The Evil Genius of Amazon Lightning Deals

The Evil Genius of Amazon Lightning Deals

Every year, starting the week of Thanksgiving, I become an Amazon Lightning Deals addict.  Seriously.  The first thing I do every morning (after I check my shopping cart full of wish list items to see if any prices have dropped) is to click on that little Today’s Deals link at the top of the page.  Suddenly, sales are spread before me, beckoning me with 40% off, 60% off, 80% off.  80%!  That’s almost free!  Those evil deals tempt me until about January 2nd, at which time I almost forget they are there until the following November.

Lightning Deals can be hit or miss as far as value.  Toy deals this year have been pretty decent, at least in terms of the ones I was looking for.  I may or may not have gone a little nuts last weekend buying every Lalaloopsy toy that scrolled across my screen.  Some were as low as $3.77! How could I pass those up?!?  (Note to readers: if anyone needs some Lalaloopsy dolls for Christmas, I have extra!)

Even on the days when I think they have nothing that I need, I get entangled in the Lightning Deals web.

Scrolling through today’s Lightning Deals

 

InterDesign Axis 18 Loop Scarf Holder, Chrome

InterDesign Axis 18 Loop Scarf Holder, Chrome $5.59 (44% off)

 

InterDesign Axis 18 Loop Scarf Holder, Chrome

Okay…I will admit that I already have one of these.  Not this exact one, but similar.  And I have a lot of scarves and it’s getting kind of full, so…

 

 

FURminator 285307 deShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo, 16-Ounce  $4.99 (64% off)

FURminator 285307 deShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo, 16-Ounce $4.99 (64% off)

 

 

FURminator 285307 deShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo, 16-Ounce

A good deal on dog shampoo!  Except…I can barely remember to bathe my child, so the chances that I’ll start regularly bathing my dog are slim.

Next!

 

 

 

 

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Kit Men’s Make Your Own Ugly Christmas Sweater

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Kit Men's Make Your Own Ugly Christmas Sweater  $19.99 (50% off)

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Kit Men’s Make Your Own Ugly Christmas Sweater $19.99 (50% off)

Oh my. An ugly sweater kit. “Sweater kit allows for creative customization not found in other ugly sweaters.” Well, yes, but is that really necessary? Are there design contests? I must admit that I have never quite gotten the ugly sweater tradition. Adults gather for parties wearing the ugliest Christmas-themed sweater they can find. Well, now they can create their own! It’s fun!  “…we hope you can put all seriousness aside and let your creativity take over.” Creativity is serious, folks! For only $19.99 I can stare blankly at a sweater and random craft supplies, knock back a swig of Christmas brandy, and hope for inspiration.

Scrolling past what seems like hundreds of watches and boxed computer software (do people still buy software in boxes??) until I find this gem:

Char-Broil 12601578 Patio Bistro Tru-Infrared Electric Grill $114.99 (42% off)

Char-Broil 12601578 Patio Bistro Tru-Infrared Electric Grill $114.99 (42% off)

Char-Broil 12601578 Patio Bistro Tru-Infrared Electric Grill

Let’s pass over the concept of cooking my food with infrared and focus instead on the electric grill part.  Isn’t the whole point of grilling outside that you’re cooking over an open flame?  Why would I haul my food outside to a grill that I have to plug in?  Is this the true grilling experience?  How is this any different than slapping my steaks onto the George Foreman in the kitchen…in fact, why couldn’t I just put this grill in the kitchen?  Check out the picture of the man and woman grinning on their patio balcony while he pokes at the shish-kebob.  He’s gritting his teeth and grinning, thinking “I sure hope none of my buddies see me cooking on this thing”, while she is grinning with an “I can’t believe it was so easy to trick him into cooking” thought bubble.  Moral of the story: as long as it’s grill-shaped, men will want to cook on it.

Scrolling…scrolling…men’s pants, suitcases, bedding, a cat tree, more watches, a motocross bike, binoculars…  Wait, a motocross bike?

