Twinkle: Negative on the Nerdy Gifts

Well, it's that time of year again...time to gear up for the annual Christmukkah holidays. I'm planning to be done with my shopping early this year--and this time I really mean it.

So Mr. Twinkle has school-aged cousins, and I was asking MIL what they want. Their mom had provided MIL with an extensive list complete with prices (presumptuous, but helpful nonetheless), so I was checking out the list for ideas. The boy’s list included beef jerkey, which I find hilarious, and I totally plan to tie several Slim Jims on top of that kid's present.

For the girl, MIL told me she really wants a globe or a microscope, so MIL thought those would be a good things for me to get her. Now, I am all about educational toys, but I also appreciate the joy of opening something you truly want and love, and I didn't see a fracking globe or microscope anywhere on that list. I'm sure there are children out there who include globes and microscopes on their letters to Santa, but this little girl's list included several Hannah Montana items, something that appeared to be an updated version of those horrible Bratz dolls, and gift cards to one of those slutty pre-teen stores. I'm pretty sure a microscope is nowhere on her radar.

And maybe it should be, but that's none of my business. Not sure what MIL's motives were (was she trying to get me to give this girl a sucky gift so her gift would look better, or was she trying to steer me away from giving a sequined haltar top to a third grader, in favor of something more academic? One never knows with MIL). It doesn't matter--I'm getting her the Barbie Kitty Care Vet set. It's on the list, it's not slutty, it encourages girls to pursue a career in the veterinary sciences…so what if it gives her an unrealistic view of the adult female body? No toy is perfect. But I think it's bizarre that MIL encouraged me to deviate from the list and give the child something totally inconsistent with anything else she wanted.

Who can explain this woman?