I think most parents have a love/hate relationship with Elmo. On the one hand, parents love the hours of amusement and distraction the tinny-voiced puppet provides their little one; on the other hand, they loathe the non-stop high pitched “singing” and “giggling” that is Elmo’s stock and trade. Oh, it’s cute at first, when the baby timidly pushes the button on Tickle Me Elmo or Chicken Dance Elmo, is surprised and then starts laughing. Adorable. Kodak moment for sure. The problem is that once is never enough for the toddler who has discovered Elmo. They will keep pushing that button over and over and over, once they figure out how to do it. They will cry and scream when a frustrated parent says “Enough” after hours and hours of noise and takes Elmo away. They will beg and resort to tantrums to have their friend Elmo returned.

You may be thinking, if Elmo toys are so annoying, why should I buy one for Baby X? Well, the annoyance is part of the fun, especially if it is not YOUR Baby X. This “annoyance factor” is a feature that distinguishes memorable gifts from truly unforgettable ones. Elmo toys are pretty much instant hits with almost all kids, so the kid will be totally psyched to receive the toy. They will want to play with the toy frequently. The kids will think you are the coolest for getting them such an awesome toy. The parents will undoubtedly notice their child’s devotion to the Elmo toy, and will thank you every time they see you. In fact, they’ll start thanking you whenever they see Elmo, whether or not you, the gift giver, is around.

In my case, I gave a Chicken Dance Elmo to my niece about 5 years ago. Elmo got passed to her cousin, then back to her younger brother, then to another cousin, then to another younger brother. Elmo was sent to live the the grandparents a couple of years ago to minimize the total amount of Elmo exposure, to no avail. Now, every time the word “Elmo” is uttered, every adult in ear shot cringes and voices an exasperated, “Thanks, Aunt T!”, while the kids drag Elmo from his latest hiding spot and start that music playing again. That singular gift, handed down many times already, has cemented my reputation as the “cool aunt” with 5 kids. Even in spite of my siblings’ promises and thinly veiled threats to return the Elmo favor when I have kids, I still think it was an incredible return on investment. If Elmo ever does it make it into my house, though, we may have a problem.