MARK MY WORD: KIDS ALREADY WORKING ON THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS LISTS

The Christmas elves must be working overtime these days.

We've started receiving all those toy catalogs in the mail. Our children pay no attention to the mail, unless it's a toy catalog. Becca and Bailey can spy a toy catalog even when it's buried under a stack of bills, newspapers and sweaters.

One toy store advertises a free Tickle Me Elmo doll "with your purchase of $100 or more." The Elmo doll is shown right on the front cover, encouraging you to spend your money.

I realize Santa's elves need to make a living. But how much money do you need to live at the North Pole.

Becca and Bailey are already making their what-I-want-for-Christmas lists, although at this point they are still works in progress.

With girls, dolls remain featured attractions. They could care less about some of the action toys they see in the catalogs, and Santa won't be bringing the WCW Monday Nitro Wrestling Arena or anything that has to do with the Power Rangers.

But dress-up clothes are a thrill and provide a ready-excuse for a fashion show.

And just in time for Christmas, there's the battle of the burger chains.

Burger King is spending $22 million to promote a toy giveaway tied to "Pokemon: The First Movie." McDonald's will spend $30 million to promote "Toy Story 2," the sequel to Walt Disney's 1995 animated blockbuster.

Burger King will unveil 57 different Pokemon toys in 56 days, including 151 trading cards. McDonald's will roll out 20 different "Toy Story" dolls in its Happy Meals.

Becca and Bailey haven't succumbed to Pokemon fever. They aren't the least bit interested in the Pokemon characters. But that could change with a few trips to Burger King.

If that doesn't interest them, there's always the "Toy Story" dolls.

It's amazing how children keep up with the latest give-aways at the fast-food joints.

They can't remember to bring their shoes in from the garage, but they know all the details about the fast-food toys.

Sooner or later, these fast-food places are going to get smart and quit offering food entirely, opting instead to just sell parents the toys.

Of course, entertainment is a fleeting thing. Fast-food toys have a way of getting lost in the regular debris of household life.

Nature provides its own entertainment in the form of falling leaves. Our yard is full of crunchy leaves.

Three-year-old Bailey finds it fun to rake up leaves. Actually, she prefers to push leaves around on the driveway with a broom.

I raked up a ton of leaves last weekend. After a little coaxing, she ran up into the pile of leaves in our front yard. But she didn't tackle the leaves, preferring to stay on her feet.

Seven-year-old Becca is less interested in the leaves. She's too busy chatting with her friends.

The other night, she and Bailey danced into the dark on our driveway, cleared of leaves thanks to a friend's leaf blower.

Mother Nature has since taken over and our driveway is once again turning into a carpet of leaves, rustling in the wind.

Bailey loves say she loves us more than "a frog in the pond." This is clearly a high compliment, particularly since we don't have a frog or a pond.

Lately, she has informed me that she loves me more than swimming suits. That's even better. Bailey lives for swimming suits. She'd wear one year-round if we'd let her.

So, it's nice to know that I'm not second fiddle to a swimming suit.

Of course, Bailey has already made it clear she wants Santa to bring her some swimming suits for Christmas.

But thankfully she hasn't asked the bearded guy for a frog in the pond. A dad can only take so much competition.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.