Or are retailers to blame?
2007-12-19 06:42:38 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
IN the USofA and in most Western countries or those influenced by the West, few children actually pay for and go out to buy presents for anyone.
Few children have a job by which to acquire money so as to purchase anything.
Those who do receive an allowance seldom use the same for others, rather they buy things for themselves.
There are a few parents who take their children to stores so as to assist them in choosing some small item for a favorite grandparent or other relative or even a "best friend".
In most cases, the commericalization of the "holiday" has taken out any true spirit it may once have held.
The idea now is for one to get as much as possible and preferably more than Johnny or Jane down the street have.
Not only is such being pursued by children but one can see the bumper sticker on thier parent's car which reads. "The one who dies with the most toys wins!"
There is more than enough blame to go around.
Parents who fail to teach their children values and who fail to instill within their children a sense of moral order deserve some blame.
Capitalism run amok that says a company should make as much profit as is absolutely possible regardless of how doing so may and will affect others, along with the idea that a once religious holiday is simply another day to "rake in the big bucks" deserves a good deal of the blame.
The various religious denominations, sects and cults that have allowed the commericalization of their holy days and have, in many instances, happily promoted the same deserve some blame.
Society as a whole, that has gladly followed a path of least resistance to the ideals and decadence of Hollywood and Madison Ave., a government that not only supports but promotes personal as well as corporate greed and those persons who would rather not think about what is happening nor make any personsl choice as to what they should do about it all deserve blame.
As Christ has been effectively taken out of Christmas, lets just call it Santamas and start advertsing for next years "feast" beginning January 1st. There will be no need to take the lights down, and artificial trees last all year. Hallamrk, Mattell, et al will love it and after the ad men take over, you will learn to love it, too.
Happy Santamas to all.
2007-12-19 07:02:36 · answer #1 · answered by Big Bill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Children, by their very nature, are self-centered. So we can't really blame them for being more excited about receiving than giving.
When they do become old enough to understand, it is the value in giving that must be instilled in these children. It is better for these children to have received gifts in the past - so that they will better appreciate how they can make others feel when giving someone a gift.
Christmas, in and of itself, does not turn children into greedy little monsters. It when their elders fail to teach the children about the value of giving do they become greedy.
2007-12-21 04:28:05 · answer #2 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know that Christmas is responsible. It depends on the child's parents and whether THEY place a higher emphasis on the giving or recieving of gifts.
Retailers are just there to make a buck, they have less influence than most people think. It starts with the parents.
2007-12-19 06:47:12 · answer #3 · answered by mcq316 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The retailers, advertising industry and toy manufacturers have turned kids into greedy little monsters.
2007-12-19 06:46:21 · answer #4 · answered by ♥ тнє σяιgιиαℓ gιяℓfяι∂αу ♥ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That depends on how the parents approach it. I never took it for granted that I got presents once a year. We knew we had to earn them. We knew there was no real Santa and that Mom and Dad had limited funds to maybe buy us a few things if we were good. It actually taught us the value of hard work, while still being incredibly fun.
Personally, I'm more into getting stuff for other people.
2007-12-19 06:46:58 · answer #5 · answered by Phoenix: Princess of Cupcakes 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parents are to blame. They are the guides and teachers in a childs life. They are the ones indulging the children. A parent can teach a child the value of giving, or they can over-indulge the little monsters, but the parents are in control, whether they exercise that control or not.
2007-12-19 06:48:38 · answer #6 · answered by Pam H 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Greedy little monster,, and I would say the parents are to blame
2007-12-19 06:46:43 · answer #7 · answered by witchrhiannon62 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, walk over to the mirror and ask the person looking back at you that very question...Are you a greedy monster?
2007-12-19 06:46:33 · answer #8 · answered by Amy M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A little bit of both but in my opinion I would say a bit more greedy due to retailers.
2007-12-19 06:45:18 · answer #9 · answered by Imagine No Religion 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Retailers are to blame. Christmas is about giving and family. I learned that when I was a child. We made our lists, sure, but that's not all it was about. We also went to church and celebrated Christ's birth.
These days kids just think that Christmas is all about a tree and seeing how much expensive crap they can get that they want.
2007-12-19 06:47:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