Gift-giving. That's what is on my mind, Facebook. Since you asked.
I was just thinking about how drastically gifting possibilities have expanded since I was a kid. I mean, I used to ask for "that toy I saw on TV" and "that toy my friend Chris already has". And the requests and expectations rarely extended beyond that. You could try asking for something outrageous, like a pet reindeer, but you knew that you had a much better chance of getting a reasonably-priced toy from a local store. So that is what I would put on my list. Not because I lacked imagination, but because I did have some concept of how shopping worked. Worked - past tense. We don't shop the same way anymore, and kids know it.
Well mine certainly do. Their lists now include specific stock numbers (and sometimes web addresses) so I can easily find the exact item requested. (They have already done some comparison shopping online.) But that is not the biggest change. In this age of an instantly-connected global marketplace, kids can ask for weirdly specific items that they have NEVER PERSONALLY seen - and have a reasonable chance of actually receiving said item.
For example, my youngest wants a "ushanka" with a Russian military insignia on the front. It's a kind of hat, so implicit in the request is that it fits his 12 year old head. And guess what? That is entirely possible! (Even on a budget.) If that does not strike you as bizarre, then just imagine making that request 30-odd years ago. That kid might get a ushanka "someday" if it shows up in a local thrift store or army surplus, but it certainly won't appear in time for Christmas THIS year.
I have been trying to imagine what I would have asked for, as a child, if such extraordinary technology had been available then. It's a tough thought puzzle, on many levels. I'll have to spend a bit more time contemplating this, but I probably would have asked for - purple cowboy boots. Yeah, I would have worn those with everything.
