Only a quarter ????? That seems very low !!!

Well close to one third will do there shop outside the republic if the stats are right. No wonder the domestic economy is in gutter. No self pride in our own country.

I never said anything about getting into debt , I simply said that I’d you tell your child that Santa can’t afford a BMX (BMX was only an example of a present BTW) and the boy next door gets one , how do you think your child would react ? Do you think they ‘d feel like they had done something wrong Because he got one I didnt!!! But my point also is if your prepared to spend a €100 or more on a night out but think
Twice about spending it on your child that’s where the problem
Is ! Not Santa , they’ll complain about oh having to budget for Christmas presents and Santa but be sure their presses will be well stocked with beers, wine and spirits and probably nip to the local over the festive season aswell now you tell me where the sacrifice should come from . Santa ! I don’t think so….

I’m presuming you don’t have kids otherwise you would realise that if you tell a child that wants let’s say BMX off Santa , that Santa can’t bring it cause it costs to much and on Christmas morning the child sees the kids living across the road with a new BMX each how do you think it will affect the child?? I understand what you trying to say but it doesn’t work like that in regards to Santa .

Don’t spend €100 on plastic crap for kids as you put it , but it’s ok to go and piss it up against the wall one or two
Nights a week instead .

I do have kids and yes, not being lavish with the cash does work.

Hard-wiring your kid’s brain to believe they have to have, and will have, the BMX because the other kid has one, and you chose to deliver it, is simply lazy parenting. All your kid learns is materialism and that making demands will be met. That sets them up for an envy mentality later in life, rather than finding happiness through other means. I don’t mean no presents, I mean moderation.

The bigger you make Santa, the more the kids expect. You are shooting yourself in the foot if you keep yielding to their demands. €170 is ludicrous for Santa presents. I assume the parents will also have to buy presents, and the kid will probably get stuff from godparents, grandparents etc etc. You’re talking about €400 or so of presents there, all totted up. Time to consider a Kris Kindle approach and everyone clubs in to buy one decent present for a total budget much much less than that.

Next thing you are going to tell me is that it is humiliating if your child can’t arrive at their communion in a stretch Hummer.

?50……are you having a giggle….I wouldn’t like to see your kids faces Christmas morning ……have you see the price of kids toys?

@jrbmc,

I had that scenario in my childhood. But in my house, we were aware of money issues – no pretense was kept up that money was plentiful, and so we didn’t complain too much about what the kids down the road got. And the kids down the road never laughed at us or mocked us for our more modest presents. We still got great presents, don’t get me wrong, and they would be in the area of what we wanted, just never big ticket items like bikes.

Santa works exactly how you want him to work. I had it explained that Santa has a lot of kids to see, some in very poor countries so we shouldn’t be greedy, and that some parents added to what Santa gave.

Your christmas spend should be proportionate with your income, not with the spend of the Jones’ up the road.

I think it is a duty of all parents to moderate the gifts that are given to their kids, particularly in this climate.

Even if you can easily afford it, there will be plenty of other kids in your kid’s class at school, or on your street, whose parents are struggling. Your little Sebastian the III, arriving into school on their new Segway just makes the other poorer kids feel bad. Unless of course, you want to send that message about how well you are doing…

Don’t feed the capitalist monster at Christmas.

It is in no way a necessity that you spoil your kids. We all knew the brats in our class when we were kids who had everything. It didn’t do them any good when they were older. Their being popular because they were spoiled was not a lasting thing.

Consider also the looks on both the kids’ faces when the bailiffs come round and seize the bike after the parents fail to keep up the payments.

Ba humbug Scrooge !!!!

It not about what the kids next door have its about what Santa brings on Christmas morning !!!! Hello has the penny dropped yet !!!! The point I was making to the other person was you try and explain to a child why Santa couldnt bring a particular toy cause its too expensive but the boy next door gets it fro Santa and why Santa only brought him a present worth €50 and the boy next door €150 do you understand my point !!

I understand what you are saying but the whole thread was about debt wasn’t it ?
Either way wasn’t the thread about debt ??
Anyway i dont comment here to argue and You and I have a good Xmas no matter what