Christmas

[Gymbunny]

I know I’m going to sound like Scrooge here, but isn’t Christmas getting just too expensive?

Listening to my colleagues at work and the things they are buying their children, when did it become okay to spend £200-£400 on a main present, followed my multiple smaller presents of £30-£200 each gift?

At first I felt sorry for the poor parents and the stress this must cause. But then I realised that they have caused it. Why is it okay for a 7 year old to have an iPad and an iPhone, and the latest Dyson hairdryer?

The money spent is disgusting and I wonder where will it end? :ne_nau:

[Janice]

It’s crazy what people spend at Christmas, people seem to go mad, and parents get quite defensive when you tackle them on how much they are spending.

[Harry]

Years ago I would say that people have lost touch with the meaning of Christmas, but that is a given now. What I think you are describing is that it is a sign of society. We relate happy occasions with commercialism, spending money, buying the latest anything and everything. We don’t wait for things to wear out, instead we wait for a newer version before justifying our need to buy it.

That phenomenon has occurred in a very small period of time, 3-4 generations. My grandparents lived in an era of make do and mend, they would be mortified to see society today. But if things have changed that much, and my generation 30-50’s is the worse. What message are we giving to the younger generation, that really know no difference?

[GaryFries52]

Why is it okay for a 7 year old to have an iPad and an iPhone, and the latest Dyson hairdryer?

Because this is the world we live in today, everything is about technology and gadgets, and for the younger generation this is no exception. We live in a disposal age of technology, where things move so quickly children, just as much as adults want the latest gizmo's and the advertising makes us believe that if we don't have it we are missing out.

[GretaSundberg]

Because this is the world we live in today, everything is about technology and gadgets, and for the younger generation this is no exception. We live in a disposal age of technology, where things move so quickly children, just as much as adults want the latest gizmo's and the advertising makes us believe that if we don't have it we are missing out.

But it doesn't make it okay to spend a fortune on a young person, just because they want it and like you say, technology is moving so fast that spending this kind of money seems even more pointless. The amount of money that is spent at Christmas is outrageous.

[cherry]

Personally, I make it very clear to people that I neither want presents or give presents. For children, they have a price range in which they can choose a gift, if what they want comes to more then tough! They don’t have it, it sounds miserable, but not as miserable as I would be having to struggle to pay the bills well into the following year.

Christmas for me is about family and children would probably much prefer to have family Christmases of fun, laughter and family games, than an expensive gift and no further interaction.

[Lidia]

The best Christmas I remember were the ones when all the family interacted with one another, we had good food, games, family gatherings, laughter etc.... I can probably only recall a few of my presents and they are the obvious ones like a bike, roller skates etc.

I don’t think it’s acceptable to spend hundreds of pounds on children, especially with bepreakable gadgets like iPhones, iPads. Maybe it’s okay if you can afford them, but the reality is, not many people can comfortably afford these things.

Christmas shouldn’t be about debt, stress and worry.

[Claire]

Why should you be concerned what others choose to spend their money on? Every person has their own scruples, each to their own I say.