And now it's my turn to agree with AmyC. The kids might learn something even more useful by seeing a little philanthropy. Maybe pick some gifts off one of those trees where poor kids ask for underwear and socks, rather than $200 shirts.
FYI, my kids, my wife and I do contribute every year. The norm is to deliver a lot of new toys, often times $1,000 or so worth, to a local "receiving home" that takes in children who have been taken away from their parents and are waiting to be placed in foster care. I just got the kids tonight, and on our agenda tomorrow is to purchase more toys for these unfortunate children. Our experience is that they never, ever worry about receiving the toys "last minute", given that they sometimes receive children into their program under the same terms.
$200 shirts aside [and the$1,000 leather coat I bought for my own Christmas present last night..... (: ], my kids are fully cogizant that there are many children that have much, much less than they do, and delight in picking out toys for them.
Thanks for the insight. We could all do more, no doubt about it.
