As the big fella in red's visit marches closer, my home has become louder and much more untidy than usual yet it has a feeling of great joy and anticipation within it. As a single mum, I delegate as many of the Christmas tasks as I can, one popular one is the decorations and as much as I enjoyed the squeels of excitement as they were put up, the outside of our house is a mish mash of colours and styles and it looks like someone simply threw a bag of deco's at it and they stuck where they landed, which is probably not far off what happened. I have tried to gently suggest a few ammendments but have been shut down with, "but we love the way the house looks mummy!"

I have spent the last two weeks avoiding the neighbours, it is a close second to when my 11 year old son went trick or treating dressed as a fairy while I was at work!

I am tired, it's the end of the year and like most people I need a break. My children seem to know how to manipulate my exhaustion and put on all the charm and made lots of promises which resulted in a crazy purchase, a doberman x border collie puppy, Bear. Adorable as she is, she has been busy eating our Christmas Tree to shrieks of despair from Emily that, "Bear is a grinch and she is destroying Christmas!"

Personally I'm more concerned about the presents she keeps leaving around the house and the shoes she has been eating, but we love her and she is part of our family now and here to stay.

As for me, I am looking forward to the break and spending it with my loved ones, it will also be a time of reflection and a chance to count my blessings

From all of us here at Parenting Australia, best wishes to you and your family for a safe, happy and heathy holiday

Jane
Editor, Parenting Australia

A recent study by UBS and ARG found that one third of the American parents surveyed said it was hard to find toys and gifts because nothing was new.
Nothing new?
What they're actually saying is that there's no mad rush for the "it" gift, the safe, coveted gift that demonstrates the giver was able to finagle a favor or brave a crush of shoppers. The notion of the one, the it, the winner, the safe choice--this is about buying without taking responsibility.
Clearly, there are as many new and wonderful things this season as there are each year, all that's missing is an anointed toy of the year. The masses want to buy what the masses have chosen as the
winner, because then the purchase isn't their fault.
And that's what happens every day in just about every market, business or consumer. A few people want to take responsibility, go first, lead the way, be choosy, inquire, find the remarkable, the magical and own the outcome. But most? They just don't want it to be their fault.
The lack of a clear winner in the toy industry is a symptom of a move to weird (without mass TV, etc., selecting the one clear winner gets more difficult). There's still a crowd, still groups looking for the
safe choice, but the trend to weird has dispersed them into smaller pockets.
Unfair or not, one Catch-22 truism remains: popular is often a prerequisite for being popular.
Tell us what's on your Christmas list

Lego builds itself into the art world with a must-see exhibition of Lego as you have never seen it before.

Disney/Pixar’s – Toys Story kids fruit drinks, they are 100% preservative free, 30% juice and come in yummy flavours, Apple/Pear and Grape/Strawberry and there's a free capsule toy in every bottle.

Get them at Woolworth’s Petrol Stations nationally now and in Woolworths stores nationally from January