Last week, for the second year in a row, C.J. walked up to Santa and said, “I don’t believe in you, but I want to tell you what I want for Christmas just in case.”
Santa was nice and obliged. As I listened, it struck me how much more accepting and nonjudgmental Santas have gotten over the years. When C.J. was little and asked for “girl toys,” Santa would make a face and/or a small little quip. This Santa just smiled and nodded. Then again, he told the kid in front of us that he was on parole, so maybe he was just happy to be out of jail for the holidays to find some solid seasonal work.
The items on the top of C.J.’s wish list are…
pc: American Girl
Logan doll by American Girl: This year was the first time (in their 31-year history) that American Girl introduced a boy doll. His name is Logan and he is reportedly a hipster who plays the drums in a band.
“But, you don’t even really play with your American Girl dolls that much anymore,” I said, trying to save myself $115.
“I play with them sometimes. And, besides, I have to show American Girl that they did the right thing and should be proud of themselves for finally making an American Boy.”
I hope my $115 makes American Girl feel super proud of themselves.
pc: Gap
Denim jacket from the Gap: I’m in trouble. C.J is starting to care about brand names. He wants a denim jacket and specifically said on his list “it should be from the Gap or Levi’s – NOT FROM TARGET!!!”
Zinger. Those three exclamation points really made me listen up. Little does he know, I consider myself lucky that Gap and Levi’s are the fanciest brands he could think of.
All the bath bombs in the world: There’s nothing C.J. loves more than a warm bath after a long day of fifth grade and gymnastics. A former bubble bath aficionado, he now prefers the more effervescent bath bomb. He has requested one for every day of the year until next Christmas. He is not getting that many.
A DIY bath bomb kit: Perfect. I’ll get him the kit and he can make his own bath bombs for the year. I’m sure that won’t be a messy project.
pc: Target
Conair Infiniti Pro Rainbow Curling Iron with a 1-inch barrel: He’s 10 years old. How does he know he wants a 1-inch barrel and not 1.25 or 1.5?
Batiste dry shampoo: Don’t ask me. He sees the commercials and is convinced he needs it to refresh his hair in between washes.
Sewing basket filled with supplies: “And not a toy one for kids, a real legit one!”
The softest blanket in the world: I hope the one I got for $8 at Kohl’s on Black Friday works.
Fingerling: Who would name a child’s toy a Fingerling? Whoever did was smart, because those things are hard as hell to find. The first two I ordered from China via Amazon never arrived and were hard to get refunded.
pc: Amazon
As sassy and particular as C.J. can be, I know he’d be happy with any gift I picked for him. He’s full of the Christmas spirit. After all, his sense of wonder isn’t confined to the holidays. It’s a year-round thing.
I hope that you and yours have a wonderful next few weeks. Follow us on Instagram (@RaisingMyRainbow) to keep in touch until 2018. And, if the holidays aren’t happy for you, please know that I’m thinking about you.
Remember, you are not alone 🌈 If you need support, reach out to The Trevor Project 24/7 at: 866.488.7386. Find more ways to connect with a safe, online community at: www.thetrevorproject.org
Raising My Rainbow 
Batiste is so my jam!!! Best dry shampoo on the market. I love that CJ asked for it by name!!
Merry Christmas
Have a happy holiday season and an awesome 2018, Duron family!
Sounds like life is _not_ dull around your place!
One of the things I like about kids is that they (well, most of the ones I know) are so much _themselves_. Society hasn’t (yet) crammed them into what they’re supposed to be, like so many of the adults I know, including myself.
When I saw the tag line about the Trevor Project, I couldn’t help looking at the (paper) fan saying “I’m a fan of Trevor” I have on my desk. One night when I couldn’t sleep and felt like I couldn’t see how I could go on, I decided to call a hot line. (They say you don’t have to be about to kill yourself to call.) Since I’m about half a century too old for the Trevor Project, I looked up a bunch of suicide hot line numbers, including TransLifeline, and wrote them down on the fan. By the time I finished collecting the phone numbers and writing them down, I was too tired to do anything but sleep. So maybe the Trevor Project saved my life without my even having to call them!
If you’re still searching for the fingerling monkey, check local truck stops (Pilot, the Flying J, TA, Love’s) I have seen them at all of those. Both boy and girls.
Merry Christmas y’all!!!
Love it. Happy Holidays to your family and your readers.
I was going to mention baby powder too. And since his hair is fairly light, he should be able to get away with it. Be glad that he’s only discovered Levi’s and Gap. My 12 y/o daughter wants Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister. . . .Ugh.
Happy Everything and Merry New Year!
CJ sounds like the 10 year old version of our 3 year old, lol. Merry Christmas to you all 🙂
My GNC is all over the place this year. His Christmas list included a spangly belly dancing scarf and a punching bag.
Batiste comes in like five formulas, and some of them are tinted, so be careful. 🙂 I like Suave Professionals, smells good and is pretty inexpensive. Making your own bath bombs is lots of fun and there are plenty of recipes on the net; if you have a hard time finding citric acid, sometimes it’s sold in grocery stores as “sour salt.” Happy Holidays to you and the entire family! ♥
Thanks a lotSent from my Huawei Mobile
Hi… As for fingerling, because it is so popular ok our house too, I will share you a couple of tips:
1. Don’t buy from China. They are fake!
2. It was out of stock everywhere for a long time but now you can find in Toys R Us stores (not online) and Amazon book store (the physical store, not online).
I was very skeptical about this toy at first but apparently it is pretty fun to play with. :p
Happy hunting!
Minus the dolls and that awfully named monkey toy, I’ll double up on his wishes. I’m 35, so that’s something. 🙂
I understand that he is growing to like name brands. But have him try this thought on for size: ‘TRUE STYLE is wearing ANYTHING and making it look GREAT!’ Hmmm…or maybe you could just make/get him a plaque for his room and let it slowly sink into his brain. Moms have to be a bit subtle sometimes.
And it might be time to introduce the bargain hunt at thrift stores. That could be super fun for him!
Boy. Did you get played! Lol!!! Have a wonderful Christmas and all the best in the new year. Gosh knows, we all need a reset.
Merry Christmas to you all 🙂 thanks for sharing CJ’S list, your take on his desires definitely tickled my funny bone
Happy Holidays Lori Matt Chase and CJ. Chase behave at any Christmas Party or New Years Eve Party you attend!!! HS Parties can be a lot of fun…Behave…LOL. CJ just think a week off from school.
Batiste is actually a great brand for him to try—it’s relatively inexpensive, actually works (I’ve tried luxury brands that were poorer quality), and smells good. But if he runs out, he can always just sprinkle the roots of his hair with baby powder, let it set for a minute, and then brush it out. The cheapest and best-smelling option, IMHO.