Author Topic: A Star Wars Christmas?  (Read 2419 times)

A Star Wars Christmas?
« on: 17 December, 2009, 04:30:18 pm »

I have a (probably overblown) Christmas dilemma.

A couple of years ago, I got Anders some Christmas presents that all related to the Swallows and Amazons books I had been reading to him--a tent, a (cheap) brass telescope in a wooden case, a (toy) green parrot, a compass, etc.

Now (after we had gotten him various presents already) he's started asking me to do the same sort of thing, but with Star Wars stuff. Typically for Anders, he's being cagey about the details of what he wants, but he usually has expectations; probably a lightsaber, I'd guess.

But I have really mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, Anders is a really good kid, and I hate to disappoint him. On the other, I'm not at all happy about buying lots of Brand Name Toys, or with the way kids get fed commercial replacements for their own imaginations. Plus a lot of the Star Wars stuff is pretty violent for a 7-year-old -- battle this and destroyer that.

To be fair, I did make him a wooden sword for his samurai Halloween costume, so he's not exactly ignorant of the world of weapons. But we've always avoided guns and other "war toys," so I'm wavering. I resent being put in this position by their successful marketing program. (Anders, who is too tightly wound to deal with the intense input of action movies, has never seen a Star Wars film, but hears about it all the time from other kids, and in Lego marketing stuff.)

So far, I have gotten him a Lego "starfighter" spaceship set, since he loves Legos. But I'm not sure how much farther I ought to go with this with weapons, etc.

Anybody have any thoughts?
scottclark.photoshelter.com

Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #1 on: 17 December, 2009, 04:32:32 pm »
Kids, usually mostly boys, will always want to play with weapons.  I don't think it's anything to worry about, as your influence will have far more effect on his character, IMO.  Star wars stuff is very cool, and if you made him a wooden sword, I wouldn't be worrying about  light sabre.
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Zoidburg

Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #2 on: 17 December, 2009, 04:53:34 pm »
Watch Star Wars with him first, the originals.

Yes it's full of explosions and space battles, lightsabres etc etc but unlike a lot of pointless action films there is the very strong theme of good and evil/right versus wrong.

The new films are pants, the old ones are rather good entertainment for kids, just enough scary bits IMHO.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #3 on: 18 December, 2009, 12:12:34 pm »
In a little seen outtake, there is a dream sequence when Luke imagines Xmas with Darth Vader:

Vader Luke?
Luke Skywalker What's up dad?
Vader (throaty breath noise) I know what you are giving me for Xmas.  It is socks.
Luke Skywalker Gee!  Good guess! How did you know?
Vader (throaty breath noise) I felt your presents

Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #4 on: 18 December, 2009, 01:57:18 pm »
If you're not happy with it, don't do it. I've never seen any of the star wars films so can't comment on their content, but lovely though Anders is, he doesn't have to have a lightsabre. There are lots of cool toys and stuff out there. Everyone remembers one thing that everyone else has that they didn't (my Eton educated boss gets really jealous when I take his sons to Legoland, because he wasn't taken there when the rest of his class went), but it's not a bad thing to live with. In fact the people who had everything that they wanted are the ones who ended up miserable in general - it's not a realistic start.
(I was brought up in a house where there were few 'big' presents, no tv, no Christmas tree most years and never any Easter eggs and survived a lot happier and more content than most of my contemporaries) :)

Get him a bike computer or a flying saucer or something from a gadget shop.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #5 on: 18 December, 2009, 03:08:19 pm »
Get him a bike computer or a flying saucer or something from a gadget shop.

 :)  Now if somebody would just invent a flying-saucer-shaped bike computer, I'd buy one. Or maybe two.
scottclark.photoshelter.com

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #6 on: 18 December, 2009, 03:22:01 pm »
I've invented it.  Just now, in fact, as I read your post.  Now, I just need a manufacturer (and a crooked good patent lawyer ;) )
Getting there...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: A Star Wars Christmas?
« Reply #7 on: 15 March, 2010, 03:32:37 pm »
A little late for Christmas, but I noticed the thread, and... My five-year old says Star Wars is the only film that really frightens him. He's seen the trailers for Star Wars Clone Wars on TV. And as for asking for presents, every couple of weeks it's "For my birthday I want (new item)." His birthday is not for another six months or so. He knows this. It's the asking, and perhaps the imagining that you already have it, that are as much fun as the having. That's why it can be a new thing each week.

I think.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.