Every holiday season there’s that one special toy, like Tickle-Me-Elmo or Wii, that is on every child’s list. And every season ordinarily rational parents turn into Rambo-like creatures who will stand in line before the dawn and not worry about who they have to knock out of their way to get what their child wants. This year, it’s a squeaky toy hamster, the Zhu Zhu pet, that has made some parents lose their minds. I’ve heard reports of fist fights between parents, and recently my sister-in-law had a Zhu Zhu accessory snatched out of her hand by a woman who told her she needed what my sister-in-law was holding. Folks, it’s a $10 piece of squeaky plastic. Have we lost our minds?

I’m not immune to the desire to make my daughters’ holiday wishes come true, and I’ve stood in a few lines myself over the years. But I can say without exception, that any must-have item that I stressed about for my children, that I presented on Christmas morning with pride that I had been able to get them exactly what they asked for, was the very item they quickly forgot about in the following weeks. They were never the items that they counted among their treasured possessions. What they have stored in our attic and their closets because they couldn’t bear to part with them are well-loved stuffed animals, well-read books and a collection of American Girl clothes and dolls they both tell me will one day belong to their daughters (items I ordered online, fist-fight free). I say this to ease your stress about having to hunt down Num Nums. If you think this item isn’t something that: a) they’ll really care about a few weeks after the holidays, and b) is likely to last, just stay home and make yourself some tea while you make up a holiday shopping list that has some items on it that will provide lasting memories.

And keep an eye on the news because there’s talk about a recall on those hamsters anyway.