My husband has come up with this idea that we don’t buy our children gifts for Christmas Day this year. Instead, we go to the sales on Boxing Day. He reckons the kids will like it as we’ll be able to afford better presents, but I can’t stand the thought of no presents under the tree. He said we could buy small stocking fillers for on the day, but that makes me feel no better. What do you think?
I’m totally on your side. Surely presents are part of the celebration of Christmas Day? It’s not just about money. I would make the odd exception – for example, if there was an expensive item you wanted to buy, which you knew you could get a hundred bucks cheaper by holding off a couple of days. I’m sure your child would understand. If your children were adults and you weren’t taking their gifts to them until the New Year, then you may as well be pragmatic and wait for the sales. But your line about presents under trees makes me think your children are still young. If that’s the case, you must preserve the magic of Christmas by having them under the tree, at the end of the bed, or in the stocking on the morning of the big day. Tell your husband to get the ladder, start putting up the Christmas lights and leave the presents to you.
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