Why do the poor spend so much money on Xmas?

[BenF]

As I was driving to work this morning, I was astounded by the amount of Xmas decorations that the locals had elected to put up around their houses. There were lights that would compete with the Blackpool Illuminations, plastics santas and reindeer in every garden and many, many more levels of tat. As I wandered round Tesco this evening, their trolleys were stacked high with drinks, food, DVDs and yet more decorations.

I work in one of the most deprived areas of the UK (there are more people below the poverty line than in Slovakia) - for the other 11 months of the year, these people don't have two pennies to rub together (until giro day), but come December they turn into Donald fucking Trump and they spend money like it's going out of fashion.

Where does all of this money come from? How do they pay the electricity bills? Why do they bother wasting so much money on Xmas when they'll all be living on the bread line again from January??

 

[valis23]

Because they need a little Christmas,
Right this very minute!
Candles at the window,
Carols at the Spinnet,
etc. ad nauseum.

The more bleak your life, the more you appreciate a little joy.

 

[backpacker]

The more bleak your life, the more you appreciate a little joy.

Well said.

I have also noticed that the lower working class will often go into debt buying Christmas presents that take them months to pay for. They often spend far more than better off families that could easily afford it. It really doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[justgofaster]

Now you've made baby Jesus cry, Ben.

 

[sexylad]

Because people are
a) pressured into christmas by commercialism
b) they want to spend at least one day of the year where they can see people smile

I know what it's like to have nothing for Christmas, and to spend every last penny I own to see the smiles on the kids faces and getting warm hugs from family for putting in the effort.

 

[trawler69]

Personally I hate and despise Christmas however I can see that when you live all year on the poverty line it may be good to have something to look forward to, to save up for or to pay off over the following year. I think the worse the standard of living the more one needs something to look forward to. In the same way it is usually those who can least afford to, that smoke. A small pleasure in an otherwise unrewarding existence.

But then maybe I am just talking rubbish and they are just very stupid which is why they live in Cardiff on the poverty line.

 

[kevbo]

For the same reason that, in America, Hanukkah has turned into a gift giving holiday...

 

[sixthson]

Yes, Mr. Scrooge, even the poor want to celebrate Christmas. How about a Christmas goose?

 

[Orlandude]

......Where does all of this money come from? How do they pay the electricity bills? Why do they bother wasting so much money on Xmas when they'll all be living on the bread line again from January??

It does make one wonder. I've had many a destitute Christmas, with not even enough to pay the regular electric bill and begging for more time, never mind stringing lights and decorations. I think they borrow it or hock something to do it...probably for the kids. If they are that poor, I can't imagine they would have credit cards. Another reason I hate the commercialism of Christmas and the unnecessary pressure and stress it places on people who can least afford it.

 

[SilverRRCloud]

I believe that most low-income people do not see any point in saving anyway. No matter, how hard they try, their savings will never amount to anything. So, they spend for Christmas or whatever else they choose to and suffer anyway for the rest of the year.

What really sends chills down my spine is that this phenomenon is slowly taking over the middle class people on the Continent, too.

SC

 

[Pushyourluck]

If the poor want to spend a little money at Christmas time who are you to pass judgement?

How do you know for certain these people don't have jobs(even if those jobs are cash in hand) and can save a meseley few quid each year to treat the kids?

Do you feel better about yourself driving to work, looking down your nose at people, presuming they're all thick and unemployed and that's the only reason they're making an effort for Christmas?

Life would be so much more dull if there were less things to complain about eh.

 

[dw8038r2]

And not only that, but the poor are the ones forking over the dough for lottery tickets. And if we ever had gay marriages here, I bet they'd be the ones throwing the biggest bachelor parties the night before the event. I sure do wish sometimes that they'd just go back where they came from.

Wait a minute! This month I brought home $300 more than my bills, and today I went out and blew a chunk of that on a Christmas tree and decorations. But it's real nice, Ben, an' I sure do wish you could see it.

 

[dalton41]

I've seen the same thing as well and my bf and I had a discussion about this. For some, the only way to get into the spirit of Christmas is spending money and that's exactly what the merchants wants you do. So now you have some that just blew their hard earned money and come Christmas Day, they are often on a non stop whirlwind tour of every branch on their family tree.

The spirit I get into is just being with the one I love. For others, it's being together with loved ones.

 

[BenF]

If the poor want to spend a little money at Christmas time who are you to pass judgement?

How do you know for certain these people don't have jobs(even if those jobs are cash in hand) and can save a meseley few quid each year to treat the kids?

Do you feel better about yourself driving to work, looking down your nose at people, presuming they're all thick and unemployed and that's the only reason they're making an effort for Christmas?

Life would be so much more dull if there were less things to complain about eh.

Of course, being in Liverpool, your unemployed don't spend vast amounts of their dole money on Christmas gifts and decorations - they simply see what they can rob from the less bad areas of the city.

(TFIC)

 

[Just00here]

Its simple . they spend the money leached from the decent working people via benefits ect.

 

[Pushyourluck]

Of course, being in Liverpool, your unemployed don't spend vast amounts of their dole money on Christmas gifts and decorations - they simply see what they can rob from the less bad areas of the city.

(TFIC)

I'm surprised the Welsh can fathom out how to use computers, nevermind form biased opinions based on their own narrow minded, twisted ways of seing the world but there you go. I guess we can all get things wrong.

 

[BenF]

I'm surprised the Welsh can fathom out how to use computers, nevermind form biased opinions based on their own narrow minded, twisted ways of seing the world but there you go. I guess we can all get things wrong.

Eh, eh, eh....calm down! Calm down!

 

[Homoerectus]

Why? Why do these same poor folks all have cell phones? Too many who stand in line at the Salvataion Army to get free Christmas toys, at the foodbank to get free food or at the welfare office to get a food card will be talking on a cell phone to their kids who have cell phones. In our most impoverished schools, most of the kids are on a cell phone when they come to school or leave in the afternoon.

 

[dalton41]

Why? Why do these same poor folks all have cell phones? Too many who stand in line at the Salvataion Army to get free Christmas toys, at the foodbank to get free food or at the welfare office to get a food card will be talking on a cell phone to their kids who have cell phones. In our most impoverished schools, most of the kids are on a cell phone when they come to school or leave in the afternoon.

Don't get me started on the cell phone story. It reminds alot like the bitch who was going after my bf at one time (the gold digger). That woman was living on Section 8, no auto insurance, and she would have a cell phone bill of $400.00 + every month. Everytime I saw her, she was talking on a cell instead of doing her work that she was getting paid to do. I didn't realize that being poor was so important.

 

[woaini]

oh, c'mon...
this is one of the most traditional holidays only once a year... leave them alone...