Illuminati-R-Us

Okay, kids, we need your help choosing a present for someone.

The Subject (Cyndi's granddaughter):
Girl, 10 years old.
Aware and current in Pop Culture but with a religious mother.
Stunningly beautiful for a 10 y/o. Pacific Island heritage.

What ever shall we get her?

This comes with the caveat that I have no idea what 10 year old girls like, and I sometimes give very odd presents;

Since the Pacific Islanders are the newest team in rugby, and they do love their rugby over that way, how about one of these?

This is why Mrs B doesn't let me buy presents . . .

Um, we will consider that. Thanks.

I'll bet no-one else gets her one . . .

You may be right. :wink:

Does she watch any cartoons? There's tons of cartoon-related swag for sale. T-shirts, hats, comics, DVD's, etc.

Is she into science?

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/catalog/special-categories/great-gift-ideas/cat_gifts-for-ages-8-10.html

Some tips...

http://www.ehow.com/how_4849_select-gift-10.html

In a similar vein, why not a nice 7x50 binocular and a turnable star chart + a "go stargazing with granny and Lance and have barrels of hot chocolate at your favourite inn afterwards" voucher.

(O.K., not cheap, but you don't want to be responsible if Universities can't get decent science students in ten years anymore, now do you :wink: )

My girls loved porcelin dolls at that age, get her a subscription to American Girls and a doll or two to start her collection. Its like crack for 10 yr olds.

There's an idea, get her some crack!

It's sure to be a hit!

Dragon Star wrote:There's an idea, get her some crack!

It's sure to be a hit!

I said its like crack, not buy her crack!!

These dolls are truly addictive to little girls and the fascination seems to continue into the early teen years. Obviously you've never been a little girl, DS.
Besides there is a learning angle tied in with the dolls and books, etc.

What parent could object to such a wholesome present? They don't even need batteries.

teri tait wrote:These dolls are truly addictive to little girls and the fascination seems to continue into the early teen years. Obviously you've never been a little girl, DS.

Actually, I HAVE been a ten year old female, and never really was into dolls. I think that was the year I got my telescope. And a train set. Yeah, I'm pretty unique.

Um. How about a DVD? Pirates of the Carribean 2 is coming out... Ice Age 2 was pretty good...

She like music? Computer games? CD players or inexpensive MP3 players are nice. If she does a lot of computing, there are small jump drives out there for around $20.

If she's interested in something in particular, pick out some books on the subject.

When all else fails, gift cards are great.

--hippie, I'm only good at gifts when I know the people.

Don't get your asexual panties in a bunch, hippie, I was merely suggesting from my perspective as a parent of 3 girls and being a girl myself. There's nothing wrong with your suggestion and there's nothing wrong with mine.

How are you feeling towards the kid's mom at the moment?

The gift that keeps on giving - a drum set. Or possibly a tuba.

How about a nice set of rock glasses and whiskey decanter with "JESUS" engraved on it?

Night shirt?


Slippers are nice - I might get some of these for myself...


So what parts of pop culture do she relate to? Having a niece who just came out of that part of life (15 now) I learned that N'Sync can be just the coolest thing, or absolutely NOT the coolest thing. For example...

Is Dora cool for her? Sponge Bob too young? Does she like music or TV or movies? Does her mother allow her to participate in the pop culture she is so aware of. I liked rock and roll as a kid, but mom wasn't about to listen to it in the house. Even today, I enjoy Power Rangers, but the wife won't let me watch them. (We have to watch Law and Order 24/7)

You mention Pacific Island Heritage. DOes the kid have any direct experience there, any memories? I am of Scottish heritage on both sides, but other than occasional interest, it was never an item growing up. I would much rather have gotten a model car than a scarf in my tartan. (Now days I might really go for a car in my tartan. A plaid pickup. That would be something.) The kid might be more happy getting normal 10 year old girl stuff than some sort of ethnic imperative item. Then again if she is actually from there within her memory, it might work. (Later in life I became more interested in my forebears, and I must say we have an attractive tartan.)

