One prudent parent has divided opinions as she's listed the Christmas presents she refuses to buy, insisting that you 'don't need them to have a magical time'. Urging parents to 'not lose sight of what's important' come December, the mum revealed her no-go gifts for the festive season, including 'outrageous' matching PJ sets and toy advent calendars that 'capitalise on mum guilt'.
Posting to TikTok to share her thoughts, the parent, who uses the handle @littleloudvoice, has told struggling parents to hold back on the frenzied Christmas shopping sprees, and instead consider what your family really needs.
"I know how easy it is to get sucked into these products thinking they are going to make a magical Christmas for your children," said the mum of two.
Three Christmas gifts she recommends families should drop include the perennial favourite, matching pyjamas. Shops are bulging with choice at this time of year and they make a tempting Christmas gift.
But think again says this budgeting mum. "You don’t have to spend £50 on matching pyjamas that you’re all going to wear once," she argues.
Second up are Christmas Eve boxes, a new seasonal tradition if ever there was one, filled with goodies that you give to the children before Santa arrives. It's usually filled with festive knick-knacks, books, and sweets.
Parents should cut it out, as it's another waste of money, she says: "In my experience they are filled with stuff they don’t even look at".
Her last suggestion is possibly the most controversial, as the mum says that extravagant Christmas lights are simply not needed.
"You don’t need all these fancy lights outside your house paying electricity bills that cost a fortune," the mum says.
She justifies her suggestions by saying Christmas is not about the gifts, but "the memories you make as a family".
Many might say, no fairy lights no magic. Twinkling lights over the Christmas period certainly has the effect of lifting spirits. Perhaps this is one budget cut too far.
But many of her followers were in total agreement with her suggestions. "I honestly thought it was just me that doesn’t do any of these things," one person commented.
Another agreed: "The matching pjs are just getting out of control".
"What about those toy advent calendars?" raged one commenter, "so expensive".
But not everyone saw eye-to-eye with the mum, as one parent said: "I agree but coming from a childhood where no effort was made, monetary or not, I want to do it for my son".
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