Darn you American Girl catalog...

[fivi2]

(This is an actual question)

My girls (almost 7) have never cared for dolls. They love stuffed animals, but ignore dolls. We have a couple (bitty twins and some others) that get very little love.

Then the American Girl catalog showed up last week. They have circled every item, they have fought over it, drooled over it, opened up their letters to Santa to add doll stuff to it. etc.

I am not getting American Girl stuff.

But - should Santa bring a knock off doll and the most wanted accessory - which right now is the wheelchair set and the tent set (knock off also)? I really don't have any good ideas for gifts other than some small stuff (and their birthday is right before Christmas, and grandparents want ideas). Or is that just throwing money away since they almost never play with dolls? Or will this new obsession really last?

WWYD?

And - who makes the best knock off - Target, TRUS, Gotz, Madame Alexander ??? My girls are blonde with green/blue/hazel eyes if that matters. (and they want Caroline from the AG catalog, but not because of her story)

[vonfirmath]

I've heard good things, in accessories, from both the TRU Journey line and Target and walmart.

I haven't heard great things about any of the dolls :( The hair is evidently a problem.

Madame Alexander? Gotz are better names. (Tuesday Morning sometimes has them)

[KrisM]

Have they ever had an older girl doll? I ask because DD never played with baby dolls, but does play with AG 18" dolls. If they haven't, then I'd get a knock-off doll and the wheel chair set. The wheel chair gets a ton of use here. We have the TRU version (Journey Girls) and it's been fine for a year now.

[MMMommy]

I read that TRU Journey Girl dolls are the best knockoffs in terms of hair quality. I also think they are prettier than the Target Our Generation dolls.

[fivi2]

They haven't had an older girl doll, really. They have some of the princess and fairy barbie sized dolls (no barbies) and then they each have an 18 inch princess. The 18 inch princesses pretty much sleep all the time in the doll bed my mom gave them. Occasionally Snow White gets a cast when Doc McStuffins is around (yes, my almost 7 yos watch Doc McStuffins). But the princesses still look like the princesses even in different clothes, so I think they want plain ones.

I think I have talked myself into getting cheap knock offs (with your help ;) ) I can tell aunt and grandparents to get some cheap accessories, and that will really help with my lack of gift ideas... I will check out Tuesday Morning and the TRUS line. Thanks!

[Seitvonzu]

one thing about the knock offs... (uhoh, i'm going to sound like i work for AG , which i DO NOT (unfortunately))....

some kids really just like the label of this doll. it's about being "an American Girl doll." do they have friends who have these dolls? it's sorta a kid culture thing. the kids get together with their dolls and "play," have parties, etc. if that's where the desire to have one is coming from-- i'd be reluctant to get the knock off. she could really just sit around in bed like the princesses (trust me... we have lots of babies in beds around here... dolls in general are not my DD's thing) if it's something SPECIFIC about this doll, they might me more involved with them kwim?

i'm not sure how you feel about encouraging a "status" gift (or if that's even what this is for your kids...), but honestly? if it was my daughter, and i had no other ideas, and i could afford it? i'd just go AG. they do have resale value, so if it sits around collecting dust you might be able to convince your kids to sell it for something else?

you don't have to buy everything they circled of course :) AGs were conceived as "collections"-- :)

i wish my daughter was lured by the AG catalog...so take this for what it's worth ;)

[fivi2]

one thing about the knock offs... (uhoh, i'm going to sound like i work for AG , which i DO NOT (unfortunately))....

some kids really just like the label of this doll. it's about being "an American Girl doll." do they have friends who have these dolls? it's sorta a kid culture thing. the kids get together with their dolls and "play," have parties, etc. if that's where the desire to have one is coming from-- i'd be reluctant to get the knock off. she could really just sit around in bed like the princesses (trust me... we have lots of babies in beds around here... dolls in general are not my DD's thing) if it's something SPECIFIC about this doll, they might me more involved with them kwim?

i'm not sure how you feel about encouraging a "status" gift (or if that's even what this is for your kids...), but honestly? if it was my daughter, and i had no other ideas, and i could afford it? i'd just go AG. they do have resale value, so if it sits around collecting dust you might be able to convince your kids to sell it for something else?

you don't have to buy everything they circled of course :) AGs were conceived as "collections"-- :)

i wish my daughter was lured by the AG catalog...so take this for what it's worth ;)



Those are all good points. It appears that they had never heard of AG dolls before this catalog, so i am not worried about the peer pressure aspect yet. They seem to just like the "stuff ". I don't think they care about the status or specific stories yet. I talked to a couple other school moms yesterday whose girls were having the same reaction to the catalog - none have real AG dolls. FWIW - our school is not especially affluent so I don't know if that affects any of this. I kind of see this as a test run and if they later get into a specific historical doll, we will go from there...

