do you buy your DC something they want even though you think it is a ridiculous waste of money?

[toastymarshmallow]

DD1 (7) wants Jelly Fun.

You make up shop bought jelly (not included) and let it set, put it in this thing and twist it and it chops up the jelly. The gummies are just a cube of undiluted jelly microwaved in a mould.

It is £15 for something that does the job I could do with a potato masher.

Do I suck it up and buy it anyway?

If she asked Father Christmas for it, and it came, how magical would that be?

If it's not a big part of your budget, I would buy it.

Well it's £15. Over the years I have relented on one rubbish thing if their hearts are set on it. They do learn: chocolate coins maker goes down in history in our house as a great learning experience.
If £15 isn't a huge part of your budget I'd go for it...at least the replacement jelly is cheap.

Feel your pain Op

Just purchased 'jelly fun' for dd 6
Tbh I didn't find it quite as painful as it was on the 3 for 2 in Argos....

I had to get in with the spirit of the tat, and remember how damaging it's been to my life to have been denied that Mr Frosty at the same age

Likewise, DS might get one or two gifts that I consider pointless, but I'd choose the smaller, less expensive and not battery operated ones. That remote controlled skateboarding ninja turtle for £65 doesn't stand a chance.

No. I wouldn't! Maybe I'm mean, but it's the same for all food making toys, although we've never had any of them as the reviews are always so bad. My daughter has asked for loads of different chocolate coin /frosty/other food things, but she's not getting any of them.

See, I know the trauma of not getting a Mr Frosty is widespread. I didn't see the appeal however I never got jelly sandals and I am still annoyed by that.

But it just seems so ridiculous.

But Santa is magic.

But but but....

Remember the sandals Op
Did you get the jelly bag?

She's 7, it will be magical.

Unless £15 is a sizeable chunk of your budget I'd go for it. I never had any presents I wanted, my parents always purchased what they thought were more mature (another Mr frosty deprived child here although dd 3 has it now )

A jelly bag? Didn't know there was such a thing. At least my ignorance saved me from further trauma. :o

I'm another scarred by not getting Mr Frosty, so I do buy the tat.

We actually really liked the chocolate coin maker despite the poor reviews!

What pointless items have you all bought in the past, all in the name of magic? :o

Aww Op that's good you know it makes sense

If you can afford it, get it. DS asked for a craft kit last year. I thought it was a waste of money and he wouldn't use it. But he asked Father Christmas for it. I found it on sale for £9 and figured he knew mummy wouldn't buy it, so it would be more magical to get it from Father Christmas. He was thrilled. I also figured I've spent more than £9 on things to give them a 'joyful memory' (like trips to the icerink, to the panto etc) over the festive period, and so it was worth it for the excitment on Christmas morning. (as predicted, nearly a whole year gone and it's not been used).

Shall we post the Jelly creations following the excitement??

Yes, we buy the crap, useless, but much longed for toys. It pains me but my parents were always really hardcore on stuff like this and I'm not 100% sure it always did me good. It's not good to feel you never get what you want. Also useful to experience the feeling of 'oh no .... I really wanted this, and it's crap actually' as i t makes you think harder about the things you think you want in future.

Yes, we buy the crap, useless, but much longed for toys. It pains me but my parents were always really hardcore on stuff like this and I'm not 100% sure it always did me good. It's not good to feel you never get what you want. Also useful to experience the feeling of 'oh no .... I really wanted this, and it's crap actually' as i t makes you think harder about the things you think you want in future.

I have to say however that things have massively improved since the kids stopped watching TV with ads on. Now its Iplayer etc and it's so much better - less opportunity to get fixated on crap.

I asked this question last year and yes I did buy the Elsa snow sleeve for £30 and the fake snow is still stuck to my dining room ceiling. My daughter was thrilled with it.

Yes I blame kids TV for this. Though it has been useful for DD2 to see toys without taking her to a toy shop and having to deal with the tantrum when we leave empty handed.

I should be grateful that neither of them have asked for a Hatchimal.

Yes, I will post up pics of the results. :o

Yup I buy it. It's a far easier lesson to learn with tat as a kid than to explode into adulthood feeling hard done by and to have not leant how to judge quality.

Oh no sglodion. At least she used it I suppose.

I too didn't get a Mr Frosty (because DM thought it was rubbish) and I'm still cross about it almost 40 years later!!!

Although I agree the jelly thing looks terrible (my DD wants it too).

We already have a chocolate coin maker (ok but needs patience), a chocolate bar maker (great), and an ice cream maker (we couldn't get this to work).

I woke at 5.30am in order to procure a £60 Hatchimal.

So... yes.

I too am the proud owner of a hatchimal thanks to the trauma of a Mr Frosty-less youth.

You have to do it, their little faces light up in the face of useless tat. It is useless to fight it....... Sorry.....

Yes. I try to talk them into sensible things but if they have their hearts set on it I will try to get it.
I've actually had the horror of two chocolate coin makers. My sister bought one for ds2's 7th birthday which was used once, put on a shelf in the cupboard and eventually chucked out. Ds3 (9 years younger than ds2), having been refused one, acquired one at a school sale whilst I helped on a stall. It has been used once and is currently sitting on a shelf in the cupboard. Things are not looking good for it!