It happens every year.  Certain toys become the season's "must haves."  Without these toys, Christmas will be ruined.  Parents and grandparents spend ridiculous sums of money and go to heroic lengths to obtain them since, of course, they are in short supply.

Let me let you in on a little secret.  By Valentine's Day, no one will care about those toys anymore.  THey will be no more special than anything else. 

You'd think that having seen this routine play out year after year folks would have gotten wise to the pattern, but apparently not.

This year, before you go on a bidding spree on Ebay or line up outside a door hoping to get one of the treasured items, think about why you're doing it.  It may be far more valuable to manage the expectation than to obtain the elusive toy.