Financial Expert Says Not To Buy Adults Christmas Gifts Because They Have Their Own Money
Do adults really need you to buy gifts for them?
Yuganov Konstantin / Shutterstock Christmas is the season of giving. However, actually giving gifts can be difficult for many people due to their financial circumstances.
Now, a financial expert is giving you permission not to buy Christmas gifts for the adults in your life. Is she right, though?
A financial expert believes you shouldn’t buy Christmas gifts for adults.
Jade Warshaw is a financial expert who, along with her husband, wiped out almost half a million dollars in debt with the help of Dave Ramsey’s podcast "The Ramsey Show." Now, she works for Ramsey Solutions and is a regular guest on the podcast.
Recently, she sat down to chat with Rachel Cruze, Ramsey’s daughter, for an episode of "The Ramsey Show." Warshaw shared a clip from the episode on her TikTok, and it racked up 1.4 million views causing plenty of people to chime in with their own opinions.
During Warshaw and Cruze’s conversation, the topic of buying Christmas gifts for adults came up. Warshaw was adamant in her belief.
“You don’t have to buy gifts for adults. They’re grown!” she stated. “They have their own money, their own job. If they want a new blender, they can go buy it,” she continued. “They do not need you to go buy them slippers. Like, they can buy their own slippers.”
Cruze pointed out that her family was likely going to follow this advice this year, as her mother had implied she and her father would not be buying gifts for their adult children.
As much of the Ramseys’ business revolves around helping people become debt-free, Warshaw brought up an important point. “If you’re getting out of debt,” she said, “and there is an adult in your life who is mad that you didn’t get them a gift, come on.”
Cruze asked if this applied in all situations. “Okay, but what if you’re living like no one else?” she asked, referring to those living in luxury.
“Then it could be a little… questionable,” Warshaw conceded.
Commenters were split in their response to Warshaw’s thoughts. Some were in total agreement with Warshaw, and appeared relieved that someone was finally willing to say this. “I’m with her. Can we stop the obligation please?” one person said. “At this age — let’s just visit and laugh,” said another.
However, others didn’t understand Warshaw’s argument at all. “I don’t need this type of negativity in my life,” one person wrote. Another TikToker said, “Gift-giving is my love language — who hurt you?”
Warshaw isn’t the first to ask if we should be giving Christmas gifts to adults.
USA Today examined why giving gifts to adults is essentially pointless and named waste and stress as two of the biggest reasons to avoid it. Economist Joel Waldfogel told the publication, “We’re making guesses about what other people need or want or like. If I go out and spend $50 on you, I may buy something that’s worth nothing to you.”
Additionally, financial expert Stefanie O’Connell spoke about the stress of the obligation, saying she “felt constantly stressed and overwhelmed and even a little bit resentful of the sense of obligation that came with gift giving.”
It’s ultimately each individual’s decision whether or not to extend their gift-giving to the adults in their life.
For some, this would be much easier financially. However, whatever your thoughts on giving Christmas gifts to adults may be, we can all agree that spreading kindness and holiday cheer is free, and something that all ages appreciate.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.