Michael Corleone’s famous line from Godfather III haunted me this weekend while A and I made our way to the cash register with a 35th Anniversary Hello Kitty nohohon in hand. I have not made any significant Hello Kitty purchases in the past three months, save for some miniatures from Re-Ment and Sanrio which were meant for my Sylvanian Families dollhouses. At each time I was tempted to buy anything — be it a Hello Kitty bag (my personal weakness) or holiday decorations (like the fabulous red and white HK Christmas tree skirt) — I was weighed down by having to choose between Hello Kitty and Sylvanian Families. I ended up favoring the latter most of the time, thus, leading me to believe that I was finally over my Kittymania and that I have become a sober, recovering HK addict.
That is, until the presents started pouring in. First, there was the pink HK umbrella and small plush from my sister-in-law. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of them.) Then came a queen-sized ultra-soft pink fleece blanket from my sister Joee.
My loving husband surprised me with a very pretty Hello Kitty charm bracelet (with extra charms) purchased in Hong Kong by a friend
and topped it off with New Year’s Kitty fortune tree and a Minna No Tabo Lion Dance dragon doll.
And lastly, the gifts that finally pushed me off the wagon of restraint — a battery-operated HK toothbrush (surely this thing tests the limits of dental care cuteness), 
an elegant black HK plush from MAC with a MAC Couture lipglass,
and — holds breath — a Hello Kitty Barbie doll. *screams in delight*
Thank you, dearest Ondine and Jun, for the lovely gifts. I feel really spoiled.
It isn’t easy fighting off the demons of your addiction, not when the ones you love are your greatest enablers. And while this consuming passion for all things Hello Kitty is hard to shake off and really seems destined to be a lifelong pain in the pocket (to my husband), at least I have reached a point where choices are possible. I no longer feel the need to buy everything in sight just because a mouthless feline flashes her ribbon at me. And because I think before I buy, my purchases are truly more meaningful in my life.
Now, presents… Hmmm…those are another matter altogether, heehee.
P.S. Since we’re doing really well with pictures, here’s another one, the nohohon A got for me this weekend:
okasaneko.wordpress.com 
hahahaha :)). love the charm bracelet and the fortune tree…must add to my wishlist…hehehe =)
I’m done with HK wishlists, Cynch. They only make me buy more and with new SF items coming out in succession, I’m always broke with these two addictions. Hay naku!
I have a Hello Kitty plush that goes with a dragon head like the pic you have. Great blog by the way.
Thanks, I saw the picture and it’s really lovely. I will look for one just like it soon. 🙂
who can resist hello kitty,anyway? 🙂
Not I! Heehee!
Oh dear Mare…I forgot to put up my New Year’s Kitty fortune tree, will do it this Chinese New Year hahaha remind me please 🙂
I saw that Nohohon also last Jan 1 at Rockwell’s Kidz Station, was tempted to take it home good thing I was still in control but my heart will definitely melt if it was a red ribbon and may not be able to hold (at least for now), seeing it here again makes me go back there.
I love most your bracelet Mare, wish to see it up close and personal 🙂
In totality, you have an awesome presents from loving family & friends.
Cheers!
I will, mare! We can put it out on display at the same time. 🙂 I’ve had to keep it locked in a glass cabinet because Alphonse wanted to pick all the fruits and eat them.
You should get the nohohon- it’s really cute. I think it
it’s supposed to come in different colors but I’ve only seen pink so far.
Yes it’s not easy fighting off toy addiction. hehe Aside from Sylvanian, I used to collect different toy lines. =)
Great minds think alike, shobe! 🙂 Mwah!
clap clap.. nice gifts! naku wag kang ganyan kakatingin ko sa pix mo e.. baka bumalik na naman ako sa “dating gawi” hehehe..
I really thought I was a reformed addict already. I’ve been keeping serious tabs on the HK I buy, but A knows that I’ve only replaced one addiction with another, haha.
Lovely gifts! I saw the HK charms at 7-11 Hongkong. Almost bought one for myself but then new sneakers were more important. I bought HK phone charms instead plus my brother’s girlfriend bought me a HK bath foam in a cute HK dispenser from Watsons Hongkong. 🙂
Oh, you really should have gotten one too. They’re really cute! Just pesky that you cannot get them without purchasing something. 😦 Double expense, eh.
What kind of sneakers did you get? I was seriously thinking of getting the ASICS HK sneakers they had on preorder at Sanrio Luxe but I still like Crocs better. Now, if I could only convince A to get me some of those Crocs Blitzen or Blitzen Polars, hehe.