Well, let me tell ya ’bout this here Hello Kitty thing, ya know, the one with all them animal signs. They call it the, uh, Chinese Zodiac, or somethin’ like that. Sounds fancy, but it’s just a bunch of critters, like the ones on the farm, but, ya know, different.
Now, this Hello Kitty, she’s a cute little thing, always got that bow on her head. My grandkids, they love her. And this company, Sanrio, they made her way back when, I think it was in the 70s. Long time ago, when gas was cheap and the corn grew tall. Anyways, they started puttin’ her on all sorts of things, even little purses for the young’uns. Cost less than a dollar back then, can ya believe it? Now, everything’s so darn expensive, makes an old lady like me wanna holler.
So, this Zodiac thing, it’s got twelve animals. Let me see if I can remember ’em all. There’s the Rat, sneaky little fella, always gettin’ into the grain. Then there’s the Ox, big and strong, pulls the plow like nobody’s business. Then comes the Tiger, a scary one, but pretty to look at from a distance. Rabbit’s next, soft and fluffy, good for eatin’, I guess, but I wouldn’t. Dragon, well, that’s just a made-up thing, like somethin’ out of a fairy tale. Snake, slithers on the ground, gives me the heebie-jeebies. Horse, now that’s a good animal, fast and strong, good for ridin’. Goat, always chewin’ on somethin’, even my clothes if I ain’t careful. Monkey, always jumpin’ around, makin’ a racket. Rooster, wakes ya up in the mornin’, whether ya like it or not. Dog, loyal and friendly, always happy to see ya. And finally, the Pig, fat and happy, makes for good eatin’, but I raised a few and got fond of them.
So, what’s Hello Kitty got to do with all this? Well, they went and made her into all them animals. Imagine that! A Hello Kitty Rat, a Hello Kitty Ox, a Hello Kitty Tiger… you get the picture. They even make ’em outta plush, so they’re soft and cuddly. My grandkids, they got a whole bunch of ’em. They got the Rabbit one, cause they were born in the year of the Rabbit, or so their mama says. I don’t pay no mind to that stuff myself.
- Rat Hello Kitty: Sneaky and cute, just like the real thing, but fluffier.
- Ox Hello Kitty: Strong and sturdy, but still soft enough to hug.
- Tiger Hello Kitty: Not so scary, more like a big cuddly cat with stripes.
- Rabbit Hello Kitty: Softest of the bunch, perfect for snuggling.
- Dragon Hello Kitty: Not sure how they made a dragon cute, but they did it.
- Snake Hello Kitty: Doesn’t slither, thank goodness, just sits there lookin’ pretty.
- Horse Hello Kitty: Ready to gallop into your heart.
- Goat Hello Kitty: Doesn’t chew on your clothes, I promise.
- Monkey Hello Kitty: Playful and mischievous, but still well-behaved.
- Rooster Hello Kitty: Doesn’t crow, but still bright and cheerful.
- Dog Hello Kitty: Loyal and true, always there for a hug.
- Pig Hello Kitty: Pink and plump, and oh so cuddly.
Now, I seen these things online too, goin’ for all sorts of prices. Some places, they got big sales, 90% off, they say. I don’t know about all that, seems too good to be true. But the grandkids, they keep pesterin’ me about gettin’ more of them. They want the whole set, I reckon. Lord have mercy, they gonna bankrupt me with all these stuffed animals.
There’s this one company, Kidrobot, they make some fancy ones, they call ‘em “interactive plush”. Don’t ask me what that means, sounds like somethin’ for city folks. They even got ones for different star signs, like this “Gemini Edition” and “Leo Edition”. My stars, it’s enough to make your head spin. These things are for older kids, eight years and up, the box says. Weighs two pounds too, imagine that, a two pound stuffed animal. Hefty little things, I tell ya.
Anyways, that’s the long and short of it. Hello Kitty and the Chinese Zodiac, a match made in, well, wherever they make these things. China, maybe? Japan? Who knows. All I know is, the kids love ’em, and that’s all that matters, I guess. Though I do wish they didn’t cost so darn much. But hey, what’s an old lady to do but spoil her grandkids, right?
If you’re lookin’ to buy one of these things, shop around, I say. Don’t just jump at the first price ya see. And for heaven’s sake, don’t go buyin’ more than ya need. Unless ya got money to burn, which I sure don’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go make some supper. All this talk about animals made me hungry for some fried chicken.
Tags: Hello Kitty, Chinese Zodiac, Plush Toys, Sanrio, Kidrobot, Collectibles, Animal Signs, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Stuffed Animals, Gifts, Kids Toys
