Malone on materialism, gratitude and happiness

My birthday is at the end of December. If I get more than one present and more than one friend in town for a drink, then I am ecstatic. I guess in life the less you are given, the more appreciative you are when you do receive. It sounds odd but I wish my daughter had been given less presents for Christmas. Will she expect that much every year now? Will Father Christmas be a baddie who shouldn’t be believed in anymore if her 2012 Christmas stocking consists of five satsumas, a tangerine and only that one beautiful shiny red bike?
When I was little I remember one main present at Christmas.

But because my daughter is raised in a lone parent family she receives presents from not just Santa, but myself, Nana, my boyfriend and his family and then also the nan, gran, aunties, cousins etc from her other family on her dad’s side, not to mention her dad. That’s a lot of thank you cards. That’s a lot for a five year old to truly appreciate. I don’t see how she will hold any value in things if they come so easily. Is it mean of me to wish she got less? It’s because I want her to grow up with a sense of value. To want something for months and then feel the pleasure and excitement of finally getting what she desired. So she will look after that object, value it.

“I just wonder, that when things are easy to get, if it’s possible to be content”

She has beautiful gifts but I’m sure she can hardly remember who gave her what. With my daughters’ family being far away they of course want to show their love in a gift, as they don’t see her as often, so our tiny flat is full of stuff this January. She now has six pairs of gloves, three new hats and two Sylvanian cars! Yes, we are a two car family! I need a wedding type gift list with everything ticked off to avoid duplicates. 1. Red shiny bike 2.

Tangerine 3. Satsumas, (no clementines please…). You may think I’m being ungrateful but it’s exactly ungratefulness I’m worried about. I do appreciate the cost and thought gone into all these beautiful presents, I just worry a small child won’t if that’s what they get used to. Perhaps because my birthday is so close to Christmas, I’m used to combined presents explaining why I am shocked by the amount of gifts she has received. Maybe I’m being old fashioned. I just wonder that when things are easy to get, with no desire built for them, if it’s possible to be content, to be happy with what you’ve got. My boyfriend gave me a gold watch for my birthday, I’d wanted one for ages! He remembered! I was very appreciative exclaiming; “Thank you! If I’d bought it myself I’d have bought one with a round shape face though.” Oh – it seems quantity of gifts as a child has no bearing on ungratefulness.