(Oh no not another flashback story, Granny!)

Well some of the lyrics to “Don’t Bring Me Down” are fitting for my simple tip, but I am not referring to Electric Light Orchestra. I’m using their acronym to point the way to keeping within your Christmas budget.

Say NO to Electronics, little ones!

I know as children get older it is harder and harder to keep their gifts in budget. They all NEED big ticket items. But you can do what’s best for your little ones by shying away from the big ticket electronic games and gadgets.

Say YES to active and cuddly items that you remember loving as a child. They have not gone out of style. Bikes, scooters, pogo sticks, dolls, Teddy bears, blankets, pillows, pajamas, and fuzzy pink house shoes all cost less than virtual hamsters and dress-up MP3 players. Isn’t that want you do with dolls? Why are we buying dress-up clothes for cell phones and other electronics?

The inter-active video games I haven’t grasped yet. Maybe it’s because I can’t afford one, but don’t we all have that tiny thought in the back of our minds that it would be better for our children and ourselves — on all kinds of levels — to actually meet up with a friend and play tennis or take the family on a trip to the bowling alley?

I’ll leave you with some lyrics from the 1983 ELO song “Don’t Bring Me Down.” You can draw your own correlation to the world of electronics versus real old-fashioned practical gifts.

You got me runnin goin OUT OF MY MIND,
You got me thinkin that I’m WASTING MY TIME
Don’t bring me down, no no no no no

What happened to the girl I used to know
You let your MIND OUT somewhere down the road
Don’t bring me down, no no no no no
I’ll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don’t bring me down.