Dear Internet,
Are your kids / nieces / nephews / godchildren / siblings CUCKOO SLAP-DAB CRAZY over these little dealios?
Because in our house? And at our school? And in our town?
The kids – boys and girls alike – are CUCKOO SLAP-DAB CRAZY over the animal bracelets.
Beats anything I’ve ever seen, this fascination with GLORIFIED RUBBER BANDS.
That is all.
Love,
Me
p.s. CUCKOO.
Becky says:
Never seen them before but yes I would totally love them. To darn cute.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Ashley says:
I am a 2nd grade teacher and the bracelets are EVERYWHERE! I have taken so many of them up from children who are playing with them that I now have my own collection- the flamingo, pig, rhino, and giraffe. Who needs to buy them? You can just be a teacher :)
November 8th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
AndiK says:
Oh, that takes me back…back to the days when everybody was obsessed with slap bracelets…you know, the ones that were straight until you smacked them on your wrist and then they curled around…magic! They were so popular that they were banned at my elementary school.
I also remember a trend of bracelets made out of what looked like telephone cord…
November 8th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The Only Girl says:
Never heard of them. Where would I get such a beast? My Youngest would LOVEY those!
November 8th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Ashley says:
I’m embarrased to tell you how many hours I’ve driven all over this city looking for them. It’s way too many for a grown woman to admit to.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
tckk says:
I’ve never seen those before!
November 8th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Name Nazi says:
Never seen them, but I can see Chickie being in love.
BTW, our church handed out slap bracelets in the All Hallow’s Eve bags o’ goodies and my kids are IN LOVE. In fact, I wish I could find some more because they would go straight into the stockings next month.
Whoa. Did I just type next month?!
November 8th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
no.17 CherryTreeLane says:
kids these days……geesh.
Wait….i like them too.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Katherine @ Grass Stains says:
Yes, Silly Bandz are all the rage. (I’m in Birmingham, too.) One of my good friends just set up a kiosk at the Galleria to sell them. They were originally only going to be open until Halloween, but sales have been so good that she just extended her lease through the holidays. Yesterday she got in a shipment of 288 Christmas Silly Bandz, and they were sold out within an hour!
And — NOT to add to the hysteria — BUT there are new designs on the way: 12-packs of Cars (Trucks, Vans, Buses, Beetles), Fun Shapes (Flowers, Hearts, Stars, Four-Leaf Clovers, Christmas Trees and Stockings), and Animals (Alligators, Porcupines, Moose, Seagulls). April knows my boys are cuh-razy about them, so she sends me the “news.” :)
November 8th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
brandiandboys says:
us too!
and i’m the worst mom because i haven’t broken down and bought any. jett keeps trading cool pencils to add to his collection!
November 8th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Kaycee says:
Never seen them before (I live in Michigan – maybe it’s a regional thing??).
AndiK & Name Nazi – OH MY GOSH I loved slap bracelets!!! That is until the wrapping came off one and it actually cut my wrist when I slapped it on. :)
November 8th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Amy from Occupation: Mommy says:
We haven’t seen them yet, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. Or maybe I could be the coolest mommy ever and introduce them…naaahhh…
November 8th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Amy Berkheimer says:
Those are way better than the jelly bracelets from the 80’s!
I would have been totally hooked! :)
November 8th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Sandra says:
Oddly enough, my daughter had these tonight at church…someone gave them to her…first time I’ve seen them.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
k&c's mom says:
Oh, my! Do we have them in Texas yet? I’m a first grade teacher so you would think I’d have seen them by now….
November 8th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Jennifer says:
I, too, am from Birmingham and agree with Ashley. I, too, am a teacher and I have a mighty fine collection of animal bracelets of my own!! Turtle, Kangaroo, Rabbit, and like 4 others that I can’t remember! I wish I was the person who created the darn things and maybe I wouldn’t have to be a teacher anymore!
November 8th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
A&EMom says:
Shhhhh… don’t tell my little Okie girls. We haven’t seen them yet and I’m afraid mass hysteria would follow.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Jenny says:
I have never seen these before…and I have 3 kids. Must not have caught on yet around here or they are the only thing that isn’t on the Christmas list!! :)
November 8th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Bailey's Leaf says:
They haven’t reached NE Ohio yet. They looked like a cookie cutter to me! Mmmmm, cookies. Sugar, chocolate chip, peanut butter . . .
