Woman Says Gen X Families Whose Kids Show Off Thousands Of Dollars Worth Of Christmas Gifts Online Have 'Failed As Parents'
Is this really what Christmas is all about?
Halay Alex / Shutterstock It’s natural for children to be excited about the gifts their parents worked hard to give them, and they may feel inclined to share their gifts on social media.
Some people, however, feel the Christmas haul trend is unnecessary and inconsiderate to families and children who are less fortunate.
One woman shared her controversial take on wealthy kids showing off their thousands of dollars worth of Christmas gifts online.
Barclay Gresham took to TikTok to share her opinion about parents, particularly Generation X parents, who let their children show off their expensive, superfluous Christmas gifts online, knowing less privileged kids might see their videos.
“If you have a kid that is on social media that is showing their Christmas haul, and it’s five and ten thousand dollars worth of things, you have failed as a parent,” Gresham claimed.
Gresham, who is also from Gen X, explained how many Gen X parents likely had unfulfilling or unhappy Christmas holidays growing up, so they felt compelled to go big with their own children. This is a natural pattern in parenting, as most parents want to do more for their kids than they had growing up.
Gresham emphasized how regardless of parents’ intentions with presenting their children with exorbitant gifts, it wasn't right to let them "show off [their parents’] money and to show that they are more loved.” She claimed that these kids were “just bought.”
She explained how sad it made her feel to see kids flaunting their parents’ wealth when there were so many children in the world who had nothing.
“You have a child that is so void of all empathy and sympathy, that that’s okay for them,” Gresham said. “I would burn it before I let my kids get on social media and talk about what I gave them. That is embarrassing.”
Enabling this mentality strays away from the core values of the holidays and indicates a lack of awareness towards sensitive topics.
It’s important to note that Gresham’s point was not to single out parents who wanted to give their kids more than they had. Her point was meant to address the inconsideration of parents who allowed their kids to boast about everything they were given, especially when many families couldn't afford to get their kids much, let alone anything at all.
While it’s okay for kids to feel excited about their gifts, it’s unnecessary to share them on social media for others to essentially envy. It sends the message that Christmas should center around the overconsumption of material things, rather than the values of family, unity, and giving back to your community.
In the U.S., nearly 4.2 million young adults and children experience homelessness every year, and 11.6 million kids are currently living in poverty.
Yet, rich kids from around the country shared their overindulgent holidays without considering how their actions not only contributed to the consumerist sensation of commercialized holidays but impacted their less fortunate peers.
The Christmas haul trend has sparked debate online.
Many TikTokers believe this Christmas haul sensation is excessive and unwanted, while others find it entertaining and harmless.
“I don't know about my daughter but the haul [videos] make me sad as a single momma in this economy,” someone commented on Gresham’s video. “I was actually proud to be able to get my [13-year-old and 22-year-old] $150 each ... but they are loved beyond measure.”
Some Christmas hauls shared on social media were so over-the-top, many believed they were satirical.
In one TikTok video, Destinee Moreh reposted a girl’s extravagant Christmas haul and calculated the estimated value of each of her gifts, including products from Lululemon, Aviator Nation, Sephora, a Mercedes Benz, and a Tesla Cybertruck, totaling around $200,000.
“This is more than what I’ve made working full-time for the past 7 years,” one person shared in the comments. “Her Christmas haul cost more than my house,” another person commented.
“Her entire haul could pay [for] my undergrad and possibly even my masters depending on school [and] scholarships,” someone else commented.
As controversial as Gresham’s unpopular opinion may sound, when there are children who only ask for financial support from their parents for Christmas, it feels downright wrong for others to be parading all their gifts online like it’s no big deal.
The holiday season looks different for everyone, and people should be mindful of how openly displaying their wealth might make others feel.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, and spirituality topics.