Clearly, I am going to answer this with a big resounding 'no'. I cannot stress enough how much I love everything to do with Christmas, and the joy of giving is part and parcel of the holiday season.
I feel the same way about gift-giving as that little boy on last year's John Lewis advert: spending time picking out the perfect gift, experiencing the build-up in the weeks leading up to the big exchange, the recipient's reaction making it all worth it... who wouldn't want that?
Yes, it's a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of things but Christmas provides the chance to give something back to the people you love and, although spending time together is the most important thing for the majority of the population (68% in fact, according to a poll by National Employment
Savings Trust), I think presents really do add to the overall experience – no matter how small. It's always nice to have something to give and something to open.
However, money-saving expert Martin Lewis compiled an article ('It's time to ban Christmas presents') which has some interesting points and makes for a decent read. I've summarised it here; see what you think:
By CashCatcherGuest Blogger
at 9:14AM,
5 months ago
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Christmas and New Year
Christmas is a time for giving but it doesn't need to cost the earth. Hannah Rouch from Stylenest.co.uk has rounded up a selection of the best gifts for kids and mums at a wallet-friendly cost.
By HannahRouchGuest Blogger
at 9:12AM,
6 months ago
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Christmas and New Year
With Christmas less than a fortnight away, many Santas are finding they've left it a little too late to pick up the toy that their child simply must have. Consequently, in this hard-up climate, parents are forking out double or even triple the RRP for hard-to-find toys on places like ebay. Personally, as much as I love my kids, I'm looking to get their Christmas presents cheaper than retail by using vouchers and online deals, not pay three times as much.
Back in the seventies, when the average wage was about £90 a week (with many people falling way below that) parents couldn't even dream of paying over the odds for something just because their kids had been brainwashed by clever advertising into believing they wanted it. However, it's now possible to see just what was popular in the 70s, thanks to artist Anthony Voz who found an Argos catalogue from 1976 and has uploaded it page by page to the web.
By Clodagh Foelster
at 8:01AM,
a year ago
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Christmas and New Year
Deals not valid instore, and according to staff have expired - even though it appears as though discount is being deducted. Poor customer service!
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