Razor MX350 Dirt Rocket Electric Motocross Bike $227.99 (pre-lightning deal)

Razor MX350 Dirt Rocket Electric Motocross Bike $227.99 (pre-lightning deal)

Razor MX350 Dirt Rocket Electric Motocross Bike

It’s battery-powered / electric so it’s “super quiet.”  But…don’t bikers actually enjoy hearing the roar of the engine when they are off-roading or on a course?  Then there’s this:  “Speeds up to 12 miles per hour with no pedaling needed!”  No pedaling needed?  On a motocross bike?  I should hope not.  Maybe there’s a niche for these that I don’t know about; otherwise, do serious motocross riders actually buy their bikes from Amazon?

 

Candle by the Hour 80-Hour Horizontal Candle, Eco-friendly Natural Beeswax with Cotton Wick

Candle by the Hour 80-Hour Horizontal Candle, Eco-friendly Natural Beeswax with Cotton Wick  $35.00 (pre-lightning deal)

Candle by the Hour 80-Hour Horizontal Candle, Eco-friendly Natural Beeswax with Cotton Wick $35.00 (pre-lightning deal)

I must admit, I was immediately intrigued by the concept of this.  A sideways candle?  Wow, how cool, and how would it work?  Then I clicked, and my excitement faded a bit.  This contraption is a novelty at best.  I mean, the candle is horizontal, but the wick isn’t, so the flame is still burning from an upright position.  This candle unwinds as it burns and supposedly no wax drips from it either.  Meh – could be neat.  But, if you’re looking for a novelty gift for that certain someone, this might be a fun option.  I’ve got 4 hours until it goes on sale; if it’s a good deal, I may pick one up.

 

 

MSRF Ugly Sweater Party Cocoa Set, 3 Ounce (Pack of 12 )  $52.09 (pre-lightning deal)

MSRF Ugly Sweater Party Cocoa Set, 3 Ounce (Pack of 12 ) $52.09 (pre-lightning deal)

MSRF Ugly Sweater Party Cocoa Set, 3 Ounce (Pack of 12 )

Is your ugly sweater party just a tad dull?  Did everyone decorate their sweaters with the same kit?  Be of good cheer.  For only $1.45/ounce, your guests can enjoy cocoa from whimsical ugly sweater-themed boxes.  Just add water.

 

 

 

goDog Dragons With Chew Guard Technology  $15.99 (pre-lightning deal)

goDog Dragons With Chew Guard Technology $15.99 (pre-lightning deal)

 

goDog Dragons With Chew Guard Technology

Hmm…”ChewGuard Technology”.  My golden retriever is a beast with dog toys.  I may have to put this to the test.

 

 

 

 

Top Performance Cat Grooming Bag $12.53 (pre-lightning deal)

Top Performance Cat Grooming Bag $12.53 (pre-lightning deal)

Top Performance Cat Grooming Bag

Oh my…look at those cats!  I feel an irresistible urge to buy this, insert my kitty, and dip her in water.  “Cat wears the bag by slipping into the zippered top opening…”  Haha!  Yes, I’m sure it is just that simple.  I would imagine that it would be not so much slipping my kitty into the bag as it would be stuffing a yowling, flailing kitty inside.

Cat Muzzle

Cat Muzzle

 

Maybe if I put this on her first, I might have a chance.

 

My scrolling is now showing me deals from tomorrow morning, so that wraps it up for today.

Do you see how addictive?  Before I started looking, I had no idea I might really need a horizontal candle, a high-tech chew toy, and a kitty-dipping bag.  Now I do.

Amazon and its Lightning Deals have accomplished their mission for another day.

Elf on the Shelf: Make Mischief Together

Elf on the Shelf: Make Mischief Together

Today is December 2nd.  All over America, little red stuffed elves are descending upon households, making creative mischief to delight the children.  Doors #1 and #2 have been opened on the advent calendars.  Creating Christmas memories has begun.

