Stuffed Animals - Terrific Gift Versus Carnival Souvenir

Now that winter is here, some of the pleasures of summer are gone for a while. You can't go outside in shorts, sandals, and t-shirts. This time of year, you need to layer your clothes and bundle up with coats, hats, boots, scarves, and gloves. The ice will have to scraped off the windshield before you take the car out.
And some of summer's destination spots are closed for the season. It'll be months before you can visit beaches, boardwalks, and amusement parks.

These destinations can be an important part of summer fun. Lots of people are thrill seekers, making annual pilgrimages to amusement parks for the exciting rides. These people don't mind waiting in line for the biggest, fastest, newest roller coasters and rides. Some people prefer carnivals and fairs where there are games with prizes involved.

You can spot the boardwalk gamer by the giant stuffed animals they drag around. They can't take their huge reward on the rides and there isn't anywhere at the park to store such a massive prize. For these people, playing the games and being successful enough to win something is a bigger thrill than the roller coaster.

Keep this in mind when you consider some plush animals as gifts for your friends and family. Some of them already have some stuffed toys from amusement park visits. But there is a big difference between a good gift plush toy and a carnival prize. The right gift stuffed animal is far superior to ones you might win tossing rings or knocking down bottles.

The stuffed animal that you might bring home as a prize usually winds up in the closet or basement, a forgotten souvenir of a summer past. The right gift be more meaningful. We remember not only the occasion, but the person who gave us the gift. The toy can be more personal and specific to the recipient.

It can be less tacky, more appropriate, and a better size for display. These factors can keep the plush animal out of the attic, where it will just collect dust bunnies, and elevate it to the status of a friend as well as a piece of decor.

Sadly, most animals given out as amusement park prizes are not of high quality. The people operating sideshow games need to make a profit, and have to cut operating costs where they can. The thrill of winning something can obscure the money spent playing and the goofy appearance of a giant purple bear. When choosing a stuffed animal for a gift, it is easy to find one of higher quality.

Modern plushies are expertly made from high quality materials. They are not only realistic, but soft and cuddly, too! For instance, I once won a plush cat at a carnival. Although I love cats and was happy to win something, the thrill wore off quickly. The stuffed prize was disappointing, at best. The stitching was loose, and it began to sag and lose its shape before we got out of the park. That Christmas, my sister gave me a much nicer stuffed cat. It looked natural, was soft and fluffy, and was of much better quality. I still have that plush cat today.

All plush toys have a certain charm, but there is a large difference in the quality of the ones available. There is also a huge difference in meaning. A personal gift will always have more meaning than a souvenir. Think of the difference between a restaurant gift card and taking someone out to dinner.

Buying someone dinner can create an individual experience and allow you to spend quality time with them. You are not just giving a gift, but creating memories. So even if someone has a large collection of stuffed animals, there is always room for one more. A person can never have too many plush animals, especially if they don't have one from you yet!

Seed Newsvine

Bookmark this article in your preferred program

Comments

Add Comment

Popular Articles in this cathegory

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.