AIBU to think it is REALLY daft to get into debt buying xmas presents etc.

[IceBeing]

Do people really go into debt over christmas and if so, why?

smelly I'm surprised at how others are indulging the op. I've had some very bad things happen to me, but I don't expect that to excuse me from being pulled up for being a a goady hateful twat/doesn't get it.

Are you really that smug? Or just trying to create a shitstorm, sit back and laugh at all us idiots getting wound up at your posts?
Expect it's the latter, but just in case it is the former: god, you sound like an awful, harsh and self-righteous human being without a shred of compassion.
Either way, it might be time to get rid of the internet as well (it costs money too, you know!)

Fwiw, we don't buy our DC a lot for Christmas. We are Christians and Santa is secondary. Also, we are trying to raise the kids to be less materialistic and don't have a TV so they don't see much in the way of Christmas adverts. We try to focus on experiences...Christmas films, crafts, etc...but even those things cost $.

That being said, YABU. There's a difference between buying diamond earrings and iPads and ponies and buying anything.

These children already know they were different. They know they're not going to have nice food or nice homes or nice holidays or nice clothes. They may be hungry and cold.

If their parents want to go into debt to make just one day of their childhood special, to make them feel like everyone else for one day...I can't judge them for that.

The level of ignorance on this thread is astounding. Truly. Fucking. Astounding. I could never have believed people could be so blinkered and unkind. Choice is a word easily bandied around when you can make easy choices.

cheerful exactly that.

Does anyone know if Katie Hopkins is a Mumsnetter ?

I totally disagree with the OP but as other perspectives seem to have dawned on her, to the extent she'll be taking Christmas goodies to a local food bank, is it not time to lay off her now?

Hmm. No. I think it's healthy to challenge ignorance. That the op has pledged to donate to a food bank is neither here nor there IMHO.

I think it the issue of debt at Christmas "depends." Yes I think getting into debt is ridiculous in some cases, children do not needed expensive gifts, and there are ways of cutting costs - the meaning of Christmas is often lost. A wider issue in many cases of debt is year round spending, some households spend much which can be avoided eg sky, mobile phones, going out etc etc. however, there are cases where budgets are so tight debt is an issue and I fully appreciate that, in those cases it is the limiting of the debt that is so important as there is no reason to run up hundreds of pounds.

Because they earn just about enough to scrape through the month and don't have surplus cash to buy Christmas presents, food, possibly decorations etc. So they borrow to fund it, buy now pay later or whatever and subsequently debt happens. Or they don't pay a few bills that month. Because they don't want their kids to wake up and have no presents, because they want them to have a nice Christmas. HTH.

I had a (joking) chat with the dc about doing Christmas without presents this year

It didn't go well...in fact dd says if we do that she is going to run away

Ooh hold on

Win, win

I'm honestly astounded by how much some people spend on presents for their children. Not just Christmas but birthdays too.

I am not struggling but my son gets a £30 present. I also buy on eBay and from charity shops.

Keeping up with the Jones is not for me.

Well said MrsDeVere

Oh! Oh yes!

MrsDevere - I feel the same as you about debt. Never had it, don't want it, would rather do without. I have never had a credit card.

I agree with everything you wrote. I hope the OP is thinking hard about what she is reading here, and feel sufficiently slapped on the wrist and put back in her box.

OP - it comes to many of us who express lofty self assured opinions. It does us good to eat humble pie once in a while.
Have some brandy butter with yours. x

I do think that the assumption everyone is buying ££s worth of IPads, TVs consoles and gadgets is well wide of the mark.
DS1 had a laptop one year because he needed a laptop for school work (IMO) and one year he had an IPad mini for his birthday, or a phone upgrade. But we don't then buy him those again every single year.

This year he would like personalised football boots.

IceBeing, are you one of those people who don't realise that you are not everybody?

I mean, I won't go into debt to fund Christmas because I'm lucky enough not to need to. But would I stick some cash on a CC so my 7yo would have a nice time, and wouldn't worry about our brokeness (which he would)? Bet your arse I would.

Depends whether the debt is affordable. If you know you can pay it off quickly after Xmas then fine. Personally I wouldn't go into debt. We try to save a small amount each month and buy stuff in the sales. Kids havnt always got what they wanted and only had 1/2 small presents and stocking fillers but much rather do that than debt I can't afford. This is my choice though.

I wouldn't think ill of someone who got into debt over Xmas, I'm sure their feelings generally come from a good place. Perhaps some of them are spendthrift and won't realise the long term implications of that debt til it hits them, perhaps that comes from a lack of financial education. Is that their fault? Maybe yes, maybe no, I think lack of opportunity for whatever reason is behind most lack of education.

The argument seems to be you know, do you blame the individual or credit them with 100% free will and freedom of thought to reject a very major social construct which yes has been heavily promoted by capitalists trying to get us to spend money we don't have. Or perhaps you look at the wider structures of society, the media, the adverts, retail, that brainwash people into believing these things; and blame those.

YANBU but having realised we are much worse off than I thought we would be this year I can totally see why people want to

People get into debt for all sorts of silly reasons so the fact that many borrow for Christmas can't come as a surprise.

It's the same day every year, there are sales throughout the year and most food can be kept frozen/has a decent shelf life so there are twelve months to pay for the event but at the end of the day it's just one day out of 365.

hellsandwich my point was she had been challenged, seems to have taken on board the comments and learned from them, to the point of doing something Christmassy for those who may be struggling. Given that, more comments being rude to her seem unnecessary (not that yours was, just to be clear).