I never could get any momentum going with the Elf on the Shelf.  I bought it three years ago.  It sat in its box that first year because I decided K was a little young for it at age two.  The second year we spent Christmas in another country, so the elf stayed sealed away in a drawer somewhere.  Last year I finally opened the box.  I stared at that elf for a while, thinking over all of the “elf-positioning ideas” that I’d stored up on Pinterest.  I just could not muster the enthusiasm to start that tradition. It seemed like so much time and effort for something I didn’t feel any magic behind.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf keeps an eye out for naughty children.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf keeps an eye out for naughty children.

Breaking the seal on the Elf on the Shelf box coincided with K going through a phase of not staying in bed.  We turned Elf (his name) into a sort of anti-elf.  He was the elf she did not want to see.  He would only appear if she was naughty and came out of her room after we’d put her to bed.  If Elf appeared, he might decide to tell Santa to hold back a gift or two.  I know…traumatic.  Actually, kind of creepy too. It worked though.

This year, as Thanksgiving approached and the Elf on the Shelf ideas got even crazier (now they even dress up in costumes!), I started to think about how we were going to play the elf this year.   I didn’t really want to do anti-elf again, but I didn’t want to do all that other stuff either.  I also began to question the practicality of the advent calendar, which I had done the previous two years. It all just seemed like “stuff”.  Stuff to do to entertain kids in the lead-up to Christmas.  Stuff we are hoping will give our kids happy “stuff” to reminisce about.

In mulling over the concept of scrapping advent calendars and elves, I tried to figure out why exactly I was being such a Scrooge.  Is it because I am too lazy to be creative, or am I just a boring mother?  Looking back, did that advent calendar make the difference in whether or not K had a happy Christmas?  Would an impish stuffed elf really have had a major effect on the fondness of her memories?

The other day I read these words written by my friend Jenna Karvunidis:  “I never realized how much of childhood magic just exists without you procuring it. Kids like Christmas. It’s really that simple.”

And it hit me.  BAM!  It is that simple!  We don’t have to turn the month of December into one big fantasy world, with Santa and Elf on the Shelf and advent calendars full of presents and cookies with one bite taken out and reindeer tracks on the lawn. Kids don’t need us to create memories for them. They just need us to be with them as the memories create themselves.

When I think back to all the Christmases of my past, what does not stand out in my mind?  Anything to do with Santa besides a vague memory of when we decided he wasn’t real.  I do remember writing letters to Santa and leaving him cookies, but that memory is just by rote; there are no emotions behind it.  I have faint recollections of specific advent calendars but not of the gifts that came in them.  To be honest, I only remember a few special gifts (a microscope, a certain doll, books) and the rest kind of all blur together.

What are the memories that do stand out?  My family being together.  Love.  Special gifts that I gave and the smiles from the ones I gave to.  The smell of baking cookies.  Sorting through old ornaments and decorating the tree with my sister.  The year the tree dried up a week before Christmas and we had to get a new one and decorate all over again.  The year my sister and I misread the digital clock and woke my parents up at 2 am instead of 8.  Eating chocolate-covered cherries with my grandfather.  Starting a gingerbread house kit on Christmas Eve that required a 24-hour drying period at the end of step one!  Playing board games into the wee hours, eating snacks, and laughing.  Laughing a lot.  Real things.  Magical things.

Don’t get me wrong – the Elf on the Shelf is a fun idea and people have stunned me with the ingenious scenes they create with that thing.  Literally hundreds of ideas have been published to help those of us who are creatively-challenged.  The kids love to find the elf (most of whom have been given names like Rascal or Peppermint) spreading mischief or dropping off a small gift.  Why wouldn’t they?  It’s fun, and kids are all about fun.

The problem is that the children have no idea who is behind the elf.  Parents put incredible amounts of energy, money, time, and cleverness into the Elf on the Shelf, and for what?  The kids will have a vague memory someday of the toy that Mom used to move around the house, but they won’t have the memory of the love that went into it.  They will never have seen Mom’s twinkling eyes as she planned the next elf adventure.  They will never have heard her giggle as she tried to balance the elf on a ceiling fan or posed it with a Barbie doll. To the kids, the elf just appeared, happened on its own, for their amusement. The Elf on the Shelf will be a memory based on “stuff” instead of an emotion.

