Shopping for Ponies

When we wrote letters to Santa a couple of weeks ago Rose announced that she wants a pony.  To my relief it turned out that she wants a new my little pony, specifically 'Rainbow Dash', the blue one with a Rainbow mane and tail and a rainbow branded on her bottom.  Easy I thought.  Today I looked in vain in Walmart, Toys R Us and the toy section of Canadian Tire.  Everything seems to be 'Princess Celeste' who is white and actually a unicorn so she won't be fobbed off with that.  The only Rainbow Dashes came in packs of many plastic ponies or in sets with picnic equipment, hand bags and crowns or lots of other tiny bits and I prefer to leave the tiny bit buying to grandparents and other people who don't have to dredge out hoover bags when the tiny bits become invisible on the floor.

In the end I found a soft fabric Rainbow Dash, I don't know if this will do or if there will be tears because it isn't plastic.  I could feel the angst of Christmas building up inside me as I stood in front of the shelves willing the little blue freak to magically appear and I almost started to think a real pony might be easier.  Present shopping is much less enjoyable now that I am responsible and the happiness of small people hinges on getting it right.