If your Monday ritual involves kicking back at your desk with a cup of coffee and reading your Just Another Mary Monday, I hate to break it to you – you’re missing all the good deals.
That’s right, today is Cyber Monday, the name given by online retailers to the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Much like Black Friday at brick-and-mortar shops, Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year. Online retailers offer deep discounts, deals, and steals to those willing to wake up early and get clicking.
The perks, of course, are obviously that by staying at your desk, you miss the madness of the Black Friday stores. You don’t have to worry about getting hit by a car in the parking lot, a cart in the aisles, or someone’s handbag when you grab the last Tickle Me Elmo. Cyber Monday seems safer – a no-contact way to get everything on everyone’s list.
Earlier this month, Heavy.com released their list of the Top 20 Hot Toys for the 2017 holiday season.I clicked and breathed a huge sigh of relief – the only one of these major toys my boys wanted this year was the NERF rifle, which Timothy got earlier in the year for his birthday.
They’re always playing NERF war, and I’m always stepping on the tiny yellow foam balls, so I questioned my own judgment in showing Timothy the newest NERF model two days before his birthday.
Of course, he wanted it. So, in order to retain my Best Mom Ever title, I went out two days before his birthday and got it. And now that I see it’s on 2017’s hot Christmas lists? I’m glad I got it early!
I remember the big toy crazes of the past. Having boys meant I got through the Cabbage Patch Kid craze safely, and Teddy Ruxpin was before their time. But while it’s easy to claim that these toy crazes are a recent invention of an ever-increasing consumer-driven society, the very first Christmas toy craze was all the way back in 1952 with Mr. Potato Head.
It’s not a surprise that Mr. Potato Head’s fame coincided with another popular 1950’s household item – he was the first toy ever advertised on television. From there came the Christmas rushes of 1970s retro classics such as Pong and ATARI – remember those?
Where would I draw the line? The Pet Rock. Not only would I not have waited in line for 1975’s hottest Christmas toy (really, it sold 100,000 A DAY!) – I probably wouldn’t be up early refreshing Amazon.com for that one, either.
For now, I’m sticking to stocking stuffers. I’d like to thank Star Wars for putting out a new movie December 15th – movie tickets are the one thing everyone in my family will be getting for sure!
Happy (Cyber) Monday,
~Mary
P.S. What about you? Did you have a pet rock? A Simon? A Rubik’s cube? Do you remember your excitement when you actually got the hottest toy of the year? Are you desperately seeking a hot toy for one of your children this year? Tell me your stories here.
Product shot of Pet Rock, fad from mid-1970s, displayed w. its own carrying case. (Photo by Al Freni/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)