Imagine instead if we plotted with our kids to come up with silly Elf on the Shelf ideas and posed him together every evening after school.  Imagine taking pictures of the mischief he makes and leafing through that album year after year, sharing stories about ideas past.  Imagine the laughter and the smiles, the warm closeness in creating holiday memories with our children, instead of just for them.

And so, this is my resolve.  Christmas at my house will be drinking hot cocoa, decorating the Christmas tree, cuddling together while watching a holiday movie.  Christmas will be grandparents stopping by for coffee and cinnamon rolls on Christmas Day so my daughter can show them her very special present (hello, giant cheetah!).  Christmas will be listening to carols every morning on the way to school.  My house this Christmas will be full of love, joy, and gratitude.  It will have laughter, it will have smiles.  It will have no stress and no pressure to create every “memory” that is featured on Pinterest.  The Elf on the Shelf will come out of his box again, but K and I will help him make mischief together.

This Christmas my family will be making memories together, the three of us.  Christmas will be warm and cozy, it will smell like cookies and fresh pine, it will ring with the sounds of our happiness.

It will be simple.

And it will be magical.

Ferguson Grand Jury:  And the decision has been made…

Ferguson Grand Jury: And the decision has been made…

It’s 9:06 pm EST.  The grand jury is due at any moment to announce their decision on whether to indict Darren Wilson, the white police officer who shot and killed black teenager Michael Brown in August.  The grand jury has been deliberating for almost 3 months now, almost a record time in what some perceive to be a simple decision as to whether to charge a person with a crime or not.

I’m watching the coverage on nbcnews.com right now.  One thing that catches my eye is the list of school closings that are flashing across the bottom of the screen.  That part alone makes me sad.  Why should this decision have any bearing on the safety of schoolchildren tomorrow?

Things are bad in Ferguson, Missouri.  They are.  I just can’t imagine there will be some sort of charge short of murder that the grand jury will send down that will make the community satisfied.

I’m hearing now that tens of thousands of dollars that have been spent to arm the police against riots and looting should the grand jury decision be in favor of Darren Wilson.

People are scared.  People are nervous.  On both sides.  How can either side feel relaxed no matter what the decision is?

Hopefully there will be no violent reactions  But if there is no indictment, will people be satisfied with that?  Will they understand why that decision was made?

The announcement is now being made.  Here we go.  Robert McCulloch, the St. Louis County prosecutor, is making a statement.

Ferguson Grand Jury:  The decision has been made (image courtesy screenshot of NBCNews.com)

Ferguson Grand Jury: The decision has been made (image courtesy NBCNews.com)

One very interesting point:  all of the witnesses’ testimonies were presented before the grand jury had any of the autopsy results.

It sounds to me as if the grand jury was very very thorough.  They listened to hours of witness testimonies, expert analysis, hundreds of photographs, and other pieces of evidence that were presented to them.

A major point:  there is no argument that Darren Wilson did cause the death of Michael Brown.  The grand jury was charged with deciding who was the aggressor and whether or not this was a case of self-defense or a criminal offense.

Keep in mind that the grand jury are the only people who have seen all the evidence.

The Ferguson Grand Jury Decision

The grand jury has returned a “no true” bill on all of the indictments.  They found no evidence to charge Darren Wilson with any of the five criminal charges that were brought before them.  McCulloch said that some statements from witnesses were “completely refuted by the physical evidence.”

McCulloch went into great detail about the witnesses’ testimonies and the autopsies’ results.

Will Ferguson accept this result?  Will the Ferguson grand jury decision be accepted as true and fair, or will that decision ignite further rage and riots in a town that is already on the edge?

A statement from the Ferguson grand jury appealed to the people of the community to remember that the purpose of the grand jury is to analyze all scientific and forensic evidence.  McCulloch said “No young man should ever die.”  He also addressed the issues that lead to incidences like this, to continue to focus on these issues in a constructive way, not in a destructive way.

