Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Holiday Guilt

I think we have all had one of those years that we felt tremendous guilt on the money that we have spent.  For myself, it was years and years ago, in my VERY young and stupid days.
I would shop and shop for others, charge it, and then pay all year with high interest rates, and start the process over again.

How many of you have had 'holiday guilt' before?

I know it is tougher when people have kids.  Now a days, kids are bomb-barded from morning to night with commercials and ads for all the things they so NEED!!!!!!!  UGH!  Everything is electronic and high tech.  Kids seem to have everything by the time they just hit their teenage years.
So many young people (as in adults) think they deserve to have EVERYTHING right now - the same things their parents worked for, for years.  It has become a ME world full of instant gratification.

I have mentioned many times that I make most of our gifts.  The younger kids (nieces and nephews) do get some store bought stuff.  I am very lucky that the youngsters in our family have parents that have taught them restraint.  They get tickled to pieces to get fuzzy socks or new jammies!  Little cars, story books, and army men from dollar stores have been great hits in the past!That makes me happy.

I love to hear stories of folks who buy at sales all year long for their gift 'closet', or those who buy "like new" from yard sales and thrift stores, or those who limit gifts and funds for shopping.  I like to hear about the homemade gifts - as well as loving to receive them! 
I think it is great that many parents have " a want, a need. a read, a clothing" type of Christmas - YES, just 4 items!  They should be proud of themselves.

Giving young people ALL they want - helps no one.  They do not learn restraint, they don't learn responsibility, they don't learn anything about monetary values, etc. 
Don't allow your children or grand children to get caught up in that trap.
Hopefully they will follow examples throughout their lives, and turn out  to be frugal like their great teachers and mentors!

I hope none of you feel 'holiday guilt' this year.  Don't go overboard, keep things simple, stay within budget, and have a ball! 
Merry Christmas

Simplicity

2 comments:

  1. Isn't it wonderful when people teach their children to appreciate the gifts that they are given? Our grandkids were here last night and were getting dressed in their jammies after hot tubbing so they could go to bed when they got home. It was discovered that our oldest grandson (who is 4) has the bottoms of his jammies missing from the bag. Grammie to the rescue with their new jammies that I got them for Christmas. They just got them a bit early. ;) Both the boys were thrilled and kept telling us how soft they were and thanking us telling me that I was the best Grammie and that they loved me. I got each set of jammies for under $5 at the Black Friday sale at Walmart. They were more thrilled with about that jammies than they have been about some of the toys we have bought them in the past. ;)

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    1. Debbie I love that story. Some kids in our family are the same way. It just warms the heart to see.
      Obviously the parents did a great job!

      Have a good one.

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