A little tongue in cheek here, but not entirely. I have official proof that kids today are spoiled: They have trouble coming up with Christmas lists.

I spend $50-$100 on each niece and nephew... and I can't get completed Christmas lists. Are you kidding me? When I was 13, I could fill two notebook pages with all the crap I wanted. My older brother always got me a NES game. One year, he got me a bowling bag, WITH A NES GAME IN IT. WOWSERS!

You could spin this entirely differently by saying that they couldn't come up with a list because they are content with what they have. That would be excellent parenting!

You -could- spin it that way, but it's more than likely they just can't think of anything they don't have. That's not to say they already have everything, they're probably just stupid. =p

I don't know if this means they are spoiled. I know by 13 I wasn't asking for much and only mentioned things when forced to by my parents just so they had some idea. Then again my uncle and aunt got us mall gift certificates for presents for my entire life as far as i know.

Tend to agree with the idea that they simply have no idea what they want. If they did, they probably would want more - however, I believe it's much easier to be both overwhelmed and content(at least in terms of "material wealth") at a young age.

It really depends on the age. I have a 3 year old nephew, and he asked for a space ship. That's a pretty expensive gift, but I wouldn't call him greedy for asking.

Maybe they are despondent after having their hopes dashed so frequently.

Good call.

I remember growing up I always wanted a remote control car. The wireless kind with two directional sticks. I never got one. I got one with two directional sticks once, but it was tethered by a wire. Chasing after the fucking thing is not fun. I also got one a couple years later that was actually wireless, but it has two settings; forward and turning in reverse.

After that I turned to a life of crime, heavy drugs and whores.

Remote control cars were also the bane of my childhood.

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The on year I got one. My parents went to radio shack, and picked up the most expensive thing they could see. Instead of going to Toys R US like I freaking asked them to and get the Tyco car.

I ended up with a wireless 6 wheel Jeep that moved slower than a snail, and chewed batteries at an astronomical pace. While all my friends raced around with the cars ~I~ wanted, and laughed at me.

And they didn’t understand why I was sad? Least that year I got my Trypticon Transformer, and my Laser Tag set up; original black gun baby.

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$50-100 you're spending too much to try and buy their love.

We spend $20-30, this year it's pajamas and a book.

Thoughtful > Expensive

Just because $50-$100 is a lot for you, doesn't mean it's a lot for other people. $20-$30 is a lot for some people, so I guess you're trying to buy love too.

How is buying gifts trying to buy their love? lol.

It was always fun to get toys and fun stuff during Christmas, some of the fondest childhood memories. I'm glad I never got PJs. =x

lol, wow. I overspend that mark by about 5-10x on each kid. How are PJs and a book thoughtful? Are you kidding me?

They will grow to hate you if you buy them a pajama when they see the Playstation 3 their friend Timmy next door got.

My parents could never afford the Playstation 3 that my friend Timmy next door got, but I never hated them.

Agreed.

Yeah.. why would you hate them? You could go over to their house and play it. Other kids having game systems was a way to bring us together, not something to be jealous of.

When I was growing up I usually only wanted one big item each year and my parents would always get it for me, granted I never got many presents but I always got the one thing I wanted. I think my parents figured it out at a early age that 40 small gifts gave me the same excitement as 5 gifts with one big gift for the same or even less amount of money.

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We are going through the same thing with one of my nephews. Last year we got him a psp and a buncha games. By Feb. he had lent out the psp and it couldn't read UMD's anymore. (I am still a little pissed)

He is a spoiled brat. This year, we asked him what he wanted, and over the course of a month, he still hasn't come up with anything. (he wants a gun, and some other weapons, but that isn't going to happen)

So, we got him a "hunting" game from Bass Pro and a couple of aeropostale shirts and a Tapout wallet. Tough shit kid. (he is getting a laptop from his mom and just got a "Christmas" puppy) Last year his mom got him a shotgun, the year before that a 4-wheeler. IIRC He did mention an Ipod touch, but after the PSP incident, fuck him.

As for money spent... we usually do about 50 for birthdays and 50-100 per kid for xmas. But we are the childless Aunt and Uncle that live in the "big city". SO yeah, it is appropriate. Their moms and dads will get them whatever crap they can find at walmart for cheap, but we get them the nice lego set. That is the EXPLICIT job of the "big city" aunt and uncle. Look it up, it's in the rule book.

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It is interesting to read this and see the deep grooves that money wears into people and how it affects their perception of reality.

You know Draagun, I wish I would have just created an investment account 10 years ago and each Christmas put $75 per kid into it and gave them equal shares. Figure, it would currently be worth close to $10,000 or so right now. Oh well... just a thought. Maybe next life.

Orme, that's an awesome idea. O_o

Give your kid a mutual fund for xmas....

make sure you video it for youtube.. I want to see their reaction.

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