By statute, the grand jury cannot reveal whether the vote was unanimous or not.  McCulloch tried to make this clear as he was questioned by those witnessing the official statement.  He acknowledged that witnesses with conflicting statements would probably not be charge with perjury, as those witnesses truly believed what they saw, even if it wasn’t factually correct.

He confirmed that all witnesses that testified that Michael Brown was the aggressor in the situation were all African-American.

All of the evidence will be released to the public later this evening.  McCulloch pleaded for the understanding of what the grand jury has gone through for months, saying that they have “poured their heart and soul” into making sure they came up with a fair and partial decision.

McCulloch urged parties on both sides who had made up their own minds about this, no matter what the grand jury decision, to try to move forward and work to avoid situations like this.  He reiterated that a three-month grand jury was not “passing the buck” or trying to just push this situation under the rug.  They went above and beyond to make sure everything was considered fairly.

At this point, the case and investigation are closed, making the file open to the public.

Obviously many are not happy with this decision, the family of Michael Brown suffering the most.  But at the same time, 12 people who come from a diverse racial and social demographic reviewed the incident and made a decision.  Does that lessen their pain?  Not even remotely.

This was a tragedy.  This decision will not satisfy those who feel Darren Wilson was in the wrong.  Was the legal system right?  Was justice served?  The family of Michael Brown does not agree.

I think that McCulloch did everything he could do to make sure that everyone knows that everything was done to present the physical evidence to the grand jury and that the grand jury made their decision lawfully, based on fact, and not based on emotion.

Reports of looting already have started, even before the press conference was over.  I don’t understand why riots and looting are considered “the answer” to something like this.  Even the family of Michael Brown have called for peace no matter the grand jury decision.

This will be a long night for the people of Ferguson and the family of Michael Brown.

Please…how is looting and rioting going to make this better?  Please, you call for peace.  Demonstrate peace!

Diem Brown Was a True Inspiration

Diem Brown Was a True Inspiration

Diem Brown was a reality TV star, most famous for the Real World/Road Rules Challenge series.  She died today, at age 32, after one of the most courageous fights against cancer that I have seen in a long time.

I’ll be honest.  I had never heard of her before, not until earlier this year.  I had stumbled across one of the headlines about her battle with cancer and started reading her story.  I read her blog and followed her on Twitter.  I am not normally a big celebrity-follower; I find it hard to relate to complete strangers.  But this was different.  It was impossible to not to feel her infectious cheerfulness, impossible not to be charmed by her humor and resolve.  This young woman displayed such deep bravery and radiated such raw hope.

She had been fighting cancer for years, cancer that spread primarily to her ovaries, colon, and stomach lining. I won’t list the countless surgeries, procedures, side effects, hospital stays, and chemotherapy treatments that she endured.  The details are easy to Google if you want to read them. More important is how, despite the years of pain and suffering, she remained fiercely optimistic, sure that her determination would help her to beat the disease and allow her to still accomplish her dreams.

“I’m going to have a family and get married and the whole American, 2½ kids, white-picket fence dream,” she said. “It’s something that’s really important to me, because it means a long-term future.”

Diem Brown Was a True Inspiration

Diem Brown Was a True Inspiration

When a hysterectomy robbed her of a part of that dream, to carry a child of her own, Diem Brown still stayed positive.  Her focus on “one battle at a time” and her belief in the beauty of life helped her through the pain, through the setbacks.  Through it all, she shared this inner peace and confidence with the world.

When I saw the “breaking news” in my email inbox a short time ago, my heart just sank.  I truly wanted her to win, to get her happy ending.  Her brightness and strength were infectious, and I found myself hoping for a miracle.

I hoped for a miracle for a woman that I did not know; for a woman who battled as hard as a person possibly can against the evil beast of cancer; for a woman who brought inspiration to countless strangers, never complaining but always keeping in sight the future she knew she could attain.  She held out hope in a situation that was hopeless, and fought to the end a war that just could not be won.

The world has lost a bright-shining star.

