Why I Hate the Holidays Part Deux

Shopping for a 9 year old boy sucks. He's always been hard to please. I've tried everything. Some years I've bought by the reviews. Everything they say a boy his age will like I buy. It flopped. One year I bought everything he specifically asked for. I started keeping a list in October and then just went down it. A few years I've bought what I think he'd like based on toys he plays with elsewhere, his personality, etc. That bombed too. I know he's too old for Santa and I know he doesn't want to tell me that he is too old for Santa. His dad took him to see the old man and here is what he said: "I don't really want anything for Christmas, I have everything I need." HUH?!!!

I asked him if that was true, he said he wanted two games for his GBA, but didn't think Santa would understand. That's it. All he wants are two $30 games. Seriously. How am I supposed to work with that? I considered getting him a more advanced digital camera, but figured that would go to waste. I thought about one of those programmable robots, but I hear they break. I ended up buying a Palm E2 because he's always wanting to play with my Palm, but I don't see how that is going to be 'fun' for him when he already has a GBA. He doesn't want a Nintendo DS. AGH! When they were little I didn't have the money to get them what they wanted and now that I do, he doesn't want anything. Isn't that irony at its finest. So, I"m game for any ideas... what do you get a 9 year old boy who (1) doesn't play with trucks, (2) already has a computer, (3) and a pony, and (4) doesn't get into sports?

And I'm not buying a Playstation because we have a Gamecube that I have to ration out time on or he'd play it all day. I think I'll just save the money because it looks like I'll need it for therapy for him.