Rubber Wristbands For Christmas and More...

If you haven’t heard about the recent craze over rubber wrist bands, no doubt you live in a cave, the back country, or well, I suppose you just don’t have kids. I’m talking about those silicone rubber wrist bands that comes in a variety of colors and stretchy shapes. When you put them on your wrist they straighten out (depending upon how big the wrist is!), but revert to their original shape when taken off. At this point, I have no idea how my daughters’ hands are still receiving blood flow, since they are sporting at least a dozen of these Silly Bandz , Trendy Bendyz and Zanybandz. Strange wrist adornment is clearly not a new trend, back in my days we used to burn nylon ropes onto our wrists. No doubt about it though, these wrist bands have gone viral, way more so than the bracelets in my time!

The concept of the silicone rubber band was conceived of by some Japanese designers who were looking for a more environmentally-friendly alternative to the organic rubber band. Silicone rubber simply lasts longer. Robert Cloak, owner of BCP Imports, spotted these silicone bands while on a business trip to Japan and decided that with a bit of innovative design, could modify them to become colorful, shapely bracelets. He renamed them Silly Bandz and by 2008 they were available online. Numerous spinoffs have appeared of late by a variety of names: Goofy Bandz, Crazy Bandz, Zany Bandz and Trendy Bendyz.

I have two girls and a boy who simply cannot get enough of these silicone rubber bracelets. If you think the fad has yet to extend to the male gender, you’re mistaken. I asked them and their friends just what the fascination is and after hearing “they’re cool” and “they’re fun”, they all agree it’s the practice of trading these rubber bracelets that compounds the intrigue. They want to possess as many of the different shapes as possible. Some shapes are considered rare and hard to find, so bargaining and bartering will come into play here.

They are also pretty affordable, kids can buy them with their own allowances. Various dollar stores are selling them, so they can get a pretty big bang for their buck.

Some of the more highly coveted rubber wrist bands are the glow in the dark variety. According to my daughter’s dear friend: “They look really cool at night when I am trying to fall asleep.” The tie dye bands are also particularly popular, in fact, the more colorful, the better. Some stretchy bands are even scented, which is simply all the rage...

It’s a numbers game, too. Kids will lay them out and keep careful tabs on how many they have. Having at least 100 was a goal of my oldest child. Not to mention, the more they sport on your arm, the more fashionable they seem to feel.

Many schools have begun banning these little ornamental distractions. Teachers are tired of the trading going on under the desks and even arguments ensuing from recess trading inequities. They’re also led to increasing attention problems in the classrooms.

Additionally, as I previously mentioned, they have been some circulation problems associated with wearing these tight bands. I always have my children take off their bracelets before going to bed. And, we make sure to buy larger shapes that won’t be as likely to cut off their circulation.

Please be aware, these bands are a serious choking hazard for young children!  They are not recommended for children under three.

I’ve found it heart-warming to see something so simple catching children’s attention.  Instead of expensive electronic gadgets, they are now spending time engaged with these highly unsophisticated toys.  Younger children can even benefit from grouping them together into colors, shapes and categories.

My daughter just began the ever-dreaded middle school.  She’s a bit on the shy side, so making friends and conversing with others doesn’t come easily for her.  Well, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many friendships have been sparked by mutual interest in these bands.  They are actually a very easy conversation starter.  

If you are a parent, no doubt you’ve noticed these bands just fly off the shelves. I’ve had many stores tell me they’re back ordered and just won’t be available for a while. I’ve begun ordering them online for this reason, plus there is a lot more variety on the internet than in retail stores.

The Halloween rubber bracelets are all the rage right now. With the holidays right around the corner, I’ve been buying the highly coveted and newly available Christmas Silly Bandz for my children. Not only am I loving how inexpensive these gifts are, but I know my kids and their friends will love them, too.  I do recommend ordering them sooner rather than later, since I've been seeing them become unavailable VERY quickly.

The Christmas Silly Bandz I'm most excited about are the scented bands. They come in a variety of Christmas scents and designs.