Jennifer, 5 Minutes for Books managing editor, is here to share about a surprising development in my household.
First, let me say that even having a Christmas list before Thanksgiving is unheard of around here. I try to jot down ideas as they come to me throughout the fall months, because by Thanksgiving, I will have family members asking for suggestions, and I’ll be trying to make my giving plans as well.
Kyle is eleven years old. Here in Texas, 6th grade is middle school, and that puts him firmly on the cusp of leaving childhood behind. Just hours after I had been jotting notes on my laptop about possible ideas, he began brainstorming out loud and then grabbed a sheet of loose leaf paper and a pencil and began writing furiously, giving me explanations at times.
I wasn’t surprised at first, and in general I was quite pleased with the fact that I had already thought of many of the items on the list. When he suggested “books,” my book-loving heart skipped a little beat. He explained that he liked to have books around that he might want to read over and over again, and so any books that I or my friends thought were good would be great ideas. Then I noticed that he had another book on his list as well, a comic anthology (read my earlier post about how comics helped him fall in love with reading).
This list says so much to me. Childhood favorites like LEGO have returned after being missing from lists the last couple of years. His love of gaming is evident and unsurprising, but the practical items like socks and jeans have me floored. It did occur to me that his list plays perfectly into the motto that is becoming more common for children’s gifts:
Something you want,
Something you need,
Something to wear,
Something to read.
I think that I might do that for my whole family this year. Four gifts, four categories which includes gifts to please anyone (especially if your son who always complains that he doesn’t have enough socks includes that on his gift list!).
Have your kids started their Christmas wish lists yet?
