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I understand what you mean. Even at church during Christmas, when we're encouraged to take a tag from the "giving tree" and buy the gift for the person listed.... I think, what happened to poor people who'd be grateful for warm coats, mittens or even some toiletries? Now we're supposed to provide skateboards, video games and jewelry? There's no question that many people are in financial hardships, but it seems the expectations of others for what that means have gone haywire.

"I understand what you mean. Even at church during Christmas, when we're encouraged to take a tag from the "giving tree" and buy the gift for the person listed.... I think, what happened to poor people who'd be grateful for warm coats, mittens or even some toiletries? Now we're supposed to provide skateboards, video games and jewelry? There's no question that many people are in financial hardships, but it seems the expectations of others for what that means have gone haywire. "

I've largely given up on these sorts of campaigns for exactly that reason. The 'poor' kids would ask for high-end fashion and electronic gifts that we could ill afford to buy for our own kids. When I helped out at our middle school's school store in September I'd have 'poor' kids in expensive clothes carrying cell phones and iPods hand me vouchers from the guidance department so that they didn't have to pay for their gym clothes, school spirit t-shirts or school supplies. I never saw any gratitude - only attitude. My kids confirm that they see the same. These are also the kids most likely to throw their (free) lunch food around in food fights or to toss it in the trash uneaten. The soft-headed liberals have created a monster.