Can she wear expressive things to school, or is her school one of the regimented ones? Kids are social beings after all. A cool backpack or sweater maybe.

What does she like intellectually? Does she read? Does she like science? At that age I liked youthful novels like the Tom Swift series. My ffriends like Nancy Drew or HArdy Boys. There are lots of book series, and if they like one, there are usually many more with the same characters in a series. I liked Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn too. I like to encourage reading. That's fiction, but I also liked science stuff a lot too. I loved a new atlas and could spend hours looking at the ocean floor or a cutaway of the earth's interior. WHat is inside a submarine. technology of most any sort. I was so fascinated by weather that I even studied meteorology in college. Considered being a TV weather man. Books are good gifts if the kid can relate to them. A field guide to birds is something that can be of ongoing use for example. Assuming she cares about them. Does she have any interest in science or the world around her? Obviously if she is into ballet, a book of warships of WW2 would be a poor choice. (send it to me)

I have found the most effective means of chosing a gift for a young girl is... ask my wife.

Check out their website Lance, American Girl is really as wholesome and unthreatening as it gets. Her mother should have no objections

Besides, they're such a nice unique gift and rather special. I always loved the dolls/books/magazine. Especially the dolls and the way they promote education of different ethnic backgrounds. You can even design one to look like her.

teri tait wrote:Check out their website Lance, American Girl is really as wholesome and unthreatening as it gets. Her mother should have no objections

Arghh! That site is so sickly sweet it made my teeth hurt. And I felt like a kiddiefiddler for looking at a site covered in pictures of young girls.

I'm with Enzo, who can resist a tuba?

Wow, what good suggestions most of you had. I probably won't be giving her any crack though.

And regarding the American Girls dolls; last year she got Bratz dolls. I think if they ever met, mayhem would ensue.

Heid the Ba' wrote:And I felt like a kiddiefiddler for looking at a site covered in pictures of young girls.

Why? Just because it has tabs labelled "shop," "play," "visit," and "watch"?

And this doesn't help:

"Enter Molly’s Movie Sweepstakes—Win a trip to American Girl Place and meet the star"

or I could watch Felicity and Samantha's movie . . .

I know, I know, but that is how it looks to me.

You guys crack me up. You take lewd and lascivious to a whole new level.

My God, Boss, you bought Bratz last year?!?! And Mom didn't object?!? Those have to be the trampiest sleaziest dolls I have ever seen. They make Barbie look like a liberated, empowered role model. Guess I'm just old fashioned.

I used to know a Japanese guy from Mirwaukee, and Bratz was his favorite beer.

Heid the Ba' wrote:Arghh! That site is so sickly sweet it made my teeth hurt.

Here you go Heid, this should send you right over the edge. Its the worlds sweetest site.

Actually no, I'm fine with kittenwars. stepfordgirls.com just seems too pink and controlling, too nice, too "oooh lets be girly". I know it is for 8 -12 year olds but there seems nothing aspirational there other than having nice hair and owning all the dolls. Why no "Rosie the Riveter" or "Rosa Parks" in the historical dolls section? Why no "Sandra Day O'Conner" doll?

Nurse, time for my pills again . . .

teri tait wrote:this should send you right over the edge. Its the worlds sweetest site.

Why is it I can never bring myself to close the window after visiting that site!!!!!

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Wish I had a gift suggestion but picking out gifts is not something I'm good at. :(

Well, we picked the telescope, to try to cultivate an interest in science in this young mind. But then Cyndi called her daughter (the girl's mother) for an unrelated question while we were still at the store. Cyndi mentions the telescope in passing (big mistake) and her daughter gave a big, fat, hairy, stinking "NO" to the idea. So we got her "Moon Bounce Shoes" (similar to these) instead. And a warm-up outfit.