The Gift that Keeps Giving

By Suzy Fielders

My seven year old daughter tells people her favorite gift of all time is the Molly (American Girl) doll that I gave her. She will also say that it’s her favorite, not just because it’s an American Girl doll but because “it was mommy’s when she was a kid.”

I know there is some controversy over American Girl dolls because of the price and their slightly overdone culture, but no one can argue that these dolls are not well made. In fact, they are so well made mine has stood the test of time from when I was a kid to still in excellent condition now. This fact made it possible for me to share a part of my childhood with my own daughter by passing it along to her.

Are these dolls expensive? Yes. Is the culture, especially in the stores, a little over the top? Yes. However, it is worth every penny when you look at it as an investment. It’s an investment into something that can be passed down through generations, not just a doll. My daughter now even tells me if she has a little girl she will give it to her!

A bonus I found for American Girl dolls, or most dolls for that fact, is I can buy her the clothes and accessory for the doll as future birthday and Christmas presents. Now these might be considered slightly expensive, but I’d much rather get her those than video games, ipads and tablets, all of which are much more expensive that these items. This leads me to the next benefit of dolls, whether American Girl or not, is they let kids to be just that, kids. It reminds them to play and enjoy being a carefree child.

I’m sure there are plenty of moms out there, like me, that have hung onto toys, dolls and other items from their childhood – maybe even their own American Girl dolls! With the holidays around the corner this is the perfect time to venture to the attic or basement and find these items to pass along to your children. Holidays are often about tradition so start a great new tradition by passing along a piece of your history to your kids!

Seeing the excitement on my daughter’s face after getting something that used to be mommy’s was priceless. I love how she wants to continue the giving by one day giving to her own daughter one day, making it the gift that really does keep giving!

Let us know if you’re a fan of American Girl dolls, and if not, tell us why!

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