Christmas is coming and the rush for gifts begins.
Like every year, we find ourselves spending large amounts of money trying to surprise our loved ones and especially thinking about how to make the little ones happy.
We dedicate a lot of energy to searching for the perfect gift: we go to the shops, scroll through the online catalogs of all types of shops, especially toys, everything just to put the most desired gift under the tree, possibly without squandering a fortune.
But are we sure that this is the right way to raise happy children who are capable, once they become adults, of making common sense economic and personal choices?
The risk of taking everything for granted
“Dear Santa Claus”, this is how the letter full of hope always begins to which every child entrusts their wishes these days.
A beautiful ritual that should teach the value of waiting and giving, creating precious memories.
Unfortunately, due to the consumerist mentality of modern society, even Christmas gifts have become yet another example of unjustified waste.
Every December, with the excuse of the Christmas holidays, grandparents, parents, relatives and friends proudly fill bags with gifts intended for the little ones, many of which end up being enthusiastically unwrapped on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, to be then set aside within a few hours.
In fact, since desire is fueled by lack and by waiting, covering our children with useless gifts and purchases, continuously and without reason (not only for the holidays), risks extinguishing every desire in them and their taking everything for granted. Christmas loses its peculiarity and turns into a normal day.
Thus, the morning of December 25th is seen by the little ones as a moment in which they receive new games and clothes, without having concretely understood what it means to purchase, receive, and even donate.
The value (not just economic) of the gifts
We have accustomed today’s children to immediacy, to immediately having everything they want. To help them grow in a balanced and responsible way, it is essential to go back to teaching them gratitude and the pleasure of waiting.
A good method to help little ones understand the value of gifts and, in general, of Christmas purchases (from panettone to everything that allows us to set our table), is to take them shopping together with their parents.
It is important to help them choose gifts for friends and relatives, teach them how to wrap them, write notes, and then wait with curiosity for the recipients to unwrap the carefully prepared package and find out if they have identified the right present.
In this way, Christmas becomes not only a time to receive, but also an opportunity to experience the pleasure of giving. Sometimes, even to share with those less fortunate than us.
How to handle children’s requests
Christmas is also a good time to manage unrealistic demands and expectations.
It is very common, in fact, for children to expect to receive everything they asked for from Santa Claus. How can we stem this tendency without disappointing them but, on the contrary, helping them to be aware and realistic?
You can start by setting a limit and explaining that you won’t be able to ask for more than one or two gifts.
With older children it can be very useful to take advantage of the Christmas holidays to talk openly about managing expenses, thinking about the value of money, planning and saving.
Furthermore, a topic to reflect on with children and grandchildren is certainly sustainability: the consequences of excessive consumerism can be clearly explained in terms of repercussions on the planet, a topic that is very close to the hearts of today’s children.
Above all, to moderate the requests it is necessary to dedicate time to children, helping them to understand what their true desires are, making them understand that it is not the quantity that makes the difference: much better a single gift, but one that they really like and that is also of some use.
To encourage children and young people to reflect on the relationship between desires and money, the Museum of Saving organizes activities and workshops dedicated to families and schools as part of financial education courses.
All information is available on our website.