ds friend says his mum cant do xmas

[ThatVikRinA22]

they have two kids, one of 16 and one of about 7, and they have told them that they cannot afford to celebrate xmas this year and therefore wont be putting up a tree or anything.

they are trying to take the eldest childs EMA off him. (he uses most of it to get to college but the remainder they are trying to take off him for housekeeping)

they both smoke heavily. arnt fags over a fiver a pack now?

im so sad for those kids...would it be totally wrong to draw attention to the fact by getting them a little present each?

I would feel the way you do and want to help and give them something too. I would be tempted to invite them round for christmas dinner!

I would get the kids something yes - poor things. I can't understand parents like that - can afford fags but not a tree/presents etc for the kids.

Selfish cunting bastards springs to mind.

Yes, definitely get them something. (the kids)
Very selfish parents. Even if they can't afford to go out and buy a tree, they can still decorate the house. I would get my kids something for Christmas no matter what, if I had to sell some stuff I would, I would NOT be buying smokes.
Can you send their names to the Salvation Army so they recieve something from them?

My mom was very poor for several years raising my brother and I, I am sure a lot of stuff we received was used, but we didn't care. We always had wonderful Christmases, it was the feeling in the air.

That's sad. I would invite the kids over for Christmas dinner, but probably not the parents.

These kind of story's make me so bloody angry.

How could someone do that to their children?

i keep asking DS if it could be a joke...but he insists it isnt. the thing is that they normally have lights all over the house and really make a big effort....

i really was wondering if they have just said it, like you do, when they are being pains and you go "thats it - xmas is cancelled this year" but apparently not - he says they have been warning the kids since summer that they cannot do it this year.

if its true id like to do something to help but if its not im gonna look a right idiot...

Yep, kids over absolutely. And a gift if you can manage it.

We're not exactly affluent to put it mildly- but the kids having memories and a Christmas comes before any treats (and I do count cigs as treats, absolutely, although our treats might be clothes from ebay or a bottle of wine) for us and that's not a virtue but absolutely as it should be if you are going to have children.

Do you know anything else about their circumstances or them?
It just strikes me as strange that hey are trying to take the ema off the eldest?
Are things genuinely that bad do you think? or is something else going on?

Maybe they mean that they cannot decorate with lights to the exptent that they normally do, as electric has gone up so much in price?

At least, I hope that's what was meant...

Otherwise, I'd invite them both to your house for Chistmas day (because I'm like that)_

what is ema for though. is it for his spending money or should it go towards his books, fare etc.,>?
things must be tough. they must be havijng problems and it was probably said flippantly.
can you help

EMA is for books, fare, other education related expenses.

They will still be getting child benefit for him so they REALLY should not be taking his ema.

Are you sure you're getting the full story? Be careful as you don't know what goes on behind closed doors.