RIP Diem Brown

Diem Brown founded MedGift, a website that lets people create support campaigns for anyone going through a medical hardship.  Similar to GoFundMe, donors can contribute funds to the campaign of their choice, or to MedGift as a whole.

Veterans Day: All Have Given Some

Veterans Day: All Have Given Some

Today is Veterans Day, a holiday that honors all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.  Unlike Memorial Day, which specifically honors those who have died while in service, today is a day to recognize everyone who has served and those who are currently serving.

As I drove to work this morning, I was in tears as I listened to the stories that callers were sharing on the radio.  Stories of heroism.  Stories of separation – of spouses missing their partners, children missing a parent, parents missing their children.  Stories of injuries that will never heal, of lost limbs, of shattered sanity.  Stories of grieving, of seats at the table that are no longer filled, of a folded flag and 21-gun salute.

Underlying in every one of those calls?

Unmistakable pride.

Take a moment to honor all veterans today – in words, in deeds, in thoughts.

I can’t even begin to write a complete list of the deserving, but here is a fragment:

  • The soldier patrolling in a war zone at this very moment
  • The elderly woman who saved lives as a Navy nurse in World War II
  • The mess hall cook who prepares and serves food
  • The maintenance tech who keeps equipment safe and running
  • The old man who stormed the beach at Normandy
  • The grandfather who spent two years in the jungles of Vietnam
  • The single parent who flies aircraft in Afghanistan
  • The husband who spends the majority of the year on a submarine
  • The mother who was killed while traveling in a convoy
  • The father who missed the birth of his first child while he was deployed
  • The officer who has nightmares about the men he has lost
  • The military doctor who cared for the Jews in the liberated concentration camps
  • The clerk who manages payroll and makes sure that military personnel get paid
  • The drill sergeant who devotes his life to training new recruits
  • The reservist who is prepared to abandon his civilian life at a moment’s notice if duty calls
  • The chaplain who does everything in his power to bring peace and comfort to those who need it
Veterans Day: All Have Given Some

Veterans Day: All Have Given Some

We will always, always revere those who were called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives.  They deserve nothing less than our highest regard and solemn respect.  They truly gave all.

However, let us not forget that every veteran is significant.  No matter what specific service their country demanded of them during their time in uniform, every person took the same oath, swearing to defend their country to the death.  All veterans have given some: they took risks, made sacrifices, and stepped up, declaring proudly and without fear “I am willing to die.”

Honor them all, America.

Honor them all.

— Veteran, U.S. Army, honorably discharged 2005
 
To the GOP: You Won #Election2014. Now Show Us You Can Govern

To the GOP: You Won #Election2014. Now Show Us You Can Govern

November 5, 2014

Congratulations.

To be honest, despite all the projections to the contrary, I did not think you would pull it off, GOP.  I really didn’t.  I know America is Washington-weary and disillusioned with the current administration, but given the amount of anti-Republican vitriol that is spewed all over the Internet, I would have bet money that voters would never give you control of Congress.

I stand corrected.  I find myself pleasantly surprised and incredibly hopeful.

I am hopeful that you, the GOP, can reverse the negative perceptions that your own actions and the actions of the extremists in your party have created.  I hope that you show that “conservative” equals less federal government interference and more fiscal responsibility, not middle-class hating or poverty-inflicting.  Demonstrate that you can compromise for the sake of the betterment of this country.  Prove that you do care about the people who you represent.

And please, please, just keep religion out of it.

I am as religious as the next person, but even I wish that you would just calm down on trying to legislate non-criminal behavior.  It is a little hypocritical to have a party whose platform is centered around less government interference that turns around and tries to interfere with things that are based on your religious beliefs.  Don’t like a certain kind of birth control?  Fine, then don’t use it, but it’s not up to you to stop others from doing so.  Don’t agree with gay marriage?  Fine, but you cannot force that belief on an entire nation.  If you truly believe these things are sinful, then work through your church to get your message out.  Do not do it from Capitol Hill.

