Ummm, how bout NO?

So it's that time again, back to school time! Which means back to school shopping! YIPPEEE!!!! I've had the most fun picking up and obcene amount 20cent boxes of crayolas, dirt cheap markers, gobs of glue sticks, and so on :) We found great deals on some new clothes when we went outlet shopping at the beach last month. All that's left is their shoes, lunch boxes (Lacie went through 3 last year! OY), and back packs.
Now, when my kids were toddlers & preschoolers I absolutely LOVED buying them tshirts, books, shoes. etc with their fave character(s) on it. I loved that their little personalities were shining through when they had a favorite :) So for the past 3-4 years we have bought stock in just about everything Wiggles, High School Musical, Transformers, Star Wars, and so on.
So now here we are, with Lacie going in to 2nd grade and Colby going in to first. And I'm completely OVER the character-ness of it all! I want cute girly designs and cool boy designs but NO characters. Certainly not the characters that THEY want on their stuff this year.
iCarly? Seriously! And GI JOE? He hasn't even SEEN that movie!
I honestly would have no problem buying them lunchboxes with their favorite character on them, but for some reason, this year I am having a REALLY hard time being ok with it all on their back packs. 1) I now realize just how fleeting these character infatuations are. By Christmas time they will be in to some other tv show or movie! And 2) I like to be unique, and so I want I my kids to be, and to want to be, unique. Apparently unique isn't IN these days ;)
I guess I should pick my battles though. As long as their accessories aren't inappropriate or breaking the bank why not just endulge them for the time being?
I'll keep you posted on what they end up with :)