Musings on gift giving

Traditionally we give gifts at Christmas time and at birthdays. As our society has become more affluent our gifts at Christmas time have become more elaborate and more expensive, especially in the case of our children. Gone are the days when a string of beads, a book, or a soccer ball were acceptable gifts to give our children. Now it is ipods and Tamagochis and Play Stations and X Box consuls.

And when it comes to buying gifts for the extended family, we now have Mothers and Fathers Day, Grandparents Day, wedding anniversaries, housewarmings, engagements, 18^th as well as 21^st birthdays, hen’s nights, baby showers. Let’s face it, not a month goes by and we are not planning a gift for someone.

There are many reasons for this increased activity in gift giving. Part of it is that our society is increasingly affluent. We are also increasingly inclined to consumerism. I remember when I was a child an occasional treat would be to go to the local café and have an ice cream on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or a picnic in the bush. More usually though, the extended family and close friends gathered at one or other of our houses to spend the day together, socializing and playing.

Today, many children consider Sunday as the day to go to the shops and buy more stuff. This is fuelled by sophisticated marketing techniques aimed at children who watch more television and are generally more subjected to advertising targeted specifically at the huge children’s market. Sunday trading may make life easier for families where both parents work but it also makes life more relentless. We go to work five days a week to pay for our increasing consumerism and we spend our rest day(s) shopping and acquiring.

Perhaps we could ask ourselves a few questions when considering what gifts to give our children this Christmas. Who gave you the best gift you ever received? What was it? What gift is most likely to make you smile? What could you give your children that they will remember receiving in years to come?

Mary-Lou Burgess