You have not been elected to a church board, or a charitable organization committee, GOP.  You were not elected to be the spiritual leaders of our nation.  America is not a theocracy.  It is time to stop focusing so much on Christian vs. atheist, moral vs. immoral, and “my beliefs are better than yours.”  America is a country, a business, a massive logistical nightmare.  Start focusing on running it, not trying to change what it believes.

This is your chance to prove that voters did not make a mistake yesterday.

GOP: You Won #Election2014. Now Show Us You Can Govern

GOP #Election2014

Let the states manage the raising of their minimum wage to rates that make sense for their populace.  Let each state decide if they want to legalize marijuana.  Allow states to make themselves attractive to businesses so that jobs can be created.

Focus on immigration, wars/terrorism, foreign policy, the economy, the budget, and the deficit. Start passing clean bills, not bills stuffed with GOP-specific/special interest “extras”. Crack down on crime and corruption.  You will never get the ACA outright repealed, so don’t invest the time and effort; instead focus on tweaking it so that the beneficial parts are kept and the price tag is brought down.

Please, please do not waste the next two years investigating past events and holding useless impeachment proceedings. Witch-hunting will simply alienate you further.  You want to reform taxes and scale down the government?  Then do it.  Just move on.

Govern, Republicans. No gloating, no preaching, and no revenge.  Just govern.

This is your chance.  It could very well be your last one.

 

Sincerely,

A Republican Voter

Beyond Delightful: Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids

Beyond Delightful: Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids

Late last year, Disney unleashed the Frozen juggernaut upon an unsuspecting world.

Have you heard of it?  Just a little bit?

Never mind that, as of April 2014, the movie made $1.097 billion gross profit at the box office, making it the highest grossing animated and musical film of all time.  Never mind that it won 2 Academy Awards and 1 Golden Globe.

Kids don’t care about any of that.

Every child ages 3 and up* can sing the lyrics to “Let it Go” from start to finish.  Every parent of those children can also sing those lyrics…in the car, in the shower, in their heads, in their nightmares.

The top selling costume for girls in the Kids and Toddlers categories is…you guessed, it!  Elsa. My husband and I have a bet going as to how many Elsa costumes we will see this week. I secretly have one already – my niece.  (Ha! Me – 1 Husband – 0)  Running a close second and third are Anna and Olaf costumes, which also come in sizes ranging from “just born” to “fun-loving grown-up”.

Probably the last group of people anyone would expect to see dressed up as the cast of a Disney movie would be big, burly men who play in the National Hockey League.  But they did, and it is beyond delightful.

Every year around Halloween, the Boston Bruins visit the sick children at Boston Children’s Hospital.  They dress up in costumes and bring cheer to the little kids.  This year, Dougie Hamilton, Matt Fraser, Kevin Miller, Matt Bartkowski, Torey Krug, and Seth Griffith went above and beyond and showed up as Frozen characters.  Seriously.  You must see these photos from Twitter:

 

Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids (Twitter)

Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids (Twitter)

Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids (Twitter)

Boston Bruins Dress as Frozen Characters for Sick Kids (Twitter)

 

The braids!  The Olaf with misplaced carrot.  The reindeer.  But it is 6’5” Dougie Hamilton, tall and proud in his blond wig and pretty blue Elsa dress, who is the icing on the cake.  A more heartstring-tugging band of ragtag Disney characters you will never see.  Add to the costumes the unabashed singing (“Let it Go”, of course), and the awesomeness is complete.

Maybe you are Frozen-weary at this point.  Maybe the thought of hearing that song one more time makes you want to throw things.  Maybe you groaned when your child asked to be Elsa this year.  (My daughter is going as a decidedly non-Frozen cheetah, although she says next year she’ll be Elsa.  I’m fine with that; there will be about 10,000 used Elsa costumes available secondhand by then.) Anyway, maybe the thrill of the movie faded away months ago.

Even if the Frozen magic is gone for you, it is impossible to not be touched by the absolute sweetness of those Boston Bruins players, guys who were willing to put aside any embarrassment to bring a few hours of fun and laughter to sick children.

Happy Halloween!

 

*Slight exaggeration. Possibly not every child.

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