Today's Daily Times had an Editorial from a local woman who stood in line for hours over the weekend at a local store to get either a Nintendo Wii or a voucher good for one and got neither for all her efforts.It seems that the store was slated to get about 50 and actually only received a little over a dozen of the elusive game systems.As a parent,I can understand wanting to give your child EVERYTHING they ask for,especially an item as coveted as the Wii-but the stores count on this,and I believe they just feed into the frenzy we see every year when everyone lines up to get the "hottest" item that particular year.
In the process,we are losing sight of the true meaning of Christmas.Maybe it's just me,but kids get more materialistic with each generation it seems.I was perusing through the "Letters to Santa" in a local newspaper and was surprised at all the big ticket items that some of the kids had on their list.....A computer,an Ipod,a Wii,a PS3,4 wheelers,etc,etc.And it was LITTLE kids asking for all that stuff!I can see getting a child one of the "big ticket" items if you can swing it,but I think as parents some of us are going overboard,perhaps even spending money we do not have,just so our kids can "have it all".I'm fortunate in that my little girl is 4,so she is still pretty easy to please.You know what her biggest wish item is this Christmas?A BABY BROTHER!Of course,she will not be getting that particular wish this year or any other year,because I am done having babies(and since my hubby had a vasectomy,I am in BIG trouble if I turn up pregnant!LOL)Other than that she wants the usual toddler stuff-Leapfrog cartridges,accessories for her doll babies and some of her favorite DVD's.Oh,and her own golf club so she can hit some balls with Daddy.Thats easy enough to manage...but what about next year?My friends with older children are pulling their hair out trying to figure out how to get every last expensive item their kids are asking for and I do not envy them.
I am no Scrooge,but somewhere along the way we forget the adage "it is better to give than to receive".While we are fulfilling our childrens wishes,we also need to teach them about why we celebrate Christmas & how to be thankful for the things we have in life.Contrary to what the department store sales flyers promote,Jesus is the reason for the season.If we forget that,we have lost everything.
No comments:
Post a Comment