Martin Lewis
It’s time to ban Christmas presents
Christmas presents are a ”zero-sum” game, as people usually swap gifts of similar value. Look at it as a simple equation:
David gives Nick a £40 blue tie for Christmas; Nick gives David a pair of £40 designer orange socks.
The net result … Nick has spent £40 and got a blue tie; David has spent £40 and got orange socks.
Effectively, you pay to receive someone else’s choice of object. Fine if people have wealth, but consider Janet and John. Financially, everything’s bonzer for her, so she decides, generously, to buy gifts for all and sundry. In her cousin John’s case, it’s a pair of £25 funky cufflinks. Yet he’s skint, in debt, and has three kids – but pride obliges him to buy her something of equal value.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Immediate family and don’t go overboard.
mrscullen on November 20, 2012 at 1:52 PM
I think the tradition used to be to only give gifts to children.
NotCoach on November 20, 2012 at 1:53 PM
You’re doing it wrong, Martin.
CurtZHP on November 20, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Ridiculous article. Most mature people can rein in the costs and limit the giving of unneeded or unwanted items.
Blake on November 20, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Whatever. Nothing like a liberal to tell us all how to live.
deadrody on November 20, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Giving at Christmas is in celebration of God’s greatest gift . . . His Son. If you give for any other reason than your love and respect for a person, then maybe you aren’t giving for the right reasons.
Voter from WA State on November 20, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Sigh, I’ll never forget the Christmas I received my two wheeler. Trying to ride it in a foot of snow and on ice was a b*tch though.
Blake on November 20, 2012 at 1:56 PM
I think it’s time to let liberals have their way. When they suggest something repugnant to freedom and common sense, then they should get their own medicine.
For example: Anyone that suggest bringing back the 91% tax rate should automatically and irrevocably be placed in a 91% tax bracket.
Anyone that suggest Christmas presents should be banned, should not be allowed to receive or purchase Christmas presents.
And so on…
Axion on November 20, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Dude – leave Christmas alone. Most of us give gifts because we want to and enjoy it.
gophergirl on November 20, 2012 at 1:57 PM
It’s bad enough the British gave us a Chstmas movie like “Love Actually;” now an Englishman wants to advise us on gift giving?
radjah shelduck on November 20, 2012 at 1:58 PM
We have stopped giving gifts to family members and even hubby and I don’t give gifts to each other. We all have almost everything we need.
We use the money we would have spent on family and buy gifts/funds to a children’s home that hubbies motorcycle group supports is in at the VFW. They have ‘santa’ the whole nine yards and the children really enjoy setting on the m/c and all the gifts they get. NOW, IMO, that is what Christmas should be, giving to those who don’t have anything.
L
letget on November 20, 2012 at 2:01 PM
Firearms should be the exception. They make fine gifts. I keep telling my wife that. She ignores me.
a capella on November 20, 2012 at 2:01 PM
How about we ban liberals who want to tell us how to celebrate Christmas?
How about we remember why we really celebrate Christmas? “For unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord”
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
NoFanofLibs on November 20, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Gifts are OK. It’s time to recover religious meaning of Christmas and the importance of friends and family.
Oil Can on November 20, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Go Pound Snow, pal.
portlandon on November 20, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Don’t treat gift giving like an equal exchange.
theperfecteconomist on November 20, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Christ is the reason for the season. Too bad so many are trying to take and make it ‘bad’ for the majority of us?
L
letget on November 20, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Great idea. Why don’t you make that part of the Democrat Party platform?
faraway on November 20, 2012 at 2:08 PM
The reason that I give for not giving is that Christmas has been Exploited by the Corporations and they have all Trained our Mindless Capitalist Society that was Founded on White Greed to line up and Be Looted of our hard Work for things We don’t Need.
If anyone is still listening after 5 seconds I fake a seizure.
Mord on November 20, 2012 at 2:09 PM
If this author is upset about the “obligation” gift giving reciprocity, then the solution is simple: don’t give or accept gifts. I don’t care what he does. Just because he finds no joy in gift giving/receiving doesn’t mean we have to listen to him.
I hope he understands that the reason for the holiday is to celebrate the birth of the greatest gift of all. The Father did not expect us to reciprocate with a gift of equal value either. The gift was freely given and ours to freely receive. If this author would stop worrying about price tags, he could give from the heart, in the manner of The Father, and not worry about whether he receives anything back.
The old adages still apply. It is better to give than to receive. It’s the thought that counts. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Mallard T. Drake on November 20, 2012 at 2:11 PM
I thought Obama was handing out all the gifts this year?
faraway on November 20, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Does this joker forget the & as his middle initial?
Nick_Angel on November 20, 2012 at 2:12 PM
Of course there should be no banning. On the other hand, it just gets more out of hand every year. Thanksgiving, a holiday I love, is now just a bump in the road to Black Friday. Yuk. I hate seeing Christmas trees for sale all over the place already and Christmas lights up on homes and colleges. I can understand merchants doing it, because their income depends on Christmas, but I think it’s gross to see Christmas decorations up elsewhere this early. I actually don’t much like Christmas anymore.
juliesa on November 20, 2012 at 2:12 PM
literally LOL
Eviva on November 20, 2012 at 2:13 PM
Scrooge called. He wants his humbugs back.
patriette on November 20, 2012 at 2:14 PM
Yeah, let’s ban all the all-year-long Christmas presents from Santa Baraka and Uncle Sam.
stukinIL4now on November 20, 2012 at 2:18 PM
It would seem the art of being a columnist these days is to dream up the most outrageous concepts you can imagine and write them down with a straight face for the sole purpose of generating angry responses.
tommyboy on November 20, 2012 at 2:19 PM
Well, she probably figures she has enough shotguns.
CurtZHP on November 20, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Ban?
Let’s have a government inquiry on the issue.
vityas on November 20, 2012 at 2:24 PM
I think the writer doesn’t understand the joy of giving. What a maroon (as Bugs Bunny would say).
Also who pays £40 for a pair of socks?
dczombie on November 20, 2012 at 2:36 PM
Not only is this guy a maroon, he’s selfish too. He doesn’t want to give gifts so he floats the idea of a ban. Because if the government bans it no one will be giving gifts so he won’t have to feel guilty about not giving them.
What is it about guilty libs that makes them want to ban everyone else from doing the things they personally don’t like?
dczombie on November 20, 2012 at 2:38 PM
“Christmas gifts are why you guys lost the election.”
Axeman on November 20, 2012 at 2:39 PM
So the expectation of reciprocity and the equality of outcomes means we should ban it? Nobody tell this guy about oral sex…
trubble on November 20, 2012 at 2:40 PM
I haven’t liked Martin Lewis since “The Caddy”.
The Rogue Tomato on November 20, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Does this mean I don’t have to give any Christmas, er, Holiday gifts to my liberal relatives? Yay!
rockmom on November 20, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Damn good question. These are the same people who sport bumper stickers saying “Don’t Like Abortion? Don’t Have One!” Someone left the irony on.
rockmom on November 20, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Scrooge
Beaglemom on November 20, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Whatever.
Knott Buyinit on November 20, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Well, now that they’re in charge, they have to be clear about how we losers are expected to act.
Think of it as a public service announcement.
NavyMustang on November 20, 2012 at 3:30 PM
And what price do you put on the joy I feel when I see the hardly disguised shocked faces of the people that receive really horrible gifts from me?
Valkyriepundit on November 20, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Does Martin Lewis know his name sounds oddly like a 1950s comedy duo?
Warner Todd Huston on November 20, 2012 at 3:35 PM