DISQUS

Alison · 1 year ago

How could that possibly be considered stingy?! That's the amount any normal parent would buy for their children, surely...

Michelle · 1 year ago

Last year, we bought my son too many things. We said 'no more!' 10 times before we stopped. Everytime we bought something else, we'd think 'he never asks for anything' and use that as our justification for buying too many things. Then, our in-laws came over. They're not very Christmas-orientated and we knew they'd only have one present each. So, in order to balance things better we took half of our son's presents away for him to open another time. After Christmas, we realised he couldn't care lesss that he didn't open 10 more presents. So we gave them away instead. This year, each child has three presents - one from each parent and one from each brother.

Kellye · 1 year ago

"Everytime we bought something else, we'd think 'he never asks for anything' and use that as our justification for buying too many things."

This is the justification my parents use as well. I never ask for anything and never did when I was younger because I was just an independent-minded sort of kid and really, I didn't want for anything growing up. Now I'm 23 and the whole "mountain of presents" thing is getting a little tiring...I mean, I adore my parents and they're the most generous people on the planet, but nobody needs to spend thousands of dollars on gifts.

Liz · 1 year ago

Alison, I doubt that "any normal parent" only buys one or two gifts, unless each gift costs several hundred dollars. All the parents that I have known buy 10+ gifts for each kid, albeit probably $10-30 each. But I agree that can promote the "frenzy" situation that leads to a lack of appreciation.

I'll never forget the day I worked in returns at my retail job after Christmas. One father came through the line saying, cheerfully, that he had "over-bought." He returned literally BAGS AND BAGS full of Matchbox cars, action figures, an electric blanket...I know Christmas shopping gets a little crazy sometimes, but how do you end up over-buying by hundreds of dollars? It was kind of terrifying.

Keris · 1 year ago

I also know people who will overspend on one child and then feel they need to "even up" with the other child and so the total cost (and amount of gifts) gets higher and higher. It's crazy.

Angie · 1 year ago

We usually buy one "big thing" (ie. costing about $20-40!) from Santa, one big thing from us and then a stocking full of little bits and pieces (dvds from the bargain bucket, socks, a selection box etc). I don't expect to spend more than $100 on each child. There is no way I would spend hundreds, there's no point. If they want big-ticket items when they get older they can save up themselves or get a job :)

Daniel Gibbons · 1 year ago

Funny, sort-of-related story: my wife was at the hair salon last week and two of the other customers were discussing in great detail exactly how many dozens and dozens of expensive gifts they'd bought for their very young children. My wife asked them if they'd noticed that there was a global economic meltdown happening. Their response? "Canada won't be affected, because we have the winter Olympics in 2010."

I think my point is that rampant consumerism seems so totally inappropriate, this Christmas in particular. Buying dozens of gifts isn't just unhealthy for your children, it's also a sign that you are utterly insular and oblivious to the wider world.

Uncle Beefy · 1 year ago

Keris....AMEN!!! A couple of years ago...I was in a restaurant and a father was having a birthday lunch with his little boy. The father took out a gift and the kid was ecstatic! His attention was wrapped up in that one toy. Then came gift number two. ELATION!!! Then number three, and four...etc. The little boy went from focused joy and appreciation with one & two....to greedy curiosity afterward. Just unwrapping and asking, "what next?" It was a wonderful learning lesson for me and one I'll never forget. Thanks for posting this!

Donna · 9 months ago

This is so true ... I have 4 nieces and nephews and they were given so many gifts, mostly clothes, toys, plush animals, etc. which I thought was appropriate growing up, and now that they are older are asking for the most expensive items - every time a new ipod comes out with larger storage capacity, it's on their list. I totally get what you mean about opening gifts, not fully appreciating what it was that they just opened, and uttering "next!"

What it comes down to is parents not communicating effectively the meaning of gratitude. Sure enough there is peer pressure but having the core values at home would carry through for the rest of their lives.

Does anyone beg to differ?

Adriana Lima · 7 months ago

It's so nice to just have one child, I don't need to worry about the other one being jealous of the other.

Adriana Lima · 7 months ago

It's so nice to just have one child, I don't need to worry about the other one being jealous of the other.