Points Mean Prizes

[kingandy]

Is it just me, or are people spending more and more on their loved ones at Christmastime?

I realise that I am not wise in the ways of Inflation and such arcane accounting devices, but when I was young I was told that I could not expect such things as an Amiga Computer or Mega Drive to arrive under the tree; I would have to save my own monies (something I never quite managed to do for the Amiga, in fact, though I did acquire a Mega Drive from somewhere at some point). And, further, had I been wealthy enough to purchase a TV of my own, I would most certainly not have been allowed to keep it in my room until I became a legal adult. Maybe my mum was overly harsh, but it seems insane to me that nowadays people who are substantially less well-off than we were not only buy their children TVs and X-Box 360s but do it specifically to place in their room so they can stay the hell out of the way. Parents peer in the window of Dixons and pick iPods for their children based not on budget or product spec but rather on which case is most suited to their modern lifestyle. And you can bet those won't be their only present, either. People actually get themselves heavily into debt for these extravagant gestures and to my mind it does the child more harm than good, distorting their perceptions of value and money and encouraging the acquisition culture.

I have similar opinions on the subject of gifts for partners, though it is less Kids Today, They Do Not Know They Are Born and more of a sort of faint surprise. I see people stretching their pockets as far as they will go - and further - to buy flashy gadgetry for their other halves, to shower them with stuffed animals and trinkets, and I am bemused. I just don't get it. I am constantly reminded of the friend who, out of some deep-seated urge to demonstrate his love through cash money, spent a fortune on a Christmas scanner, only to find his beloved vastly more entertained by a small wooden turtle and a plastic squid.

Perhaps that makes me a bad partner. Potential suitors beware! I will not buy you the world.

Comments

[angelfire-75.livejournal.com]

I have quite a few siblings with partners and now nephews. Thus I tend to be a bit tight at christmas. Parent's, Proper siblings get £10-15, as do their partners. I sometimes push the boat out to £20 on parents. Frequently we siblings get a join prezzie for the parent's.

My nephews are still less than 2, so they get clothes for the year ahead. When they are bigger they will get books. They get enough toys and I refuse to buy them more. In fact they get that many it makes me mad. Half hardly get played with, anything they really would use (like play tunnels) gets bought extra and the house is too cluttered. I plan to have a 'never buy my children toys rule' when I have them. Peeps can put money in a trust fund style account and toys, when needed, will be brought from that.

My half siblings get nowt, well maybe a box of chocolates or biscuits just to be polite. My father has a nice job and easily can provide all the things my Mum had to struggle to provide.

Young cousins (cos I'm god mother) and One or two close friends get a token present. Everyone else is lucky if they get a christmas card.

I don't know where people get the money to be so lavish. So many people say things like 'oh my Mum gave me £100/£200 for christmas). I'd refuse to take that from my Mum cos I know that it would be nearly a grand for all of us.

One of my best christmas's was when my Mum was on her own. She worked her arse off; sewing, knitting, baking, cooking and cleaning for other people just to save up enough money. She bought us each 1 big present and put them out all in the dinning room. I got a dolly in a pram. She said that was all santa had brought us and apparently I said that was ok I was happy with what I had (which made my Mum cry). We then went into the living room to 4 big piles of presents. I'll always remember it cos I know how hard my Mum worked to ensure we had what she thought was good christmas. She felt guilty that she couldn't afford all the flash stuff.

We never have had really huge presents. We always had a lot of small presents because so many people used to give my Mum a little something for each of us. Me and my siblings would much rather have a slap up meal with each other than presents.

I also recall when we got a megadrive. One of my step-uncles decided to treat us and bought one. We all thought he was extravigant, flash and fab even [if he couldn't speak English we knew enough spanish to say thank you- alot. :)]

I think it's more Kids don't appreicate the value of things rather than not knowing they are born.

There are many things that I never asked for growing up cos I knew my Mum would try to provide it and kill her self working in the process or get upset cos she had to say no.