As you enter The Warehouse in Albany, you're greeted by one of those Christmas trees with tags on. Each tag has the gender and age of a child to buy a present for, and I grabbed a couple off the tree, for a 3 -year-old girl and a 4 year-old boy. Shopping for appropriate gifts my interior monologue was going crazy. Was it cultural imperialism to buy a pink-skinned dolly for the girl? What if she was from a different ethnic group? Why was I assuming she might be? How about that battery-powered toy toolset for the boy? Am I suggesting he shouldn't rise above his station? Should I be aiming for less gendered presents? Is it overwhelmingly boring to give an alphabet jigsaw, and might it be suggesting the child's parents care little for his education?

In the end I dealt the voices a hearty SHUT UP and put the gifts in the box, unwrapped. If the Sallies deem them inappropriate they can redistribute. The end.

PS: Michelle, your Christmas theme is beautiful.