Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Santa has NEVER seen this on his wish list...

We all know this particular time of year, while steeped in tradition for many, has also become extremely commercial and consumer based. As parents, we attempt to balance the reason for the season with charitable giving and also the pure joy our son who is only 3 maintains for all things Frosty, Santa, and Rudolph.  In fact, the other night MiniMac asked me to say his prayers with him. I thought it was very sweet. He got to his "God Bless" section and said, "God Bless.....Santa." I asked if there was anyone else. He replied, "Oh, and Daddy." Usually the list is quite a bit longer. Usually the list includes me. He is apparently praising his male role models this time of year.

But the balance between the purpose of Christmas and the commercialism will become more and more challenging as our son grows up. We are constantly asked what our son has on his list so this year he made a small list and I know I am personally looking forward to seeing the look on his face when "Santa" brings the new bike he requested. And we hope that teaching our son about gratitude will shape the way he views things. But there is no shortage of items especially created for children, and our son's list is very short.

Perhaps you too have lists of things to consider and select. With so many choices, it is a buyer's world. I have seen commerical after commercial with the newest toys, games, electronic equipment. But I did spy something I had never seen before. I am a proponent of learning and we introduce a variety of learning tools to MiniMac throughout the year.

But the giant stuffed eColi? Ummm, please don't put that in my stocking.It makes me think I would rather have a Care Bear.


Drew Oliver, a former Harvard Lampoon editor has created a company called Giant Microbes. His stuffed germs, popular amongst doctors offices as a teaching tool, now have their own Facebook Fan page.

And apparently there is a subculture of fans ever eager to buy the new releases. This year's version of beanie babies? Oh my. The newest release includes stuffed measles and stuffed rubella. The intent to help children understand illnesses and hygiene is a wise idea.  

They even have a line of STD toys (clearly not marketed for children.) So if perhaps they can teach one person the importance of using a condom, congratulations.  And maybe a few people you know deserve a giant stuffed version of VD under their tree.

An opportunity to enhance learning ? Great. And making science fun? Well, that would have been great to introduce to me 30 years ago. I applaud anyone who can create entertainment out of eColi but I am certain Santa has never seen this on his wish list. And we are likely not quite ready to bring it to our house. We will stick with the characters from Toy Story for now.

And yes, now you have heard it all, I know.

23 comments:

Ed said...

WTF!

Yeah, let's make disease fun for the kiddies.

"What better way to brighten your little parasite's holiday than to give them a giant stuffed plague! Nothing says 'I love you kid' like Black Death! So, the next time your kid says, 'I hope Santa gives me Herpes this year', just head on down to Build-A-Bug and make your kids dreams come true!"

Simply Suthern said...

Nothing says love like, "I gave you (Insert STD du jour) with a stuffed one".

I spose that would be one way to break it to your UH?? I guess victim is the best term.

BigSis said...

Yikes. No germs or STDs under my tree, please. Although, I may be the first kid to actually put underwear and socks on my list to Santa....

webb said...

Definitely for the kid who has everything!

BB said...

Ewwww. That is just plain gross. I'm sure a new bicycle is going to go over much better to some kids!! Great post.

Jen said...

Oh I knew about these last Christmas when one of my boyfriend's friends gave him Chlamydia for Christmas! I'm actually holding the stuffed green cutie right now (I wasn't sure how to spell Chlamydia, so I had to look at the tag). She gave all her friends different STD's. LOL... We thought it was kinda a cute, unique idea, and then gave it to our dog, who ripped its eye out. Oh well. :)

obladi oblada said...

Stuffed ecoli? Stuffed STDs? Sounds like an entree as well as a toy. Ick. The news was talking about the "Teapot Piggy"...some toy..that is supposed to be popular. Ive never heard or seen it, so Santa will not be bringing it my kids...along with stuffed diseases.

Kristina P. said...

They seriously have like every microbe. I do want the STD ones for the kids I work with. We have the health department come in and give them a presentation with very graphic pictures. I wonder what a stuffed anal wart would look like?

Nitmos said...

I just wish they could make a stuffed animal to represent Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'd be all over that.

Unknown said...

Oh my.....kind of gross!

brainella said...

Working where I work, I do not need any more knowledge of microbes. Ack. At least I don't work in the ebola building! :-)

brokenteepee said...

I am typeless....

KittyCat said...

That is just wrong for kids.
but
pretty damn awesome for maybe teens, or early 20 somethings.

kids learn too much too young these days.
Not that I want my kid in the dark.
but there is an appropriate age for everything.
am I right? or just old.

Kir said...

yep, I really have heard everything now.

While it's interesting and informative, I'll lean on my friends in the Res Life depts at colleges to ask for petty cash to buy these...my little guys don't need any more help being Germy.

LOL

vanilla said...

You anticipated my comment-- now I've heard...

I am so all about cliches. But you knew that.

VD under the tree?

Intense Guy said...

While I'm sure there are even more odder (and more off-putting) things "out there" - I'm sure I don't want to know about them.

But it does make me imagine what it looks like at a microscopic level when we hand presents to someone - just crawling with microbes and dander and mites... and possibly cocaine and other things if we used cash.

One Cheap B*tch said...

Oh my gosh - those are hysterical. I love them but then I'm a little weird like that! =)

New follower!

Jeanine

mCat said...

Totally saw these on the news and thought "What the H?"

Serio?

Anything to sell and make a buck I suppose, but I really don't want my Sissy clutching an e-coli as she goes to sleep

chocolatecovereddaydreams.blogspot.com said...

Way to make diseases "friendly". What a nauseating thought.

J.J. in L.A. said...

I took the guesswork out of this year's Christmas. I bought everything I wanted myself.

I'm passing Giant Microbes onto my sister! My b-i-l is a doctor and his birthday is in February. He's not gonna know what hit him. lol!

Chain Stitch Crochet said...

Doesn't surprise me...what'll they think of next??? WAIT...don't answer that!

Maria said...

One word: YUCK!

I am all for educating children but, seriously? I think not.

Jennifer Vanderbeek said...

I've always thought the Mad Cow Disease one with the Holstein spots was cute ;-)