Competitive Christmas thriftiness on MN

[Imchangingmyname]

Just something I've noticed over the last few weeks on MN.

There seems to be a lot of competitive comments regarding how little you can spend on your kids. Let's be honest here, stuff costs. Whether that's plastic tat for the baby or an iPad for the teenager but mostly: Kids. Expect. Presents. At. Christmas. Don't they?

There's far too much of 'you spend £100 at Christmas!!??? I spend max £10 on little Jimmy and that's more than enough. I also throw in some chestnuts and a clementine on top of that'

Or 'mine is happy with our certificate for adopting a donkey for a year'

Really??! I think the commercialisation of Christmas has gone too far, granted but most kids I know would be upset if they didn't have at least a few presents to open on the day. I've noticed it's mainly from those who have the budget but refuse to spend to..somehow appear holier than thou??

Those that proclaim to all that they're getting their kids a handful of lego and a kinder egg piss me off more than the vulgar 'look how much I've spent' tbh.

YANBU.

Yanbu I call them the 'coal and satsuma lot'

I often think they probably spend more than everyone else and are hiding it.

To be honest, I don't spend much on DD at Christmas. I find the 'piles of presents' faintly obscene. It's definitely linked to social class, though.

We have the budget but don't spend it not to be holier that thou but merely because we don't want him having loads of stuff, particularly when he is only 2 and not old enough to ask for it yet and would rather play with a box anyway.

I think it's important to highlight that Christmas is too commercialised but I would be a a bit about only £10 on poor Jimmy.

I am however more at anyone who buys loads of presents and uses Santa as a threat throughout December, I want to slap anyone who says 'Santa is watching', and those fucking elves need burning.

So I guess YANBU to be annoyed, because people talking about the stupid shit they do at Christmas can be annoying.

I spend 2p and forage fruit from next doors bin

If those were real examples then you would not BU. But they aren't, they're exaggerations. So yes, you are unreasonable for this straw man AIBU in the first place.

I think they are the same lot who deem you a wildly prolifrigate Bridezilla if you do anything more elaborate than marrying quietly in a hole in the ground. In secret. At midnight. Whilst wearing sackcloth and ashes.

I bypass the 'how much' threads.

Competitive spending/ thriftiness makes for a fucking dullard of a thread.

It's definitely linked to social class, though

How so? Poor people get into debt buying sackloads of shite and the middle classes and up have a more refined present-buying attitude presumably?

Yanbu it's that time of the year again for those threads. Also the ones with lists of presents asking if that's enough.
Who the hell cares what the next person buys or doesn't.

Tbh the more money a family has in real life thevless present they give there dc, this is particularly true if people I know who have had money in the family for generations.

I think with some families they spend on their dc when they need something, be it a bike or sports equipment etc and Christmas is a much more low key affair

Surely each to their own

I have had Christ!ases where I have spent a lot of money on presents but as dc have grown and they have had stuff during the year I just don't want to spend more at Christmas

This year I have said it will be low key and couple of presents each and s bit of cash.

I want to go out for a run and have a late dinner, anyone can come but it will be crackers and a Sunday roast lamb without to much fuss.

Talking about how much you spend on anything is crass

but yabu to get het up because people spend less than others

It's snobery as a post above already demonstrates.

I don't know anyone like this in real life. Yes you get the facebook santas been group but most people spend what they can and enjoy buying for their children.

I spend shedloads and don't give a fuck

Can you link some actual examples op? I strongly suspect you're talking bollocks.

You've really not seen threads like that Mintyy?

I've seen plenty where some have said they spend £15 on each of the dc for instance.

those fucking elves need burning

Guilty as charged! I have just posted on another thread about how crass it is to measure how much you spend on your dc at xmas.
I am definitely part of the coal and satsuma brigade.
I am smug and middle class and proud of it.

but yabu to get het up because people spend less than others confused

ghosty Not at all. I couldn't care less. I just don't understand the competitive thriftiness and, actually, I don't believe it.

I am afraid I have used the Father Christmas is watching line when my DS pushed another kid off the playground slide.

Mintyy really? There are quite a few, and this is a yearly thing. Surely you can't miss that.

mintyy I saw something along these lines on the Christmas topic the other day and I've just seen something similar on another thread. Didn't want to quote and start a TAAT.

Perhaps you haven't read many threads recently?