WHAT was I thinking?

I volunteered to be santa's elf for a military family WHAT was I THINKING?! I was thinking its fun to buy toys but I was forgetting that I only like to buy toys that I like, which is why I usually buy toys and drop in collection bins instead of doing any kind of matched thing the last 5 years or so. I hate hate hate the stress of trying to match a vague list to what is in the store and in this case also to what would fit in a flat rate USPS box since I was given a family in Alaska. --I could have UPS'd a bigger box to someone at Fort Carson but to Alaska and to make sure it arrives in good time, I didn't even want to run the rate calculators and I've been unpleasantly surprised too many times when I thought something wouldn't cost all that much at the post office -I like to stick with the flat rate boxes if I'm using the post office.

So I will have to give the nerf dart gun to a collection bin. It was already a smaller nerf gun rather than what was on the list and I have another item from that kids list so not a biggie (although the other kids are getting 2 cheaper things). I shopped with a strong eye to 'will it fit in the largest rate flat box after I remove the extra packaging' more than worrying about would the kids like it, although I still spent hours going up and down toy aisles. How would I know what kids will like anyway? Its been decades since I was a kid -- or what a mom of young kids who 'likes pretty things' would like? I got the mom a Burt's Bees gift set and some Aussie 3 minute miracle hair conditioner. I could not bring myself to try to guess what she might find pretty and went with 'eh, she is in Alaska, surely its hard on skin and hair and some pampering stuff will be suitable'. THIS is why I stuck to buying legos, K'nex(spelling?) tonka trucks etc in years past.

OH Well I have at least got everything else fitting in the box after ruthlessly stripping off the store packaging; NOW I have to wrap everything and get it all back in the box, might be FUN trying to wrap the odd shapes and wrap tough enough to squish the soft stuff in the box and not tear on stuff that has point, etc etc. Oh well its for kids of 14 months, 4, 4 and 7. I don't think they will be fussy about neat wrapping. If they are fussy, TOUGH. The elf was also to give the family a walmart gift card or visa card of at least $25 to cover a nice christmas dinner. I added $20/each and will include a note for them to go shopping for the bulkier stuff on the list because this elf doesn't have a license to fly Santa's sleigh. With luck mom and/or the whole family will enjoy a shopping trip to Wally world --I don't do visa cards since they charge for issue plus charge service fees every month if not used up in a year.