Reply to The USPS Santa Letters Gift Exchange, why do people complain when kids ask for expensive items like XBox, iPhones, etc?

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Reply to "The USPS Santa Letters Gift Exchange, why do people complain when kids ask for expensive items like XBox, iPhones, etc?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Which is why it's better to just donate money to a charity who buys the toys.  Or buy gift cards.

Also, don't offer to buy stuff for these exchanges if you're doing to be offended at how much it costs.  Just give a financial donation.  Why?  Because the only reason you "want to shop" is to make yourself feel good.  It's really not about the other person at all.[/quote]

Why? Because you’re wrong. People have good intentions but they aren’t always much better off than the recipients. No need to attack the people trying to help. Are you a donor or recipient, by the way?[/quote]

I would add, as someone who worked in international aid, I found many “good intentions” people frustrating. They were focused on wanting to help and the experience of donating, but also very controlling in how they helped. Some people thought poor people should happily accept worn out crap, for example. Or ignored what was really needed or requested. Their experience of just “trying to help” or “good intentions” was way more important than the person being helped.

Poor people also participate in popular culture. Of course the kids also want expensive toys and phones and PlayStations or whatever— upper middle class 10 year olds also want that! And like many children, they also don’t understand the expense or the ability of the gift giver. So keep that in mind if you’re irritated by an expensive list. You’re not obligated to give a kid an iPhone. But don’t get all mad at a kid for being greedy, a word I’ve seen at least once in this thread.[/quote]

Today’s iPhone is probably the equivalent of some fancy radio a kid asked for in 1952 or some wagon or ranger toy.[/quote]

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