But I appreciate the perspective!

[Aishe]

My almost 7yo dd did the exact same thing last year so I got her a Target knock-off doll. She's played with it maybe half a dozen times. I think the catalog is very appealing, but in my dd's case, the interest was very short-lived. So I think it's wise to start off cheap and see if it's truly a hit.

And I'm so glad I'm not the only one who'd never heard of AG dolls before! I guess I'm old because I don't remember them existing when I was a kid.

[citymama]

I could have written the title to your post! It's all about the marketing, and this last catalog seems to have been widely marketed because we got about 3 of them. DD has gone bananas and practically sleeps with the catalog - the kid who has barely any interest in dolls. She has talked grandma (who loves dolls) into getting her one for the holidays. Since we are going to LA next month, guess who is getting to go to the AG Place and PICK out her doll? What a scam, but we fell for it hook, line and sinker.

[fivi2]

I could have written the title to your post! It's all about the marketing, and this last catalog seems to have been widely marketed because we got about 3 of them. DD has gone bananas and practically sleeps with the catalog - the kid who has barely any interest in dolls. She has talked grandma (who loves dolls) into getting her one for the holidays. Since we are going to LA next month, guess who is getting to go to the AG Place and PICK out her doll? What a scam, but we fell for it hook, line and sinker.

:ROTFLMAO: some of the other moms were saying the same thing about the catalog! I don't know if AG did something different this year or if the girls are just at the right age. I hear there is a store in Dallas, so if the knock -offs are a hit this year we may be doing the same thing as you are next year :)

[fivi2]

Well, I am a sucker...

I just bought two Carolines. I am pretty sure dh is not speaking to me :) (only kidding).

But I talked myself into it by the following - they are almost 7 If they do love the knock-off, if I wait until they are 8 to buy the AG, then they won't have many years of doll playing left. So we need to get the most out of it now. Or something...

Thanks for the advice!

[KrisM]

Well, I am a sucker...

I just bought two Carolines. I am pretty sure dh is not speaking to me :) (only kidding).

But I talked myself into it by the following - they are almost 7 If they do love the knock-off, if I wait until they are 8 to buy the AG, then they won't have many years of doll playing left. So we need to get the most out of it now. Or something...

Thanks for the advice!

:applause:

I hope they enjoy them!

[Seitvonzu]

Caroline is BEAUTIFUL :) i would also want the holiday dress :) (and the blue dress)...that is all! :)

(ENJOY:)

[elephantmeg]

lol, my DD is 4 and has most of the AG catalog circled as well. Thankfully the majority of the catalog is the 18inch stuff and I've told her she is too young for that. But the twins are getting a lot of attention and most of her Christmas list is AG. If your girl liked the matching clothes idea then dollie and me stuff is pretty nice. I got a nightgown last year at Khols and it has held up well (DD wears it every.freaking.night all fall/winter/spring)

[icunurse]

Caroline is BEAUTIFUL :) i would also want the holiday dress :) (and the blue dress)...that is all! :)

(ENJOY:)

You must have been in cahoots with my DD because that is what I just broke down and ordered a couple of days ago.....Caroline and the holiday outfit. But my budget stopped at the blue dress ;)

[citymama]

Well, I am a sucker...

I just bought two Carolines. I am pretty sure dh is not speaking to me :) (only kidding).

But I talked myself into it by the following - they are almost 7 If they do love the knock-off, if I wait until they are 8 to buy the AG, then they won't have many years of doll playing left. So we need to get the most out of it now. Or something...

Thanks for the advice!

I hope they love them!

[fivi2]

Caroline is BEAUTIFUL :) i would also want the holiday dress :) (and the blue dress)...that is all! :)

(ENJOY:)

Ha - Twin A got the holiday dress, and Twin B got the travel dress :bag

And since there were some ice skates on sale ... (not the period appropriate ones, but oh well)

As I said when this all started - Darn you, American Girl catalog!