November 8th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Vanderbilt Wife says:
My hubby found out about these things as his very first day as a high-school teacher this year. (Ever. His first job.)
About day 3, he was gifted with a duck bracelet. He is a 28-year-old male.
Them kids are nuts.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Pepper says:
Haven’t hit Oregon but I want some!! So cute!!
November 8th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Linda Sue says:
Never have seen them – they are cute – what a clever way to train children to BUY stuff – :::sigh:::: oh well for those in need and without a neat kiosk nearby
http://silly-bands.com/
November 8th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Marla Taviano says:
I’ve never seen them. Do they go back to their animal shape when you take them off your wrist?
November 8th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Rachel says:
We live in Cullman and my nephew is OBSESSED. It’s a sickness.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Shelly W. says:
You know your kids are getting older when you don’t know about the current bracelet rage. I’ve never seen them in my life.
You Southerners are such trend setters.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Traci@TotalMomsense says:
Yes- I have gone to lenghts only rivaled by my own mother’s when she was looking for Cabbage Patch Kids- and yes, for rubber bands.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Jenni says:
Never seen them in OK, but then again, I have boys. They seem very cool…like jelly bracelets, slap bracelets, etc. My niece would love them!
November 8th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
brenda says:
No from Texas. :) Never seen ‘em.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Leah says:
Never heard of them…although I just had a scary thought – my kids are going to old enough one day to be into the silly stuff like this that becomes popular and I’m going to be one of “those moms” running all over town for…rubberbands? Or whatever comes next…..ugh!!!!
November 8th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Melody says:
I live in CA and have never even seen those things before, but they’re adorable! Actually thinking of tracking some down for my daughter! ;)
November 8th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Painted Maypole says:
hmmm…. never seen them
November 8th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Nancy says:
All I can say is YES. We are right there with you.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Hillary @ The Other Mama says:
Yes. Completely in love. We are right there with you. And the day I caved and bought them for my son was the day they banned them from his school.
Nice.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Erin says:
I am a second grade teacher and I have never seen these before! I bet my kids would love them though…and hopefully leave them at home :)
November 8th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Lindsay Munson says:
I’m getting them soon in my store here in Texas. http://Www.lindentreeboutique.com :) they are so cool! We love them!
November 8th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Amyswandering says:
I’m in Texas & have never seen them. My kids would love these!! About how much do they cost?
November 8th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Amanda says:
http://www.sillybandz.com
4.95 for a set of 24 and they have Christmas sets…
How cool is that? I used to wear the little rubber bracelets… they weren’t in shapes though. <>
November 9th, 2009 at 1:37 am
Nikki says:
My 8 year old daughter wears so many she can’t pull her long-sleeved shirts down over them. My son cried for 20 minutes the other night when his dinosaur bracelet broke. So, YES, we’re crazy about them in this SC town.
Why, oh why, can’t I come up with some crazy little invention that would be all the rage!?
November 9th, 2009 at 5:13 am
April says:
I’ve never seen them before, but my kids are 11 and 13 so they might have missed this trend. They look really cool, though.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Southern Gal says:
Never heard of them or seen them. I guess we could be trendsetters! Unless of course, they are the rage in public school and we don’t know it because we homeschool???
November 9th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Liz says:
I’m in the Frozen Tundra (MN) and they haven’t made their way here yet. I can bet that they will be very popular though when they do.
November 9th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Rebekah says:
This is the first time I’ve heard of them. They are so cute! I think I’d rather have them slap dab crazy over those than these crazy Pokemon and Bakugan. At least I know what a giraffe is but a Beedrill? or a Dragonoid? Beats me!
November 9th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Fran says:
Well, I’m just devastated that I have not seen them and know nothing about them.
Dern. I love them!
November 9th, 2009 at 6:48 am
kelly says:
Boo-
I’ve never heard of these bracelets….we homeschool, so I guess this proves how “unsocialized” we are. :) But they are awesome and I know my kids would dig them.
Off topic, with the El Salvador team going for a Compassion tour, I just wanted to tell you that 2 years ago, when you were in Uganda, I sponsored a child, Shivan, who we still sponsor and love and adore. I have a HUGE folder of letters from her. :) It has been an awesome experience. We hope to meet her in the future. THANKS for going!
