Remember the mid-80s around this time of year? Droves of parents were throwing civility into the wind, shoving each other in department stores and malls for the sole purpose of reaching the holy grail for their children: finding that rare Cabbage Patch doll still on the shelves.
I never had a Cabbage Patch doll. Never wanted one. I was more disappointed that Coleco had decided to go the doll route rather than improving upon the Colecovision, their prized console-based game system for which I yearned. But I did have friends whose parents actually
did brave the crowds if only to get one of those chubby cheeked dolls which came with its own birth certificate.
I remember radio stations having contests for listeners to win their own Cabbage Patch dolls. I recall the shrieks of girls on the air as they won this prized possession. It was simply the gift to get.
Throughout the years there have been other incarnations of "that rare gift." There was even a god awful movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad about two dads fighting over one specific toy. Tickle-Me-Elmo became one such toy a few years back. Some would say that the Wii was in the same category when it came out.
This year the hot item in the DC area seems to be Hannah Montana tickets.
If you've never heard the music or seen the television show starring the talent that plays Hannah Montana -- well, join the club. All I know is that she's popular. Very popular. And that her dad is played by Billy Ray Cyrus. And that the Hannah Montana show will be at the Verizon Center in downtown DC on January 7.
Tickets to this event sold out in record time. And why not? Like most hot tickets in this town, the notion that availability is scarce only boosts price and demand. Some parents have been willing to shell out thousands of dollars for "brokered" (formerly known as "scalped") tickets to the show.
Sadly, we're living in a town where there are many, many parents with this type of money to burn. While there are many in the area just trying to make ends meet, the DC area also has some of the most affluent suburbs in the country. And residents who will get these tickets for their seven year olds simply because they're a hot item.
We're even at the point where we have a local talk radio targeted at a predominantly male demographic holding contests to give away Hannah Montana tickets. It's strange to see a promotion for this concert from a show called "The Sports Junkies." The nationally Syndicated Don and Mike show is hosting an edition of "Strip Trivia" (it's just like it sounds) in their studios this afternoon for "MILFs only" -- with the grand prize being one pair of tickets.
I'm thankful that our son has never heard of Hannah Montana. Simply put, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to get naked on the radio.
