Families and Christmas Long

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Families and Christmas Long
2
Fri, 11-28-2008 - 12:58pm

I am sorry to say I really have no family left to buy for. Wish I had

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Fri, 11-28-2008 - 2:02pm

Oh how things have changed. I am not sure if they are for better.

Families today have too many demands on their time. Mom and dad both work. Billy has hockey, Mary has dance, the dog needs to go to the Vet etc, etc. There is no time for tomato soup cake baking (does that ever sound good though!). Yesterday I worked 13 hours, then when I went to start my truck it would not start. LOL! Today 8 hours, tomorrow another 12 hours. I really wanted to make chocolates with my kids this year to give as presents. I don't know when I will find the time!

I do wish someone would give me underwear for Christmas or socks. It seems there is always someone that needs something more. I think most people would be ok with those gifts but people guilt them selves into thinking they wouldn't be. We need to communicate with each other and learn to say NO more than we do. Its ok to say no, to our relatives, our spouses, friends and yes even ourselves! We will all get over it.

I don't think I was forced into debt, I could have insisted we sell the business together and move on but I chose the hard path for greater returns later (I HOPE). I just didn't think the debt would bother me as much as it does or be as all consuming. Wake up with it, go to sleep with it(sleep is not great right now I'm not going to lie).

I also do not understand going into debt for Christmas. It happens every year so lets make an effort to budget for that puppy in January. I also don't understand charging necessities but I have a job and am thankful for it. You do what you have to I suppose. If I lost my job tomorrow, I would get another(it doesn't matter what it is!) and continue to snow flake my debt. I will get out of debt, not because ho hum things will get better with the economy etc, but because I damn well MAKE it get better on my own.

There is sense, I believe, of entitlement that people get from their families. You go with what you know. But lots of families earn less (even with two incomes) than their parents did. Things cost more and the sense of entitlement has grown with it. Plus people seem to buy with their emotions....Oh I'm having a bad day I deserve this.........

I don't remember being offered a credit card when I was in college but it seems to be all the rage now. I told my kids yesterday that credit cards were evil and to stay away from them. My youngest ask "how evil" and I said worse than drugs and alcohol. I suppose they are all addictions. He asked me later how a credit card worked but when I explained how using buying a jug of milk now and paying for it later because you do have to pay for it later he didn't understand. I guess thats why you have to be 18 to have one. Maybe everyone should have to be 25 or 30 to qualify.

I am giving my kids wrapped up mitts and hats, underwear and socks etc. They are things they can use. Are they going to be impressed with it? Probably not. I guess I am still the mean mommy. Oh they are getting game console too.....but only because I am scared the one they have will explode any day.

I believe it is becoming more common place to be less ashamed of debt. People don't strive to be independent. Lots of people don't strive to even keep a job. This credit crunch may change that but not for most people I don't think. I have heard the food banks this year are in trouble. Lots of new faces that can't feed their families. The down ward spiral can be a long one.

People need to think of other people more and get out of our bubbles. I know this can be hard to do. When is the last time you listened to an old person's story or made a homemade gift. Uhhhhh I need 4 more hours in each day.

Its all what you make it!



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Fri, 11-28-2008 - 2:49pm

I totally agree with you both reguarding gift giving for the holidays.