Couldn’t Father Christmas help?

He comes to mine

Presents this year for husband.
•Tokens to pay gas.
•Tokens to pay electric.
•A hot water bottle
Happy Christmas one and all.

I totally agree with OP. Bring back Secret Santa lists where everyone only has one gift and only has to buy one gift. This would be a great lesson to those who normally go over the top on gifts showing that during times of duresse, everyone has to make changes.

At mine

Nice idea but who would produce the advert? Not John Lewis or M&S nor any of the toy manufacturers!

if any of you have young children to buy for cant beat the great Raymond Briggs Father Christmas and Father Christmas goes on holiday. FC is shown as livling in a terrace house with an outside toilet. Has a cat and a dog and goes round saying "Blooming Christmas" Lovely book to look at and make the older generation smile too. The on holiday one shows him converting his sledge into a caravan and going on holiday in the summer and the children recognise him and not the parents. The FC one is a firm favourite and has passed it on to many people who have enjoyed it. I am sure we can all say "blooming christmas" at times with great effect!

Sadly I do think many children will be reluctant to accept fewer or cheaper gifts than they usually get. They may think that the economic crisis is an 'adult' thing and doesn't directly relate to them and that Mum and Dad will find the money from somewhere.

Another very cynical view on Christmas. Smaller children have no idea of price and if the presents they get are cheaper they will not know. Older children are more than capable of understanding current problems. Our DGC are making and doing and hunting for presents at charity shops as enthusiastically as their elders.

We had one very tight Christmas when our children were small and we had a charity shop and hand-made Christmas and one of our children descibed it as the best Christmas - ever -.

Agreed, M0nica. If a child is able to understand an economic crisis, they will understand that it means there is less money about. Those of Santa-believing age will have no idea about it, and will be delighted at the magic of it all.

I've never known a child be 'reluctant to accept' a present .

Of course he is real!!!! He can be heard on local radio every year answering questions. Last year a little boy asked how he would get into his house because it had no chimney - apparently FC has a magic key, which only works for him, for houses without chimneys - what a relief!

madeleine45

if any of you have young children to buy for cant beat the great Raymond Briggs Father Christmas and Father Christmas goes on holiday. FC is shown as livling in a terrace house with an outside toilet. Has a cat and a dog and goes round saying "Blooming Christmas" Lovely book to look at and make the older generation smile too. The on holiday one shows him converting his sledge into a caravan and going on holiday in the summer and the children recognise him and not the parents. The FC one is a firm favourite and has passed it on to many people who have enjoyed it. I am sure we can all say "blooming christmas" at times with great effect!

I absolutely love that Father Christmas book! Someone gave it to a very little dd many years ago - I was heavily pregnant and laughed so much, my mother thought I’d set my baby off!
IMO it’s rather wasted on young children.

Though Gds at 5 found the pic of FC sitting on the loo with his pyjamas round his ankles, saying, ‘I hate winter!’ hilarious. He would though - anything to do with bottoms and poo!

Callistemon21, Galaxy meant FC isn't ready to do that yet as he's been busy this year, so he'll make that advert for next year!

When he was about five my elder son laughed so much at the Raymond Briggs Father Christmas he almost made himself sick. It’s certainly not wasted on children!

Briggs’ The Snowman was on Channel 4 this afternoon. Lovely. I watched it, even though my grandchildren aren’t here. Not wasted on grown-ups!

Ali08

Callistemon21, Galaxy meant FC isn't ready to do that yet as he's been busy this year, so he'll make that advert for next year!

Oh thanks!

I've been really upset thinking about Galaxy's post 😫