November 9th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Jackie @ Lilolu says:
My kids would love something like this.
November 9th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Tara says:
I’ve never seen them before. I’m sure my daughter will love them in a couple years, but odds are that they’ll be out of vogue by then!
November 9th, 2009 at 7:44 am
Jennie says:
I’m curious as to what those ‘glorified rubber bands’ cost? :)
November 9th, 2009 at 8:55 am
jill says:
And then add into that mix BENDAROOS!!!!!!
November 9th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Amy says:
Yes. They are crazy about them here in my neck of the woods… especially the girls.
There are only two shops in town that carry the bracelets and many parents seem to have set up vigil in these stores in an effort to snatch an overpriced bag or twenty when the come off the truck. They are so popular that at one store, they have created a waiting list.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:13 am
wanda says:
Where’ve I been?
I want one too!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Lauren says:
Rome, GA is crazy about them!!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Amy says:
Oh yes Ma’am! I am in your same city and the crazy has reached my children, all their friends, even my 17 year old daughter at the high school (and most of the kids there – girls AND boys)!
I had big drama in my house this morning due to an illusive “sun”. One of my twins (age 10) got one from a friend this weekend and the other did not. You can be sure that I will be headed to the Galleria this afternoon to find that kiosk – I can’t take another Sun Smackdown at 6:30 in the AM.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Mrs. Skipper says:
Yes, they are a fad here… and they are $6.00 a pack! Someone is making megabucks off these things!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Lora Lynn @ Vitafamiliae says:
Yes. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????
November 9th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Kptmoon says:
Yep, my 9-year-old daughter’s been begging for them for WEEKS. I finally caved and ordered them online. Even my 4-year-old is starting to want his own collection. *sigh*
November 9th, 2009 at 10:14 am
rrmama says:
I hate to admit this but I have never seen them nor have the boys. What they do want me to buy are those bendaroos. They see a commerical for them all the time. At one point it as if the commercial came on every single commerical break.
November 9th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Kim says:
Never seen them before.
However, I can totally see this being the rage in our small town. I remember the jelly bracelet craze that lead to the jelly shoe craze…or was it the other way around.
Now I can’t see how this latest trend influences footwear.
November 9th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Kim says:
OK. I must now do my own corrections:
“…around?”
and
“Now I can’t WAIT to see….”
Sorry.
November 9th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Holly @ Crownlaiddown says:
I’ve not seen them in Colorado…at least not in our neck of the woods. But my first thought was Operation Christmas Child! I could fit a lot of these little treats into a box with all the other goodies. So now I’m on a quest!
November 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Shelly says:
I, along with Fran, share her devastation over not ever having seen them. I’ve been trying to figure out what to get one of our nieces for her bday. Now I gotta figure out if Nashville has them!??
November 9th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Brandy says:
we too live in the ‘Ham and all the kids are crazy about them. It’s nuts here! My kids are going crazy for the new Christmas ones. We MUST find them for the kids!!! It’s just about as bad as the beanie baby craze!!!
November 9th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Robin says:
Like so many other commenters, I haven’t seen them before, but Reia would LOVE them. So, instead of reading every comment and trying to find out what they are called and where you get them, could you just post said info? =)
November 9th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says:
I just read the article in Sunday’s paper about those things & couldn’t believe the craze, they aren’t even that cute to me?! :) Just goes to show how fads can just go nuts in one area.
November 9th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Christine says:
Lovign the stocking stuffer suggestion I’m gleaning from the comments. But no, I’ve never seen them in our neck o’ the woods! Then again, I could just be completely clueless about all the kiddie fads. It’s been known to happen. Like, when I was a kid!
November 9th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Rachel @ Grasping for Objectivity says:
Yes.
I did a survey about this on my blog a few weeks ago, and it actually seems like they are currently only crazy-popular in the Birmingham, and possibly Alabama market. Which means that we might be a national trendsetter…in something other than drugs and poor schools!
Whoo hoo!!
November 9th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Tracie says:
I have never seen them, but if my daughter found out about them, I am pretty sure she would go crazy over them!
