It has happened, the lights are off, the tinsel will be coming down and the cards will be stacked to go for recycling. The tree will be put out in the front garden for collection and all that will be left are the pine needles on our wooden floor, until they are swept up. In a nutshell, that’s Christmas over and done with for another year. I love Christmas, as there always seems to be a different mood at home and at work, compared to the rest of the year. People are just more apt to show a little more courtesy. If only it could be Christmas everyday, that’s sounds like it would be a good theme for a song!
However, there is always what I consider the darker side of Christmas and in particular how it relates to gift giving. My wife and I have always kept, within reason, to the four gift rule with our daughter. For those that are unfamiliar with the four gift rule, it is fairly simple:
1. Something they want
2. Something they need
3. Something to wear
4. Something to read
It has worked for us, we have a happy well rounded child that understands the value of money and an appreciation for the little things in life. In contrast, a work colleague lavished his two and a half year old son with the following:
- A Playstation 4
- An XBox One
- A Samsung Gear VR
When asked why, it was simply because his son wanted these things, how does a not quite three year old know what they want apart from what they are exposed to through the barrage of adverts during the festive period. This facile and somewhat shallow view of Christmas was compounded when I came across the following article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/hatchimals-will-not-hatch-parents-not-pleased-holiday-toy-2016-12
I think there is an important lesson to be learned here, remember what matters in life and in my opinion it’s not buying your child the next fad. Oh, and if any reader is wondering about this, I have no religious interest in Christmas.