Growing up, many of us believed that Santa would bring us anything our hearts desired. We didn’t know that the presents under the tree didn’t actually appear by magic.
That’s why one little boy didn’t hesitate to ask Santa for the gaming system he so badly wants. Unfortunately, his mom isn’t able to buy it for him this year due to their financial situation, and she asked for advice on how to break the news to him.
One mom asked for advice after her son asked Santa for a gaming system she can’t afford.
In her recent post, the mom explained that her family of four lives on a single income in a city with a high cost of living. They currently borrow a Nintendo Switch gaming system from the library for her son to play on, but after seeing the expensive toys and games that his well-off friends have, he expressed that he really wanted the new Nintendo Switch 2 for Christmas.
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This gaming system costs around $600, and as a family already struggling financially, the mom doesn’t see any way that the family can afford it for him. She says, “There is no way that we could ever afford the switch 2, let alone the original. My son says ‘Santa can get it for us!’ But obviously, Santa cannot.”
Now the mom is wondering how to handle the situation, knowing that “Santa” won’t be able to bring this expensive gift. “What do you say to your kids in instances like this?” she asked. “We try to let our kids know that they can’t get everything they want, and they do understand, but we try to get them what they need.”
Most people encouraged the mom to just be honest with her kids.
Honesty is always the best policy, right? Many say that being upfront with the kids can teach them valuable lessons about the real world. One person said, “Santa never existed in my home growing up. My parents were poor, their parents were poor, you know how it goes. Realism made me a better adult. Made it easier to understand poverty and why some people are forced to endure under capitalism.”
However, some offered fun suggestions for how to break the news. Another wrote, “We started from when they were young, explaining yes Santa is magic and brings gifts, but he bills mom and dad for them so he can pay the elves, give them healthcare and vacation days as those are elf and human rights. So some parents can afford to pay a big Santa bill if they have lots of money and some cannot.”
Others mentioned possible compromises, like purchasing a used original Nintendo Switch system or gifting him a little money to start saving up to buy it himself. This way, the son can still feel the magic of Christmas while Mom can avoid breaking the bank.
The pressure to gift can be overwhelming during the holiday season, especially for parents.
In an update to the original post, the mom shared that they decided to tell the kids the truth that they couldn’t afford the gaming system. She and her husband often include the kids in financial conversations, so she’s hopeful that they’ll understand. She added, “My son probably already knows…I hope my daughter isn’t too upset, but we will emphasize togetherness, family, having fun outdoors over winter break, baking cookies and the return of the sun.”
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Buying gifts can be a major source of stress around the holidays, especially for families. According to a recent NerdWallet survey, “nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) say they’d like their family’s holiday traditions to be less focused around gifts than they are.”
Parents obviously want to keep the magic of the holidays alive for their kids. There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s also nothing wrong with setting spending limits, and getting kids in on it is a smart way to do so. In fact, why not let them know that Santa is on a budget, too?
If cash is tight this year, like it is for so many other people, there are still plenty of ways to make the holiday a memorable one with your family. Do themed crafts together, have a game night, or go for a family outing. You may end up starting a lifelong holiday tradition.
Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
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