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Remember the Cabbage Patch Kid Rush of ’84?
Many many years ago (we’ll call it 1983) a line of harried looking moms on a mission lined up outside of department stores across the nation. They were desperate to find that one elusive item on their child’s Christmas wish list that no retailer seemed to be able to keep on the shelves. The “toys” were Cabbage Patch Dolls and one of those moms was none other than my own. For years my mom told the tale of how all I wanted that year was a redheaded Cabbage Patch Kid. (Ironic that I wanted a redhead, no?). Word on the street was that Hess’s Department Store was going to receive a shipment of them. So my mom joined the other mob of moms that day, all desperately hoping to get their hands on one.
Well apparently a stock boy pushed a cart of the coveted dolls out of the warehouse doors and a melee ensued. Dolls were flying off the cart in record speed. My mom did manage to get her hands on a Cabbage Patch Doll. The doll had blond hair but Mom decided that any doll was better than no doll at this point. Would you believe that a kindhearted fellow shopper with a redheaded CPK doll in-hand traded my mom for the one she had?! (And yes, you’ll be happy to know what my redheaded “Wilda Morgana” doll is still going strong!)
Getting that “IT” gift at all costs
So why do parents do this? Why do we, year after year, stalk stores, pay quadruple the price on Ebay, basically drive ourselves mad trying to find the “IT” toy of the season that our kids are seemingly desperate to own? If you have ever been caught up in the whirlwind of receiving text alerts at 3 am when Walmart randomly re-stocks ONLY 3 Hatchimals, Furbys, Tickle Me Elmos, Elsa dresses, Doc McStuffins Check-Up Centers, NES Classic Consoles or Barbie Dream Houses… you get it. For most of us, it’s NOT about the actual physical piece of merchandise that will likely get played with a few times and then tossed aside.
No.
It’s about doing whatever you can to preserve the magic of Christmas in the eye’s of your child. And that’s a pretty darn weighty job, isn’t it? Because Santa is magic, of course. He can find any toy, no matter that Amazon hasn’t had it in stock since September. And if Santa FAILS to gift that toy, well, disappointment and doubt can cloud over Christmas morning.
Free Printable Santa IOU Letter
So parents, let’s make it a little easier on ourselves, shall we? Sometimes, no matter how hard you look, there are some gifts that just aren’t gonna happen. And we all know that the toys that are absolutely impossible to buy in December will be jamming store shelves by February. Yes, there WILL be Hatchimals in stock again. There WILL be after-Christmas sales on some toys if cost is another limitation you face.
The teacher in me knows how important it is to prepare kids when a disappointment is looming. I have seen several “Letters from Santa” circling the interwebs that are meant to be gifted to kids on Christmas instead of whatever gift Santa wasn’t able to produce. I don’t know about you, but if Christmas morning arrived and I was hoping to be playing a Cabbage Patch Kid by 8 am and instead I unwrapped a crummy IOU letter, I’d feel pretty sad. LOL
This year I came up with my own version of that letter – I’m up putting on here for you to print for FREE. This letter can be personalized and customized to any kid and for any present that Santa might be having trouble locating. This letter is meant to be delivered before Christmas to help alleviate total devastation on Christmas Day when the big anticipated gift is NOT among the wrapped presents under the tree. What if my kid gets this letter and Santa actually comes through with the gift? Then do the happy dance! You’ll have an EXTRA happy kid!
Through it all, it’s best to keep things in perspective as much as possible. No, material possessions are NOT the be-all end-all of Christmas. YES, the sun WILL still rise and set even if Santa does not bring the Chatty Cathy Doll that was so very much wanted. We all do the best we can and that’s truly good enough!
If you find yourself facing the possibility that XYZ gift is just not happening by Christmas this year, use this free printable Santa IOU letter and deliver it before Christmas.
You can grab our printable right here. Simply enter your email address in the box and opt-in to receive our free newsletter. Check your inbox for this printable, which you will receive as a subscriber bonus. NOTE: This file is for PERSONAL USE ONLY. You may NOT sell the digital file or sell the printed work. You may NOT redistribute the digital file or printed work.
This letter prints best at 8.5×11″ (standard piece of paper).
