Would you spend this much on a Christmas gift?

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Epona - I've had that same experience as a parent. Bring home something I think the boys will really like, only to watch them play with the box for 2 weeks.

Which is precisely WHY I would not spend $200.00 on something as trivial as a card (or even a few cards).

Magik - This "guy" who "tricked out" his computer wouldn't be anybody I know, would he? Besides, there is a difference between an adult spending his/her own money on something they want and know they will use and that same adult spending the money for a gift their child will be tired of within a few months (at most).

For example, I got a new computer system back in August because my first one was an old "hand-me-down" from my college roommate. It was a great computer for a couple of years (even though it "outdated" by several generations), but as I began to get more games and software for the computer, I needed a better system.

I shopped (and saved) for 9 months before finally buying a non-brand name system from an online store. Total cost was around $900.00 - but that counted as my Anniversary, Birthday, AND Father's Day gift. It also will be the ONLY system I buy for 2-3 years at the least (maybe longer).

I did get a lot of satisfaction out of giving my old system to my mom (who had been wanting to buy one for a long time). She and dad have helped us out in more ways than I could count since my wife and I got married and this was one way to pay back a very small part of that.

[Elmenthyr]

$200 for one piece of card with a picture on it *shakes head in disbelief*.

CerekYeah you might know "this guy" I do kind of agree with you, there is a trend now for parents to indulge their kids..I think it is partly from them not thinking of things from the kids perspective. Blocks and leggo's and plastic army men were all we needed to keep us happy for weeks. Parents now tend to think "gee I wish I had that" then get it for their kids....forgetting that the kids are at a whole different level. All I know is that people spend their money in weird ways...some people spend it all on lottery tickets [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Elif Godson]

200.00 $$ on cards, yeesh. Sounds like something my wife would do. She is compelled to buy a lot of useless stuff for Christmas and I always end up debating with her on the pro's and con's. Her parents always bent over backwards for those must have Items during this time of the year, the rest of it they got squat, however our children get gifts and thankyou items all year so to speak. My oldest is to the point where she doesnt respect what she has and I keep telling her grandparents as well as my wife to stop buying all the crap she keeps getting. I have a not so large house and it tends to get a bit cluttered with the four of us, and soon to be 5 of us. Ack, I writing these from work is a pain, to many distractions. I apologise if it seems to go off course.

[Epona]

Originally posted by MagiK: quote: Originally posted by Epona: When I were a lass, me mum would spend her hard earned on prezzies for me and my little bro, and we'd spend the next week playing with the cardboard box it came in... A big cardboard box could be so many things... pirate ship, cave full of treasure, spaceship, island, fort, castle, wigwam.... those were the days...

Oh man, you just brought back a long lost memory for me [img]smile.gif[/img] I remember, one christmas my dad bought a new Refridgerator...we played with that box (it made a great club house) more than we did with our christmas presents [img]smile.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]Wow that must have been one big box! I bet you had loads of fun with that. I remember one year my bro (when he was about 4 or 5) got a little rocking horse thing for Christmas - he played with it for years so it was money well spent. My parents have a lovely photo of us both in our pyjamas peering out of the box it came in!

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by MagiK: CerekYeah you might know "this guy" I do kind of agree with you, there is a trend now for parents to indulge their kids..I think it is partly from them not thinking of things from the kids perspective. Blocks and leggo's and plastic army men were all we needed to keep us happy for weeks. Parents now tend to think "gee I wish I had that" then get it for their kids....forgetting that the kids are at a whole different level. All I know is that people spend their money in weird ways...some people spend it all on lottery tickets [img]smile.gif[/img]

True, but not always, MagiK. I see a lot of noticeably young kids these days very entrenched in the "IwantIwantIwantIwant" attitude toward life. True, it takes some action on the parents to spark this, but once started they can be very demanding. I myself was quite capable of wanting lots of toys - and quite capable of asking for what I wanted. What built my character was my parents' use of their character to say NO.

[Epona]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: True, but not always, MagiK. I see a lot of noticeably young kids these days very entrenched in the "IwantIwantIwantIwant" attitude toward life. True, it takes some action on the parents to spark this, but once started they can be very demanding. I myself was quite capable of wanting lots of toys - and quite capable of asking for what I wanted. What built my character was my parents' use of their character to say NO.

One of the sweetest things I've ever heard was from a colleague years back. He had 5 sons and was dreading Christmas because he was worried about not being able to afford the toys they were all bound to ask for. When it came down to it, what his youngest son wanted more than anything in the whole world was not the latest video game or latest expensive fad toy, but one of those torches with the different coloured filters to go over the light. He was able to make that son very happy with a gift he could afford. Being able to do that made his day [img]smile.gif[/img]

I am in total agreement with both Timber and Epona.

Some times the simple thing is the most fun too... Parents need to have that strength of character TL, and saddly there are no requirements put on people before they have kids...maybe a class or a license course or something

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by MagiK: Parents need to have that strength of character TL, and saddly there are no requirements put on people before they have kids...maybe a class or a license course or something

Whoops - don't fall victim to that Nanny Culture you hate so much.

[ 12-27-2002, 03:06 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

I was being facetious(sp?) err dammit now I have to look the word up!

Edit: what do you know..I got it right [img]smile.gif[/img] Facetious!
"Just being Waggish" or Joking [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 12-27-2002, 03:23 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]