Incredibly expensive give asks in charity drives this year.

[Anonymous]

OP - set a budget and get what you can within that budget. Don’t overthink it. People either have their heart set on these items or they want the cash value. Either way, you can’t fault people for wanting. Does t mean you have to give those items,

For the record, I have never had this problem in the gift drive I participate in, and I have been involved in for several years and do 2-3 lists per year. So, try a different program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All teens want expensive stuff. Poor kids are no different.

+1. My kids ask for these things. I say no. If I couldn’t afford them, my heart might break for them. I’d feel guilty, and maybe I’d try.

But I can more than afford them. The answer is a firm no, for so many reasons.

I don’t judge the kids who ask. My answer is still no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t give to charity the government already takes and wastes enough of my earnings

-1

Sorry but you sound like the mighty Scrooge here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

All of those items are reasonable. After a lot of thought, we stopped participating in Angel Tree two years ago after the requests didn’t sit right with me. I would have no problem buying anything on this girls list. I can’t spend $500-1000 on a kid and didn’t spend that on my own this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

You could get all that stuff for under $100 total. It’s very reasonable asks for a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are people who make a whole job out of abusing the system. They sign up for 10 agencies and then resell the better stuff they get for cash. They Use their WIC benefits to buy formula and diapers and then return them without a receipt for store credit. I worked in a grocery store in HS. This happened literally every single day.

The sad truth is typically the people who really need the help the most don’t even know where to start. They don’t know the resources that exist.

I saw this when i worked at giant too.

[Anonymous]

I don't buy stuff like that for charity -- I don't spend that kind of money on my own kid, or myself. I think it's a waste if money.

This year I asked the activity my kid dies if we could sponsor a scholarship for their summer program. I feel really good about it. My kid gets so much out if that activity but the classes add up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

You could get all that stuff for under $100 total. It’s very reasonable asks for a teen.

Exactly. Everything on her list was from Ross, Claire's and Spencer's Gifts/Forever 21 type places. Under $100 total even today. Nothing like these expensive gift lists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

You could get all that stuff for under $100 total. It’s very reasonable asks for a teen.

+1 -- I'd happily fulfill that list.

A $400 northface jacket when my own kid gets Target? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

This is not a haul that costs several hundred bucks even today. Probably less than 100 bucks. The sneakers cost 50-60 bucks today and that is the most expensive thing. Everything else is inexpensive and from Ross or Claire's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All teens want expensive stuff. Poor kids are no different.

Mine don’t ask and know better to ask others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teens want expensive stuff. Poor kids are no different.

Mine don’t ask and know better to ask others.

Yep. I mentor low income first generation kids headed to college and none would ask for this kind of thing. Which is why they’ll end up doing better than these grifters.

[Anonymous]

100% agree. And so tired of the excuses: “OMG THEY WANT WHAT THEIR FRIENDS WANT,” not only for little kids who believe in Santa, but up to and including teens. These programs require an ADULT to submit for their kids. Be a parent. Letting them put iPads, iPhones, drones, $250 sneakers, $500 PS5s on the lists you are submitting for *strangers* to buy for your kids is gross and pathetic. Just no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very Entitled.

It's likely that everything is given to them from local and govt. services and they expect the same from you. We stopped doing those all together as a result of expectations.

This. They expect things handed to them. Why bother to buy it when some charity gives it for free.

No pride. It's a shame.

+100 lining up for free toys with no real vetting.

And then going online to complain about what they got on TikTok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw this video a few years ago and it always stayed with me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@maybashleymarie/video/7308954735841643819

A woman recalls living in a shelter with her parents at age 16 and thinking very hard about her angel tree wish list. She said she pretty much had only the clothes on her back.

She asked for hoop earrings, black Converse shoes (she said she would have been fine with generic shoes), skinny jeans size 13, black eyeliner and a playboy bunny blanket.

She said she remembers opening up her gifts. "This lady went above and beyond for me," she says. Her first gift was a 24-pack of hoop earrings from Claire's - "so beautiful!" she says. Several years worth of eyeliner. Skinny jeans with the tag attached so she could exchange if they didn't fit (which she did need to do). REAL Converse shoes - "I *loved* those things!". And the most beautiful, soft light pink playboy blanket. She still has the blanket.

She said you have no idea the difference that getting great angel tree gifts can make in a kid's life, in their spirit. I dunno, this really struck me. Probably cost the giver several hundred dollars even back then. And sounds like the kind of haul that a well-off parent would give their kid.

So why shouldn't an angel tree kid get a good haul? I dunno...my feeling is, if you don't like kids asking for expensive items, then don't buy them. But don't trash the kid for asking. As a PP said, maybe they want to be like their richer friends who are all getting that kind of thing.

Watch that video, it will make your heart swell.

Yeah, no way that was “several hundred dollars” and that kid asked for totally reasonable things. No comparison to what OP was talking about.