christmas toys for my daughters on Christmas Eve. Those were such memories!
Ellie
I haven’t seen that movie. I’ll have to add it to my list. Hope you had a Merry Christmas, Regina.
Anonymous
You hardly look pregnant at all! “Black is so slimming.” LOL Seriously, would never know by that picture. And you can still sit cross-legged at this point?
Ellie
Well let’s just say there’s an announcement coming very soon. 🙂
Anonymous
Was the baby born?!
Anonymous
I said earlier that your baby will come on January 30, 2022. I guest I was wrong,
Anonymous
You already had the baby??
Anonymous
Ellie, did you already have you baby?
Jennifer
Merry Christmas! As a mom and a teacher, I agree books are wonderful. BUT I also believe that toys that spark imagination are equally important ( grocery store, cars and trucks, dolls, arts and crafts). Well-rounded kids do well in school and social situations. I love this Ellie! I remember my dad putting together my play kitchen 😊❤️. Wishing you all a blessed New Year and can’t wait for your special news💙.
Anonymous
I have seen online videos of parents taking wooden kitchen play sets and making the sinks operational with running water.
Anonymous
Oh my gosh, I remember my little metal sink as a kid and how I let the water dribble out the bottom drain onto the carpet and wood floor below! I would recommend that a kitchen sink remain a “dry” sink unless it has a basin with no drain!
Anonymous
When I was a child I’d be sent to the store to get the groceries. I could sign for the things I took. Then I remember my Dad sometimes sort of yelling about how much that tab was. This night of effort might be rewarded to you with a smart child who can go through the checkout line without you soon. A real little Santa’s helper!
Anonymous
Congratulations on the birth of your son.
Eileen
I can remember helping my father assemble toys for my younger sister. One especially, an indoor table bowling alley! Very tricky to get the pins set up by tying cords to each one! My father thought my smaller fingers could get the job done easier than his. We were busy for several nights down in his workroom while my mother kept my sister busy! She is 6 years younger than me. I really cannot remember too many toys being assembled for our kids. But my husband is so handy that he probably did that. Are you holding out on us Ellie? Has a little one arrived!! Cannot wait to hear all about it. Happy New year!
AmyRyb
We’ve always left things needing assembly in the box until after Christmas just because I don’t know how we’d hide it! Just about past that age now, regardless! It did bring to mind, though, the one year where we were getting our son a bike and despite paying for it (including assembly) and getting pick up information, the order was never properly processed and when we went to get it from the store late on the night before we were opening gifts (we do it early because of travel), not only was it not even available at our store, but even if we could get it at another one, there was no way to get it assembled in time. That was so stressful and sad since that was his big gift and I really wanted it “in the flesh” in front of the tree as I had great memories of getting my own bikes on Christmas morning. We scrambled that night and picked up a couple extra things, and in the end he never even noticed, but that was a very un-fun night before Christmas! We did the bike the next year without issue, though!
Ann
Ems kids need toys to learn not just reading books. Once your kids get into school and the kids will asked him what he got for Xmas and he tells them they will laugh and make fun of him or she.
Dee
What a super cute toy! I sure do miss that stage. Enjoy your little ones. ❤️