| Juliet Dunlop: It's a real and present danger, buying gifts GIFT-GIVING is a minefield. But the point he makes about excess, about it all just looking and feeling too much, is an interesting one. Just ask unlikely parenting guru Sir Elton John. You make a list, usually a long one at Christmas, and the rest of the year just keep asking and asking. And he's not the first rich man, or father come to that, to worry about spoiling his kids. Last year ONS asked 80,000 people four questions - how satisfied they were with their lives, to what extent their lives were worthwhile, how happy they were the day before they completed the survey, and how anxious they felt. Three-quarters of those asked gave themselves seven out of ten on a scale of well-being. He described the deluge of gifts from well-wishers as touching but "obscene" and said he'd given most of them away to schools and hospitals. Now Sir Elton, who is worth an estimated £220 million, is known for his love of the high life. It seems, therefore, that we are not all raving materialists. He said he wasn't comfortable being "all showy" when so many people were struggling to make ends meet. Yes, things have moved on in the gifts and toy department and friends tell me it's hard to say no when the motorised ride-on car they really, really want is something you too would have loved as a child. Politeness, guilt or just a general sense that you'd rather buy it yourself, are the usual barriers. " . Things are far easier when you're a child. The under-16s also put playing with friends and spending time with family right at the top of their list. So, if ripping open a few presents every now and then isn't the answer, what does make us happy? Well, for the past couple of years the UK government has published the results of a national happiness survey, conducted by the Office for National Statistics. A fine balance must be struck. Go the other way and you simply cause embarrassment. Maybe it was a present he didn't really want. |
Friday 8 June 2012
Juliet Dunlop: It's a real and present danger, buying gifts
