Xmas Excess: Who cares???
I am relatively new to this parenting gig; this will be my second Christmas as a parent. Last year I had a newborn so was oblivious to anything going on outside of our little bubble. What I have noticed this year is the amount of media / social media coverage regarding what people spend on their children - and it is entirely bewildering! I don't know if this has always been the case, or if it is just this year's "hot topic", but in my opinion it is tasteless, irrelevant and not at all Christmassy!!!
Last week - 'Xmas Excess: Parents Splash The Cash' [Channel 5], the Daily Mail headline - "Mother-of-three who was accused of 'abusing' her children by spending £1,500 on their Christmas gifts last year will be buying them 96 gifts EACH this December" (you may have seen pictures of her tree hidden by the giant pile of presents). This week: 'The World's Most Expensive Toys' [Channel 4], featuring a £98,000 Swarovski encrusted rocking horse. The Sun headline - "'On a Different Planet! Viewers left bemused by The World’s Most Expensive Toys documentary".
Although I couldn't care less what other people spend on their children, my concern is the way the media has portrayed the subject, creating negativity between parents. You just need to look at the Twitter trolls to see the aggression coming from certain individuals. Below are some comments I found. This is horrible! Why? Why does anyone care? Why does it matter?
It's not just these two shows, I have seen loads of Facebook posts, blogs and 'news' stories discussing the matter. My main concern with all this hype around spending and, ultimately, guilt. Parents are potentially being made to feel like they need to spend beyond their means to give their children the best Christmas. We had a modest budget for Little Bear this year, based on what we could afford and what seemed reasonable to us, although I wont divulge exactly how much as I feel that would negate the point of the blog. But we wanted to make sure we weren't spending for the sake of spending, we have carefully selected a handful of gifts that we think she will really enjoy or actually needs. To those who spend more on your children (or wider family), that's absolutely okay. The point I'm trying to reach is that I don't understand the preoccupation the nation seems to have this year with analysing (and ultimately criticising) what others are doing. Are we really that nosey?
To anyone who felt the pressure to "spend, spend, spend" (!!) this year, take a look back at your childhood memories of Christmas and reflect on what your happiest memories are. I'm guessing it isn't always what toy you got or how many presents were under the tree? It definitely wasn't for me! My happiest memories are of our Nan coming to stay, sprouts being passed from plate to plate so we weren't the one in trouble for not eating them, demanding a large helping of Christmas pudding so we got the pound coin, and then not eating it because Christmas pudding is horrid, going for a walk along the river with the dog, Nan desperately shusing us as she tries to listen to the Queen over all the noise, playing games together and laughing until we cried. Very few memories are of gifts I received.
Don't forget to remember what is really important to you during the festive period. It doesn't matter how much you spent, and it certainly doesn't matter how much anyone else spent! What matters is making memories and having fun with your family and friends. Be grateful for all that you have. Memories are made from experiences, relationships, fun times we enjoy together. As long as you have love, family around you and food in your belly count yourself lucky.
Merry Christmas to you all, have a brilliant day. I am so excited to spend Christmas with my beautiful little girl, my wonderful husband and brothers, sisters and nieces. 10 of us! It is going to be loud and busy but that's just how I like it! Love to all xxx
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4028532/Mother-three-accused-abusing-children-spending-1-500-Christmas-gifts-year-buying-96-gifts-December.html#ixzz4ThePUz1g
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2464615/viewers-left-bemused-by-the-worlds-most-expensive-toys-documentary-which-featured-a-crystal-encrusted-rocking-horse/
Please check out my Etsy Store - www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OneLittleBearLTD
Follow me on Instagram - www.instagram.com/onelittlebearltd
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Last week - 'Xmas Excess: Parents Splash The Cash' [Channel 5], the Daily Mail headline - "Mother-of-three who was accused of 'abusing' her children by spending £1,500 on their Christmas gifts last year will be buying them 96 gifts EACH this December" (you may have seen pictures of her tree hidden by the giant pile of presents). This week: 'The World's Most Expensive Toys' [Channel 4], featuring a £98,000 Swarovski encrusted rocking horse. The Sun headline - "'On a Different Planet! Viewers left bemused by The World’s Most Expensive Toys documentary".
Although I couldn't care less what other people spend on their children, my concern is the way the media has portrayed the subject, creating negativity between parents. You just need to look at the Twitter trolls to see the aggression coming from certain individuals. Below are some comments I found. This is horrible! Why? Why does anyone care? Why does it matter?
"#XmasExcess Yet more stupid people with too much cash & too little sense. What a lesson to teach your children when many live on the streets" - (Stuart Lomas @FixedWingGuy)
"#XmasExcess the true meaning of xmas has been lost. greed & commercialism." - (NOL @ncfc77)
"Spend less time buying xmas presents & more bleaching & cleaning dead flies off window seal #channel5 #ParentsSplashTheCash #xmasexcess" - (TheGhettoRacoon @TheGhettoRacoon)
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"Kids that are bought these #worldsmostexpensivetoys should be drowned at birth..." - (Double_O_Negative @DrDoom_n_Gloom)
"Worlds most expensive toys on Channel 4 really is showcasing all that is wrong with society" - (Mike Wilshaw @Mike_Wilshaw)
"Watching #worldsmostexpensivetoys it really is making me feel uncomfortable" - (LorraineHomeLambert @YORKIE007)
To anyone who felt the pressure to "spend, spend, spend" (!!) this year, take a look back at your childhood memories of Christmas and reflect on what your happiest memories are. I'm guessing it isn't always what toy you got or how many presents were under the tree? It definitely wasn't for me! My happiest memories are of our Nan coming to stay, sprouts being passed from plate to plate so we weren't the one in trouble for not eating them, demanding a large helping of Christmas pudding so we got the pound coin, and then not eating it because Christmas pudding is horrid, going for a walk along the river with the dog, Nan desperately shusing us as she tries to listen to the Queen over all the noise, playing games together and laughing until we cried. Very few memories are of gifts I received.
Don't forget to remember what is really important to you during the festive period. It doesn't matter how much you spent, and it certainly doesn't matter how much anyone else spent! What matters is making memories and having fun with your family and friends. Be grateful for all that you have. Memories are made from experiences, relationships, fun times we enjoy together. As long as you have love, family around you and food in your belly count yourself lucky.
Merry Christmas to you all, have a brilliant day. I am so excited to spend Christmas with my beautiful little girl, my wonderful husband and brothers, sisters and nieces. 10 of us! It is going to be loud and busy but that's just how I like it! Love to all xxx
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4028532/Mother-three-accused-abusing-children-spending-1-500-Christmas-gifts-year-buying-96-gifts-December.html#ixzz4ThePUz1g
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2464615/viewers-left-bemused-by-the-worlds-most-expensive-toys-documentary-which-featured-a-crystal-encrusted-rocking-horse/
Please check out my Etsy Store - www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OneLittleBearLTD
Follow me on Instagram - www.instagram.com/onelittlebearltd
Follow me on Facebook - www.facebook.com/OneLittleBear/
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