My Gigantic Collection of Toys
Life, Musings August 10th, 2007When I arrived in Australia at the ripe old age of five, my parent’s financial situation was far from super. I’m not sure what the criteria for poverty is, but we probably around that description. My parents struggled to make sure we had a roof over our heads and enough to eat, but other luxuries like toys were completely out of the question.
But that was alright. I loved reading, and my thirst for knowledge and literary entertainment were easily and freely satiated by libraries. Once in a blue moon, the primary school I was at would have a book fair where they’d clear out incredibly old and mangly books (e.g. books without covers, or missing a few pages) and they’d be on sale for something like 5 to 20 cent each. I’d splurge my tiny fortune saved from Chinese New Years and my birthdays on such events and happily drag home a literal sack of these unwanted tomes.
But as I said above, I never had any toys to play with but I came up with an elegant solution to the problem. Like most people, our household got their frequent share of junk mail in the mailbox. Many of these would be glossy-paged catalogues from various stores having some sort of sale. I’d meticulously flip through these catalogues and clandestinely sneak specific ones into my room. These ones are always those that have toys on sale. I’d first carefully read over the short descriptions of each toy in the catalogue and marvel at what they can do. Then I’d cut out my favourite ones and glue it in an exercise book. I literally had a scrapbook filled with pictures of toys. I also did the same thing for jewelery from jewelery catalogues (I’d keep the most prettily designed ring or earring, for example) though that practice didn’t last very long.
I can’t remember being bitter about the experience. I guess it’s similar to how people might watch travel shows because one day they might be able to view the Parthenon or the Sistine Chapel with their own eyes. I guess it helped that I didn’t really have any other kid who had lots of toys to compare myself to. I could’ve been a lot more miserable than I was in that situation, but thankfully that didn’t happen. Unfortunately, I can’t find my scrapbook of toys any more, otherwise I could scan a few pages in to show you guys. :P
8 Responses to “My Gigantic Collection of Toys”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Aww reminiscing childhood days! Unlike you, my family’s financial situation has always been reasonably smooth so I didn’t have to worry about not having toys. Even until earlier this year my wardrobe had been stuffed with 30 or more soft toys I had collected over the years but some of them came from cheap garage sale purchases and a few I managed to “fish” out of those toy machines. :P
It was really smart of you to get around such things at a young age though, an admirable act instead of sulking.
Awww~ You sound as though you were the most adorable child. I would love to have a kid who is like you when you were little. When I was little, my family was doing quite well and I had every toy that I ever wanted. I was also a book fiend but, I had something against the library and used books. ^^; I really wasn’t a brat.
I am your exact antithesis. Although my parents were along the same lines as yours when I was little I was bathed in toys (probably cause of my large extended family). The funny thing is though I don’t like being spoilt and prefer to try and buy things myself by working hard (:
You must have some really interesting books if you’ve kept them. It’s too bad you’ve lost your scrapbooks, they sound like an awesome childhood relic.
I didn’t have toys as a child either.. or many books. It was a very austere childhood, in some respects. Your coping strategy is both humorous, cute, and ingenious.
Oh, that toy scrapbook sounds precious. It’s a shame that you can’t find it. I feel the exact same way about the diary I wrote for the majority of my sophomore year. For some reason, it’s … like gone. I must’ve accidentally threw it out, which made me incredibly sad! I cherished my sophomore year, and now that stupid notebook with my memories gone… BAH!
And dude, I’m so opposite from you. I grew up with many toys (yes I was SPOILED), but … let’s just say despite my toys, my own tv, vcr, game systems, and etcetera… I was still not happy. Although, despite all the toys, I’m glad I still became a bookworm! But then again… I think even with all those toys, I had no one to play with much, so I’d just read a book instead. Losing myself into the imaginary world of fictions… Ahhh.
That has to be the most adoreable thing I’ve ever heard. :) I wish I had been like that when I was little, then our house’s loft wouldn’t be stuffed with toys…
I love toys! I have so many of my old toys. I remember I would save up my allowance and buy tons of toys. I loved books as well, and every time I went to a bookstore with my parents, they’d always let me get one. I still love toys, and my favorite right now is a stuffed bat named Charlie. :D
Stories like these make me proud of how far I’ve come.
I didn’t have a lot of toys either when my family immigrated to Canada. We lived in a semi-basement for a year so I could go to a good school.
I remember making a scrap book with those envelope full of flyers that had a blank back page.
I remember flipping through the IKEA catalogue for HOURS dreaming up my next “perfect” bedroom, which at the time only consisted of a mattress, a closet, and a cardboard box stuffed full of newspaper as a desk.
I remember my grandma buying me this beautiful and exquisite glass car with floating stars inside, which I brought to Canada as my most precious luggage. My dad always teased me about taking it on “trips” whenever he went on business. One year he had to go back to China and I wanted him to have a reminder me. So I handed over my glass car, sobbing, and wished him goodbye.
It’s amazing how far we’ve come, it really is.