Christmas in July

Last Christmas we, I mean, Santa looked everywhere for the Tonka Bounce Back Racer.  Ellie wanted three things for Christmas - Spike Jr., a 'Crazy Car' and a 'Bouncy Ball with a Handle."  Sounds easy enough, right?

My friend, Jenny, and I took Madeline {still eating every 2 hours at three months old} with us to Toys R Us at like 8:30pm on a Saturday night in December and had the list of toys that needed to be purchased.  First on the list was the Bounce Back Racer.  We looked all over the store and then finally asked an employee unloading boxes where we could find it.

The guy laughed at us.  Laughed.  I had no clue it was so popular.  It's not like I asked if they had any Zhu Zhu Pets in stock!  Apparently this was going to be more of a challenge than I anticipated.

I went home and checked Ebay.  Those little cars that flip when you crash them into the wall were selling for DOUBLE the regular price.  And people were paying it.  They must have kids over three to deal with.  My 2.75 year old was not going to be receiving an $75 race car for her third Christmas.  Sorry!

I put the idea of a 'crazy car' on the back burner and went about my other holiday shopping. 

Then one snowy December day at Target our family experienced that year's 'Christmas Miracle'!

I spotted a Bounce Back Racer.  It was not where it belonged, in the girl toy section.  Just laying there.  I looked around and then grabbed it and put it in the cart.  I was so giddy inside.  Yes!  Christmas will be perfect!  I finally found it!

The Bounce Back Racer from Santa was a huge hit, as we expected.  Anytime you can purposely run something into furniture or the wall, you know it's going to be awesome.

Fast forward to today.  At Target again, we are walking through the toy clearance aisles just looking around.  On the bottom shelf there was a stack of Bounce Back Racers.  All 30% off.

So now I'm searching for the moral of this story. 

Is it "Do your Christmas shopping in July during sales?" or is it "You can never predict the next 'hot' toy so don't even try?"  Maybe it's "Don't make the mistake of letting your kid watch The Fresh Beat Band on regular Nick because there are commercials and they will beg for everything they see on tv." 

I can't quite decide.  But if anyone is looking for a Bounce Back Racer, they're on sale for $24.99 at Target!