Giving and Angel Trees - are people greedy?

I wouldn't buy such expensive gifts for children under the angel program either. I am looking at it like a child would, if someone asked me what I wanted I would tell them. These children need to be instructed as to what to ask for and what not to ask for. There should be an adult who oversees what the children are writing down. the child may see it as my parents can not afford it for me, but maybe someone else will since I can ask for what I want. We had such a program at church before, and the tags simply said, female, 10 years or male 7 years. It was up to the person who picked their tag to buy what they wanted. I think when you start asking chidren what they want, they will tell you. Some children understand their situations and ask for sensible things, then there are other children who just want what they want.

It seems that every year they are asking for more and more expensive things. I used to do it every year and there was always there lines one for there clothes sizes, one for there shoe size and what they would like, and one for a toy and the toy was always reasonable and many times I was able to get them an outfit, shoes, and the toy at a price I could afford. This year when I looked most of the cards were filled with nothing but toy requests and it was stuff that I wouldn't of bought for my own children at that age. I hate that they are not getting anything for Christmas but you would think they would be happy with what someone could afford to buy them.

They aren't called Angel trees here in Australia as far as I know or at least I have not seen that name in the past. However there are Christmas trees with tags attached for people to take and buy a Christmas present. The ones I have seen mostly have just "Girl Aged 6" or whatever although one year I did see one where a specific present was listed. Friends were impressed that the gift request was reasonable so they actually bought for 4 children that year. They later heard that the children were guided in their requests and could ask for something that cost no more than $20. I suspect that with the tags you saw mummyboo that it was the parents who were making the request and not the actual child. There would be very few children aged under 6 who can write and spell well enough to ask for something so expensive. Those parents who do not take the time and trouble to explain to their child that a small gift is what they will receive and not something like an XBox are being totally irresponsible. They are also sending the wrong message to their child about the whole gift giving/receiving scenario. Can you imagine what it would have been like for some of those children on Christmas morning? The look on the child's face when they got a doll or small truck when they were "expecting" an xBox. Why? Because the parents did not prepare their children for this, simply because for some strange reason the parents allowed the child's expectations be raised.

When I was a little girl I was happy with a new doll ! :-) I agree they should not want these outrageously priced gifts however, I do not agree with the poster who said the parents should ask for simple things like socks, hats,etc. These children have a right to toys on christmas morning like every other kid in the world. Think back when you were 6 years old. Would you have been happy with just clothes on Christmas morning?

In my experience boo, greed is the engine that fuels progress. Whether it be greed of self indulgence, social change or the pursuit of power, it is something that has been bred into the fabric of our being. It makes people selfish and takes away their ability to see the forest for the trees. When I was raising my kids, I couldn't afford all the 'gifts of choice' that were on everyone else's list either, let alone what we gave to toy drives and such. Every year I worried myself sick that my boys would be disappointed in the choices I made. They never were. In families like yours and mine, greed is not allowed to take root and grow and I find it disillusioning that 'needy' kids can no longer see that "one small tree decorated with love" is much more meaningful than a "huge commercial one decorated to impress".

Chances are good that it's not the child asking for the expensive gift at all.. but rather the parent of the child. I've noticed a trend in the past few years, people buy these gifts for the kids on the angel tree and the parents take the stuff back for a refund. many places, like wal-mart will take things back without a receipt. There are some really pathetic parents out there.

we didnt do the angel tree this year either. we looked at 3 different tags on the angel tree at walmart, and 2 wanted bikes and the 3rd wanted a PSP. so we had to pass, felt awful but i couldnt afford to get any of it for my household either. i did TRY to make up for it a bit when i went to the dollar store for wrapping paper. they were also asking for donations, $1 for a medium sized stuffed animal toy ...we bought 5 of them lol. not great, but better than nothing right?

wow you are right they shouldn,t be so greedy those xboxws cost over 400 dollars rgar high for a stranger it would be different if you could afford it.ies i have to say people have gotten greedy parents should explain to the child how expensive these games are and teach them not tp ask other for gifts so expensive because some kids think we have money.

I've not heard of this idea, but it sounds like a nice idea gone wrong. the trouble is, if the parents are putting things like that, it sounds like they are depriving their child of receiving anything at all, as no one will buy something so expensive as that. surely they'd rather receive something sensibly priced than nothing at all.

I certainly wouldn't buy for some stranger what I couldn't buy for my own kids. On certain things I would consider what could be bought from a pawn shop, especially game systems. On the other hand you have the ones who take the tag but make barely an effort. The lean times I went the angel tree route my son asked for simple toys. One year he asked for a car wash toy. Not much to it and not expensive. He got a plastic dollar store car that didn't even last the day. Heck, I'm not even sure it was a new toy. They didn't even try.

that is horrible! i mean it would be nice if people could afford that but that is just wrong to be wanting something huge when your not even suppose to have gotten anything.. most people doing those things cant afford much and are really cutting back on their own personal purchases so they can give a little and so they cant afford to give things like that.. i would be ashamed of my kids if they had signed up for it and then asked for something so expensive.. not to mention that the games they will beat eventually then what?? the parents wont be able to buy them more to play!

i can see your point before i stayed at my daughters, her 3 kids were lucky if they got much. then, i stayed there one yr. 2 years ago and they had plenty of food, better things, etc. when xmas came they seemed to think they'd suddenly become rich and started asking for things like xbox and ipods my daughter "borrowed" money from me for xmas, then made sure they got them. so, guess what this year they were very sad because they couldnt have all they wanted. yes, i think most kids these days are very greedy especially here in our country. they are never taught what xmas is really about.

I think young kids like you are talking about (4-5) aren't necessarily being greedy. They don't really have a concept of what an X-Box costs, just that the other kids have them and talk about how fun they are, so naturally they want one too. How many little girls ask for a pony when they have absolutely no clue what goes into caring for one? Yeah, the pony itself is expensive but then you have to buy food and shelter and tack and and and....but little girls don't see all of that, they just see the pretty pony. I can see getting upset over older kids who are 10 or so asking for these things but they have a better understanding of what $300 really means. And maybe they've seen too many movies about benevolent old rich guys who buy one really extravagant gift for one needy child each Christmas and they hope this year will be theirs. Maybe?