Is it just me being a Scrooge?

ViolaLass

esmerelda98 wrote: »

I don't understand why people do this, but then again I don't buy into the, 'Bigger is better' philosophy. A hot water bottle wrapped up is still a fairly boring (but very useful) hot water bottle. The same goes for socks, most undies and pyjamas.

I agree. If one is going to buy these items anyway, why not just hand them over as needed? I'd rather just get one genuinely exciting present than lots of ordinary things.

gunsandbanjos

Gavin83 wrote: »

Is it actually possible to binge on exercise?

Yep, a lot of people have an unhealthy obsession with exercise, often as part of a bigger problem like anorexia.

jellyhead

Netwizard wrote: »

It is now yes. Its all to do with keeping up with the jones. The whole "my child has had more and better presents than your child". Facebook is just a place where people create the false impression that they live perfect lives with lots of money.

in cases like this, the polar opposite is usually true

I haven't posted our piles of gifts on facebook - Santa only brings one gift and a stocking each. I did take a photo of the mantelpiece with the stockings hung up though, because my youngest was so excited and he'll want to look back at the photos. I ended up posting that on facebook to show somebody that I'm still using something she made 20 years ago.

jellyhead

Spendless wrote: »

People have presents from other people too. It might not all be from the parents. My kids have us, 2 sets of grandparents, 2 great- grandmas, 2 aunts, a great aunt and a great uncle who all buy for them.

My kids have 17 people/families outside of the household buying presents for them, and two of those are sets of grandparents who give more than one thing. Santa only needs to bring one thing! We buy books, etc. for each other too.

So anyone seeing my kids bulging sacks might think that I bought loads, but I really didn't. I haven't taken any photos though, that would be weird.

jellyhead

ViolaLass wrote: »

I agree. If one is going to buy these items anyway, why not just hand them over as needed? I'd rather just get one genuinely exciting present than lots of ordinary things.

It's not always ordinary though. A hot water bottle might have a fluffy cover that's the child's favourite animal. The loudest squeaks this year were over socks for the teenagers but they were not 'ordinary' socks, they had characters/pictures/etc. so they were special.

Likewise pyjamas, school bags, lunchboxes, etc - if they are 'special' ones then they are a present. They're not plain smart price ones.

My teenagers got quite a few 'ordinary' things in their stocking ... headphones, socks, deodorant, bath bombs, teabags ... otherwise it would all be food! And most of that is 'ordinary' too.

maman

Netwizard wrote: »

Not just you mate.

The amount of money the ladies in the office have spent on their little cherrubs is madness.

New Ipads, mobile phones, Hunter wellies etc.


According to one of the women, its so their kids do not get bullied at school, because if all the other kids have this expensive stuff, and their sprogs don't, they get bullied!

:o:o I bought Hunter wellies for my 'little cherub'.:o:o:o

She's 45 and she's a teacher so I wouldn't want her bullied at school.;):D

My view is that people can spend their money as they see fit. Their choice. What I find infuriating is when they run up huge debts and then moan about it and try to get companies to accept lesser payments etc. etc. As for FB, tasteless oneupmanship IMO.

cheepskate_2

Why do people have this unhealthy obsession about what others do with their money.....

What you do with your money is none of their business and vice versa.

If they want to spend it all on toys, or pee it up against a wall, then that is their business(within boundaries)

Macca83_2

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

It is crazy, I bought my daughter an iPad this year (she'll be 10 next week), and I only got it because she spends so much time in hospital it's a great way to keep her entertained on long boring days & keeps her mind off what is going on.
Can't imagine giving one to a 4 year old!

For her actual Xmas she's got toys that require some imagination, a book on sewing (thanks to the lovely people on the Grabbit board!), some reading books, a DVD and a fancy dress costume.

In that situation I think the amount of things you can do with a tablet/iPad, such as read books, play games, watch films, etc it makes sense.

jellyhead

Does anyone actually get bullied at school for not having the latest gadgets though, really?

My eldest never encountered it before high school, and youngest is in year 4 and there's no bullying or one-upmanship there, not even on 'toy day' when they can take in a 3DS or whatever, if they so desire.

My little cherub might wish he had an ipad instead of a hexbug fish (well, in addition to, because he asked for the fish and he loves it), but nobody is going to bully him for not having an ipad or look at the brand on his wellies. He's 8!

ViolaLass

jellyhead wrote: »

My teenagers got quite a few 'ordinary' things in their stocking ... headphones, socks, deodorant, bath bombs, teabags ... otherwise it would all be food! And most of that is 'ordinary' too.

But why are you giving it if it's ordinary? If they need it, wouldn't it be better to get it when they need it?

e.g. a few years ago, my husband and I were living in a flat that was impossible to heat. My mother sent us an electric blanket after she heard how we were going to bed with all our clothes on and still feeling cold. She sent it in October - not because it was someone's birthday, nor did she save it for Christmas. She sent it to us because we needed it and we needed it then.

We still talk about how wonderful a present it was.

Giving lots of ordinary things smacks of wanting lots of parcels for that person to open (quantity over quality) - if that's what it's about for you, fair enough but I don't really see the point.