The Impossible-To-Find Gift
Do you have a kid who, every year, has a knack at picking out the most obscure or hard-to-find gift EVER to put on his wish list? I have that kid and his name is Noah.
I’ve blocked out past years’ requests but it is always something weird. This year he’s hit the trifecta:
1. The Fur Berries Strawberry Spaniel - have you even heard of these things? Apparently most major retailers have not. They carry them at TRU and sometimes Target but never in “Strawberry Spaniel” of course. They don’t carry them online ANYWHERE for the retail price of $16.99 but there seems to be a few on ebay and elsewhere for double that price. Crooks. Anyway I refused to buy online until I called around to our local TRU only to get on the phone with a “TRU employee” who had no clue what I was asking for, had never heard of the manufacturer (SpinMaster) and told me she could not transfer me to that department - I had to either call back later or come into the store. Um, ok. That’s a new one. I told her I’d call back later and asked what department to ask for and she said she had no idea. How helpful. I finally just asked why she could not just stand up and walk across the store to tell me yay or nay on the stupid toy and she admitted she wasn’t actually AT the store - all Christmas calls, it seems, are being rerouted to a call center. Well THAT is helpful. Screw Toys R Us. I hated shopping there anyway. I guess I’ll support the crooks. And no sooner did I click “buy” on ebay than TRU update their website with said item. Get ‘em while they’re hot, I guess!
2. The Fuzz Luvs - pink or orange - again with the weird obscure but strangely “hot” toys. I could not find these anywhere and every time I asked a store employee (which, let me tell you, was many times!!) they gave me the look like I was making the item up. No one has even heard of these things at the stores. Noah says its a good thing he’s asking Santa for one!
3. Monchhichi Bebichhichi in Yellow Romper: This is the latest and greatest addition to the ridiculous obscure toy requests. Do you remember the Monchhichi from the 80’s? I do, complete with theme song which 
I kindly share you with you via Youtube. Noah video recorded the Youtube commercial so he could carry it around on a camera and watch it at will. Then he printed out a picture of said Monchhichi to carry around with him, just in case I didn’t get that he really really wants this thing. Subtle, yes? The thing is - do they even make Munchichi’s anymore? Of course he found one for sale online because even though he can not read or write, he has no problem shopping online.
November 30th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Does the strawberry dog Do something, or you know, smell strawberryish? I LOVED Monchichis - I think I had a fake knock off one and aside from sticking its thumb in its mouth I have no idea what I did with it. Amazing how a commercial can make a toy look like so ridiculously fun.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
LOL - that strawberry thing is hilarious. It folds in half to become a fruit with legs! Love it
December 1st, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I am mad at you for putting that monchichi song in my head!
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:54 am
I found Popples at the store the other day! I loved those things with a passion. My impossible to find in Springfield toy is the Bratz Babyz Jade-for some reason Spfld is just not working with her. The stores have all the other ones, just not her. I am on a kick to find Sienna Asian dolls. She seems like she may be Asian. And there are also NO Asian Barbies to be found here either!!! I guess I am just asking to much of our stores…who knew?
December 5th, 2007 at 8:33 am
I had forgotten all about the monchichis! But I don’t even have to play the video to remember the song. Blah! We used to sing it at recess when I was a kid.