Scooters for kids seemed to be the big hit present this year. Probably because their L shape fits so well into a stocking. But all the parents are now either loving or cursing Santa with a vehement passion normally reserved only for sports or relationships. The bike paths are filled with families out for some exercise. This consists of one of three panoramas:

The Good
Kid is swanning along on a scooter, zooming this way and that with an adept push from one foot while the parents stroll, arm in arm. They smile proudly, content in the knowledge that their child is busily exhausting themselves on their new toy.

The Bad
The scooter is being carried. Either bounced and jounced and lugged along by the red-faced child (who is barely larger than the scooter), or hefted resentfully by parent A while parent B carries the child. The squalling can be heard for the nearest six blocks, fooling a fire truck into thinking their alarm has gone off. There may be skinned knees in evidence.

The Ugly
Child is just about busting with laughter as he/she/it zooms about on their scooter. Dad attempts to follow, ungainly and out of breath on his own scooter. (Somehow, Mum is never in evidence, either too terrified of the impending hospital bills or too busy consoling the other child who's stuck on out-of-date roller blades).