I’ve just been mugged

Dan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:24:45 +0000

Remember when I ranted about how much I dislike the horsey set? And here when I complained about the unstoppable and all pervasive Hannah Montana merchandising machine and it’s effect on my daughter?

Well look what I just went out and spent thirty quid on:

Thirty quid! For a couple of pieces of badly sculpted plastic!! You could get three hundred packets of Space Raiders for that amount! Or forty hours worth of parking in the Huddersfield bus station car park. Or even better – six Smokey and the Bandit 3 disk DVD box sets! (that’s my entire Christmas shopping sorted out then).

But no, I have to spend £30 on Hannah Mon-bloody-tana and her mutant faced horse Blue Jeans. Goddamn Disney corporation exploiting the fact that my love for my daughter is stronger than my half baked principles.

It’s not like it will ever get played with, that’s the galling thing. It’ll just get thrown on the pile with all the other bits of pink plastic. But Amy’s birthday is next weekend and she’s been consistently pining for this toy for six months now. And to be honest it’ll be worth the £30 to see her excitement when she opens it, especially since I’ve told her that the shop was sold out and I bought her a Batman action figure instead.

To make matters even worse Evan was with me at the toy shop so I also ended up shelling out fifteen pounds for this:

Fifteen pounds! For a couple of chunks of wood with some wheels nailed to them! I mean who the hell is it supposed to be anyway. The package says it’s “Flora” and her carriage from Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, but she’s never been in any of the episodes that I’ve seen.

Goddamn Thomas the Tank Engine franchise exploiting the fact that I want to be able to get through the checkout of Toys R Us without having to deal with a major meltdown.

Actually ten pounds of that fifteen was Evans birthday money, which is why I was willing to part with it. And he does play with his wooden trains a hell of a lot, but still – that doesn’t change the fact that it was incredibly overpriced.

There is a serious post to be had here somewhere about the increasing lack of non-franchised toys and the ridiculous premium that we parents are duped into paying for a brand logo. But at the moment I’m not up to writing it. I’m still in shock from my sudden short sharpe pain in the wallet. I think I might have to go out and buy myself something to ease my trauma.

All that comes with it » Toys

I’ve just been mugged