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Original poster

Christmas stealth boast posting pics of Christmas present piles

52 replies

Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:29

Every year the news feed is flooded with pictures of living rooms overflowing with presents.

Is there any purpose to this other than to gloat and make other people feel shit?

OP posts:
Original poster
Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:30

Sorry on facebook I mean!

OP posts:
Kelsoooo · 17/12/2015 14:31

I just think "way to let a burglar know where to come"

Because our 3year old would open everything before the day if left unattended, we bring it down Xmas eve

Blacktealeaves · 17/12/2015 14:31

It's hardly stealth!

Stealth is more "oh dear, I don't know what to do, my kids have more presents that we can store" or more usually "DD is only getting level a million for every subject, is she behind?" fake innocent face.

NeedsAMousekatool · 17/12/2015 14:33

Why would people have burglars on their Facebook list?

I doubt people are trying to make other people feel shit. They're just over excited and prioritise piles of presents. Absolutely anything positive can feel shitty to someone who doesn't have it.

PopcornFrenzy · 17/12/2015 14:33

I just scroll past those pictures, I do a present for every year of life...so DS is getting 5 and DD is getting 1. I've always done this and hate to see piles of presents that will probably be opened and tossed to one side.

I prefer presents to be played with and enjoyed

LittlestLightOnTheTree · 17/12/2015 14:34

It's probably just random stuff wrapped up to look the part.

BarbaraofSeville · 17/12/2015 14:42

Maybe we should have a thread about what is allowed on Facebook Hmm

No holiday pictures (some people can't afford holidays)
No pictures of lovely new baby (some people can't have babies)
No pictures of presents (not everyone gets presents)
No 'I love my DH, Mum, Sister' posts because not everyone has these people, may have lost them in tragic circumstances, or may not have a lovely relationship with them.
No pictures of 'look at my cute cat doing cute stuff' (people whose cat got run over may be upset by this
No pictures of anything that others may find unpleasant (spiders etc)

Some people like to spend a lot on their DCs at Christmas. That is entirely their choice and that may not always be the best choice for everyone (getting into debt or prioritising presents over basic needs like decent food etc) but they are going to do this whether it goes on FB or not, so just ignore and move on, or unsubscribe/defriend them if it bothers you that much.

It also seems a bit premature, well over a week before the big day. You are keen to get your sneering in early .

Original poster
Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:43

My DC's actually do get what I consider to be quite a large pile, and this year our living room will look even more ridiculous as there's an extra DC!! So it's not about making me personally feel shit, but I wouldn't dream of posting a pic of it on facebook. It's clearly competitive imo and I don't see the point. I buy what I buy for my DC for them, not to show off to others!

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Original poster
Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:45

I'm hardly sneering Barbara!

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NeedsAMousekatool · 17/12/2015 14:46

Yes Barbara, don't forget no comments about your forthcoming wedding (boring), pregnancy (boring), parents night (boasty and smug), any presents received (boasty/grabby), any mundane day to day stuff (boring), and certainly no negative posts (attention seeking and whiny).

EatShitDerek · 17/12/2015 14:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CherryPits · 17/12/2015 14:48

Yeah, its not a stealth boast.

We used to have boxes that looked like presents, which we stored the decorations inside. Then we left the boxes under the tree because it looked nice.

Maybe they're just doing that kind of thing?

Either way I wouldn't worry about it. Big boxes and lots of them doesn't mean they are full of wonderful things. One could be some crap like a plastic sponge, like my MIL has bought for me!

YakTriangle · 17/12/2015 14:50

If I posted a picture, it would be because I thought the tree looked lovely with the lights on and presents under it. It really wouldn't be a boast, so I don't think I would assume other people's pictures were either.

Original poster
Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:50

As I've explained. I'm not envious. I buy a lot for my kids too, but I wouldn't put it on fb, because I'm aware that for a lot of people this is a really stressful time of year and those people will feel sad that they can't give their kids what I can.

Precisely, no one gives a shit what others spend on their kids . . . so why post it?

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CherryPits · 17/12/2015 14:52

Notime, it bothers you, for whatever reason. I would just not look at the photos during this Christmas time.

EatShitDerek · 17/12/2015 14:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Notimefortossers · 17/12/2015 14:58

I have majorly scaled back my fb for that very reason! I have about 40 friends now, only very close friends and family and I go by an alias so I don't get added by every Tom, Dick and Harry.

I don't know what I'd think if someone posted only a few presents, because that doesn't tend to happen.

I think you're right Cherry . . . don't want to be sat on fb on xmas day anyway!

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EatShitDerek · 17/12/2015 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mouldycheesefan · 17/12/2015 15:04

It is a very working class thing to do, middle class people don't show photos of piles of presents as that would be considered vulgar whereas photos of an expensive skiing holiday wouldn't.

SilverOldie2 · 17/12/2015 15:11

Delete facebook - problem solved

TotalConfucius · 17/12/2015 15:14

I don't hold with presents under the tree until at least 11.59pm on Xmas Eve.
Many's the year I've hosted Xmas dinner whilst nursing serious head injuries after falling from the loft getting the presents down after a little Xmas Eve Prosecco or three. It's a rite of passage.

BarbaraofSeville · 17/12/2015 15:15

I still think to OP was being sneery. On here piles of presents on FB are generally considered vulgar and common and you wanted lots of people to agree with you about that.

As an aside, sorry to hear that you are homeless Derek. I like your posts and am from the same city as you (you won't recognise me because I've name changed a couple of times this year but we are often on the same threads). I hope it all works out for you and the boy.

sparklesandglitterxx · 17/12/2015 15:21

makes me cringe every year

un necessary and braggy imo

specialsubject · 17/12/2015 15:24

boasting only works if other people get jealous. Why be jealous?

someone has presents. That's nice. Hope they enjoy it. What difference does it make to you?

and yes, the 'burgle me' naivety of those who post pics of piles of stuff, identifiable locations and the fact that they will be going away, imagining that facebook is secure...dear oh dear.

Pidapie · 17/12/2015 15:41

Not had anyone post present pictures on my facebook (yet)! Not sure what to think of it. It's just a picture of a tree and presents. Always used to take a picture of the tree when I was growing up (before fb), but it was just because I thought it looked nice, rather than to remember all the presents.