Help. I'm falling into the trap again – the yearly trap that turns a sensible person into someone who abandons reason and buys superfluous things.
It's called Christmas shopping.
At first, my husband and I laughed at the gadgets vying for our attention in department stores. The colorful stand-up hot dog maker, for instance, looks like a toaster but was specifically designed only to hold two hot dogs and buns.
"One would have to make a lot of hot dogs to make that worthwhile," we commented.
Pretty soon we were sucked in, perusing the houseware section with its bright colored appliances, looking for unique gifts. While there was a sea of new gadgets in appealing colors, many seemed to have such limited use.
The quesadilla maker, S'more Maker, meatball maker and electric hot chocolate maker must be designed for people with big kitchens and lots of storage space. But none could be termed "needed."
I can just hear my practical mother laughing at the thought of a meatball maker. In our family, we WERE the meatball maker.
As we looked for Christmas gifts, I was tempted at first to buy the counter top popcorn machine for my grandkids. They love popcorn and their mother refuses to allow a microwave in the house because she worries it might be "unhealthy." When they come to my house, they make bag after bag of popcorn in my microwave because it's a rare treat for the