Santa's Little Investors: How Kids Can Turn Presents into Profit

There are parts of my childhood that might make people feel sorry for me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Take gaming, for example. I didn't grow up glued to screens. My gaming escapades involved visiting a dingy cafe, paying a token, and getting obliterated by Ken in Tekken (if you know, you know). No PS1s or fancy consoles for me. But guess what? I'm grateful. Now, instead of wasting time on video games, I get to enjoy fresh air and sunshine, going for walks or kicking a ball around the garden.

Another unconventional aspect was the absence of Christmas presents. Don't worry, you won't see me featured in any Oxfam posters with captions like, "As you unwrap gifts under the flickering lights, remember there are children like Enoch in Lagos yearning for just one present instead of kicking half-inflated balls on the street." Trust me, Oxfam misses the point: that Enoch is actually having the time of his life playing in the street!

My Christmases were simple: wake up, attend church, devour a delicious feast, and play with friends. That's all it took. No mountains of gifts, just genuine joy and connection. I never missed out on anything. My happiness stemmed from having a bunch of kids to run around with.

Fast forward to my present life in the UK. Christmas here is a frenzy of emotions – people fretting about what to buy (or not buy), stressing over tight schedules and budgets. It used to baffle me, a stark contrast to my own experiences.

Now, I see both sides. While I can't fully relate to the Christmas shopping madness, I empathize. But something still feels off.

On Christmas morning, children, even adults, rip through paper, cardboard, and plastic, eyes lighting up at each "treasure." They tear open another, and another, and another, the cycle continuing as long as the pile allows. Great, right? Except...

Go back to that same house a month later. Most of those presents are forgotten, tucked away, tossed, lost, broken (because why not?), or simply taking up space. Maybe a handful were actually useful.

This presents a few problems:

1. Waste and environmental impact: We already live in a society of excess, and this relentless gifting just adds to the mountain of waste.
2. Entitlement in children: The constant flood of presents teaches them that "wanting" is enough, that things magically appear.
3. Financial strain: Many families put themselves under significant financial pressure to uphold this tradition.
4. Mental stress: The build up to Christmas is filled with so much stress and pressure, enough to fire one to the moon and back.

There has to be another way.

Here's an idea: instead of a whirlwind of gifts from parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbours, Rishi Sunak (just kidding), and everyone else, why not use this opportunity to teach kids valuable lessons about finance, waste reduction, and the environment?

Imagine this: parents or a close group choose a few meaningful presents for the kids, while everyone else, instead of buying more trinkets, contributes the equivalent amount to the child's savings or ISA account?

We can gently guide them on saving, investing, and responsible spending. Imagine this conversation:

Child: Dad, I want a drum set!

Parent: Interesting! How much does it cost?

Child: I looked it up – it's ￡200.

Parent: Great! Let's check your savings and investments. How much do you have saved up right now?

Child: ￡467.

Parent: Okay, so when we reach ￡600, you can use ￡200 for your drum set, leaving us with ￡400 saved or invested.

Child: Sounds good, thanks Dad!

This simple shift transforms children from passive recipients to responsible decision-makers. We avoid mountains of useless plastic, and the kid gets something valuable and truly desired.

This is just an idea, but I believe it's worth exploring. We have a chance to transform Christmas and birthday stress, reduce environmental impact, and equip our children with valuable financial skills – all in one fell swoop. Let's give it a try, shall we?