Christmas Presents
Parents are under pressure to keep up with trendy presents…again and again.
It's that time of year again when parents across Britain are starting to panic about Christmas presents for their children. But this year there has been an unexpected change in how people are feeling: they're worried. So much so that one Mumsnet user has even started a thread asking if it is normal to feel guilty about not being able to afford trendy toys like Barbie dolls and Fortnite games. The short answer is yes – however you shouldn’t feel guilty about not being able to give your child the latest thing at Christmas.
You may have noticed that toys have become more expensive. The average cost of a video game console has risen from £300 in 2003 to well over £400 today, and that’s before you add in the price of games (which can run up to £60 each). Similarly, the price of a good robot kit has almost doubled since its introduction in 2000, while simpler toys like Play-Doh and Lego bricks continue to rise in price each year. Why? Like most things these days, it comes down to supply and demand. Toys are more popular with kids right now—in fact, they've always been popular with kids—and since there's more demand than there is supply, prices go up accordingly.
Parents are feeling the pressure to offer their kids the latest and greatest toys. Parents feel pressured to buy expensive presents for their children, even though they may not be able to afford it. Parents also get stressed about buying gifts that are going to be popular in school and among their kid's friends. They want their child's Christmas present to last more than a few days before getting tossed aside like yesterday's newspaper. Lastly, parents worry about spending money on something that will actually be a good investment for them in the long run—something that won't just break after one day or month of use.
The pressure to keep up with the Joneses is nothing new. But while we're all familiar with debt being a cause of financial stress and anxiety, what's less clear is how debt can affect mental health. "As a society, we think of money as being an indicator of success," says Karen Walker, CEO of Good Therapy, a charity that provides counselling services to people in financial difficulty. "The more money you have, the more successful you are."
It's easy to see how this could lead us down a rabbit hole of negative self-talk: "I'm not good enough," "I'll never be able to afford anything nice for my kids," etc. Research shows that this kind of thinking contributes to low self-esteem and anxiety—and it doesn't help that many parents are now struggling financially just before Christmas due to tighter budgets and rising costs in other areas such as food shopping
You can't help but feel that your children will feel unloved if you don’t spend enough money on Christmas presents. But one mum said: "I'm sick of being an ATM for my kids." (Mumsnet, 2022)
It's no secret that Christmas presents are expensive. There are lots of things you could buy your children this year, but with the rising cost of living, having a bigger family and tighter budgets than ever, it can be hard to afford everything your kids want.
Don't feel guilty if you're struggling to find something for your child this Christmas. Talking about money can be difficult, especially when it feels like other people have more than you do. But there is no need for anyone to feel pressured into buying their children expensive gifts or making sure they have the latest toys just because everyone else does - even if you believe their kids are judging yours on social media!
It's important to remember that what matters most at Christmas time isn't whether someone has the coolest toy or newest gadget; it's spending quality time together as a family and showing appreciation for each other's company by doing things like playing games together or watching Christmas films on TV together instead of focusing solely on material possessions which may not bring lasting happiness anyway.
The key question to ask is: "what does my child really want?" It's important not to buy something just because it's popular or trendy, but instead, consider what your child really needs. This could be a new toy or game, but it could also be something else entirely - perhaps they want more time with their parents over Christmas break? Whatever the answer is, try to stay focused on what they need rather than get lost in the excitement of buying presents.
