Toy Story

These days it seems that most children’s toys product of the latest movie or video game. It’s a shame really, being exposed to all of that twelve months of the year, it takes away some of the special anticipation of this time of year.  When I was a child, sometime in December, the TV commercials shown after school (when cartoons were on!) started showing toys. Christmas was in the air, it was toy time, and there was magic in the air!

I remember vividly the Kenner Goony bird squawking “It’s Kenner! It’s Fun!” and the excitment I felt when I considered that I might find a Spirograph, an Easy-Bake Oven, or a Slinky under the Christmas tree! One year, when Spirograph was the newest and hottest toy, I collected an assortment of Mom’s canning lids and rubber rings, gathered my colored pencils and ruler, and spent hours sitting at a TV tray trying to replicate the designs I saw on the Spirograph commerical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhW0GE95fMI

Mom and Dad must have observed my fascination with Spirograph because I got one for Christmas that year. It was one of my favorite toys and it survived long enough for my children to play with when they were young.

I also longed for a Mr. Potato Head but, alas, I never unwrapped one on Christmas morning. I’m not sure why but there is something about Mr. Potato Head that has continued to catch my interest after all of these years. I think that the movie Toy Story made the toy popular again because I’ve been seeing it in the stores.

When I was shopping for the grandchildren this year I decided that they had to have a Mr. Potato Head of their own. If Grandma never got a Mr. Potato Head, well by gum, my grandchildren were going to have one. So I bought a Mr. and a Mrs. Potato Head for them.

A few days ago when we were celebrating our early Christmas with the kids, I was delighted as I watched them unwrap the gift and later helped them put all of the pieces on. Yes, it’s true, I was living vicariously through both of them, but it felt great!

The next day we were at Laurinda’s house and she chose a present from under her Christmas tree and gave it to me. I opened the box, sifted through the styrofoam peanuts and lifted out a super deluxe Mrs. Potato Head of my very own!! I guess I have mentioned my longing for a Mr. Potato Head over the years and she remembered. She had no idea that I had purchased Mr. and Mrs. Potato Heads for the kids and I certainly had no idea that she had purchased Mrs. Potato Head for me!

I wonder what this all means; there must be a message here somewhere.

• My daughter listens to things I ramble on about.
• Never give up on your dreams.
• When we give, that which we desire comes to us.

Or maybe, it’s just a wacky coincidence that made us all laugh.

It doesn’t matter really, because at long last I have a Mrs. Potato Head of my own. And by the way, I suspect that she’ll be making some guest appearances here in the future.