Did you manage to get your child the new Nintendo Wii? Don’t pretend you couldn’t get your hands on one. I just checked online and there were several available on Amazon.com, for only $775. Or maybe your little Johnny is more the Sony Playstation 3 kind of child. I just looked on eBay and you can snap up a 60 GB system for as little as $1,250.50. They’ll even overnight it to you. If you’re a real scrooge, you’re probably only willing to fork over $400 for the Xbox 360.

What is going on?

There is no shortage of parents willing to buy their children these video game systems. In fact, stores are having trouble keeping up with the demand for them. How do parents justify buying their children video game systems that cost as much as used cars?

“A lot of kids didn’t want to come to our house to play because we didn’t have any video games,” a mother of three told me. “We really felt bad about this, so we caved in and bought him a Nintendo system.” Sometimes doing the right thing feels pretty radical these days.

What children really want is clear, even if they don’t say so. It’s not material items or elaborate video systems, though they might beg for them incessantly. What children want is to spend relaxed, undivided time with people who care about them. According to a 2003 poll conducted by the consumer organization New American Dream, 57% of 9–14-year-old children would rather spend time doing something fun with their parents than go to the mall to shop.

So this holiday season, the gifts we give our children — and grandchildren and nieces and nephews — should somehow encourage the gift giver and gift receiver to spend time together.

A few ideas:

CHOCOLATE FONDUE FOUNTAIN: A perfect gift for the budding chef or any child with a sweet tooth. Dip fruit, marshmallows, and cookies into melted chocolate. What could be bad about that? RoseArt makes a children’s version for younger cooks ($9.99 at www.boscovs.com) and Linens-NThings sells the Rival Chocolate Fountain for bigger chefs. ($49.99 at www.lnt.com)

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE: This clever musical is a hit with both children and adults. The best part is that the show is 90 minutes long without any intermission. ($50–$95 a ticket at www.spellingbeethemusical.com)

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Do you know how to sew? Plenty of children would love to learn this lost art. A sewing machine is a great gift, and even better are the lessons you’re going to give. (Sew-Pro Quikstitch Sewing Machine, $38.87 at www.walmart.com)

SCRABBLE OR MONOPOLY: These classics have endured because they appeal to 8-, 18-, and 80-year-olds. If these board games are already part of the collection, try out this year’s hot new game of strategy, Blokus. ($29.99 at www.target.com)

MAGIC KIT: This was a recent big hit with my boys, especially because they received a magic set that was full of tricks that could be pulled off by clumsy hands. (Melissa and Doug Deluxe Magic Set, $29.95 at www.amazon.com)

A DIGITAL CAMERA: Instead of constantly telling Junior to be careful with your camera, why not buy him one of his own? Maybe this way he will even download your pictures for you. Younger children will like the Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera ($124.99 at www.amazon.com), and older children will like several of the models made by Sony, Canon, Polaroid, Nikon, and Panasonic that come it bright colors such as pink and blue. Prices vary from as little as $20 to as much as $600.

A TENT, SLEEPING BAG, OR FISHING ROD: These outdoorsy items secure the promise of a few nights spent camping out in the woods when the weather warms up. Everyone — boys and girls alike — should know how to find a good camping spot, pitch a tent, and worm a hook. My favorite camping store is REI, at www.rei.com.

There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars on children’s holiday gifts. In fact, part of the reason we all have so much clutter in our cramped city dwellings is that children’s toys are inexpensive. Finding the right toy to stuff the stocking won’t cost much. But spending time cooking, sewing, camping, or playing Monopoly together? As the MasterCard campaign reminds us — priceless.

sarasberman@aol.com