What will be the hot toys this holiday season?  The T.M.X. Elmo (who has laughing fits and slaps his knee) has already sold out at many stores.  Other hot toys this season are expected to include Barbie and her 12 dancing princesses (could you have any more princesses?), Bratz dolls pimped out with diamonds (how about that bling?), a life-sized animatronic pony (not making this up) and a new Nintendo game console that allows kids to wave around the remote to match action on the screen (like hitting a ball on the screen with an imaginary tennis racket or pretending to slap your real world brother across the face).

What have your kids started asking for?  Will they get socks again for Christmas this year?  Maybe only grandmas do that.  Have toys gone too far, got too expensive and complicated?  During my first birthday party I unwrapped all my presents and spent the rest of the time playing with the wrapping paper.  Is Santa Claus real?