Parents Talk: Helping Your Kids Create a Reasonable Holiday Gift List

When I was a kid, the excitement that would blow through the Burgess home as the holiday shopping season began can be pinpointed to one thing: The Toys-R-Us catalog arriving.

My sister and I would pore over the pages, carefully dog-earring them to call special attention to the items circled therein. We would proudly hand it to our parents, believing we had done them a great service. (There would be no way they could disappoint us if they took our direction on the gifts.)

Of course, I never got that electric Barbie car. (Sigh)

A paper catalog seems a little old school now with the Internet and so many shops to choose from. So, how do you help plan your kids' gift lists? Do you take them to the store? Supervise them online? Or do you wait for the big catalog to come in the mail?

Also, how do you manage kids' expectations? Do you talk them in to writing only certain things down they want? Or do you let their wants run wild?

Share your thoughts, tips and maybe even tricks in the comments section below.