November 9th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Tammy H. says:
Amy in Birmingham that is looking for the “suns”…. We got ours this weekend at Hibbit Sports in Hoover. They are everywhere!! If I lived in a city that didn’t sell them, I would start! :) They trade them like crazy at Vestavia East Elementary!! Boomama – let us know if you find the Christmas ones. I know an elf that would like to put them in stockings!
November 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Casey says:
I have a great collection of them on my desk that I took from 1st graders who couldn’t keep them on their wrists. Our kids are obssessed with them.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Crystal says:
I’m 27 years old, and I LOVE them. I have found two in random places and wear them all the time. Where or where can i get some of my very own?!!
November 9th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Darla Baerg says:
Haven’t hit Houston yet. I have four kids so I’m sure if they do come I’ll hear see ‘em!
November 9th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
kathy says:
I’m in B’ham as well. I had to order some a few weeks back to get the zoo animal ones for my daughter. I would LOVE the Christmas ones for her.
We homeschool too and didn’t know a thing about them. Then cheerleading practice started in August and it was ALL she asked for.
November 9th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Megan says:
I too, live in your town….your very suburb even, so yes (sigh)….this is my current cross to bear!
Did you hear that the little kiosk at the mall (the one outside of Build a Bear) now has the Holiday Bands? If you’re there before I am, pick me up 2 packs :)
November 9th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Cori says:
That takes me back to third grade, when those jelly bracelets were all the rage. My parents wouldn’t buy them for me at first, but they caved after I fashioned my own bracelets with paper and staples.
November 9th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
High Maintenance Mama says:
Gooooood Grief!!!!!!!!! Of course Arkansas is always 2 years behind ANY fad, so, NO I have not seen these lil things… They remind me of things we would wear in the ’80s… UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
November 10th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Daniel Semsen says:
Nathaniel stole some from little Ryli and he IS bananas over them…like…about a dozen of them (poor Ryli).
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Tracey says:
I have not seen those yet! I remember the black rubber band Madonna bracelets we were cuckoo over, I think they were $2 a piece at Express. Oh the hair and bracelets of the 80’s.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Will Blog For Shoes says:
Girl, even the 3 year-olds got a note sent home from preschool saying –”NO MORE ANIMAL BRACELETS!” At that point, I didn’t even know what they were! :) Of course, Wog has since discovered them & is a little smitten with them.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Kasey Ewing says:
Oh my goodness! I saw these everywhere in Birmingham, I didn’t know what they were. I couldn’t figure it out, well, I still don’t “get it” but at least I know what they are!
November 10th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Jenny Hope Williams says:
Morgan won’t even wear hers! oh well!! =)
November 11th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Jacque says:
Haven’t heard of them in WV, but thanks to you I just ordered four sets from the silly bandz website. ;)
November 11th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Shelley says:
I saw them for the first time at church Sunday night! Such a coincidence that you are writing about them! I LOVE THEM AND THINK THEY ARE SO COOL AND I AM 33! I made the five-year-old wearing them show me each shape. Am I lame?
November 11th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Amy @ Tiny Blessings says:
I’m in southern Ohio and we haven’t seen them around here yet. But I learned many years ago (when my cousin lived in Florida) that trends seem to move north… so I’m guessing we’ll see them around Christmas.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Cookie says:
The son of a friend of mine just showed me these bracelets the other day. He told me a girl at his school wore 150 everyday, and that she’d named every single one of them.
I told him she had way too much free time on her hands.
WAAAAY too much.
November 12th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Aura says:
its all the rage in my son’s first grade class here in New Jersey…so funny you should mention it. i only found out about them last week and was trying to picture what they look like. thanks for the pic,now i know what to look for!
November 12th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Jessica Benzakein says:
My 4 year old son is BEGGING for some Benderoos for Christmas. I’m starting to break down and consider it…
November 15th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Robyn (3GirlsMom) says:
They have been banned from our school. Apparently the kids were trading them & causing a ruckus. From the way the school described it, the trading must’ve been similar to a dice game complete with swear words & cigarettes, bc INSTANTLY they were contraband on school property. So the obsession has died down a little.
However, my “beat to her own drum” kid hates them. She says they make her arm itchy.
Well ok.
November 16th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Heather says:
Yes, the little ones are head over heels in love with these little dazzling rubber bands! It kind of makes you think, “Why did I not think of that?!” haha!
November 17th, 2009 at 11:06 pm