Woman Says Parents Who Refuse To Pay A Bill Or Give Grocery Money To Their Adult Kids For Christmas Are ‘Wrong’ & Bad At Giving Gifts
"Why would someone want something nice when they can't afford necessities?"
Yuganov Konstantin / Shutterstock A woman admitted that parents should rethink getting their adult children practical gifts at Christmas.
In a TikTok video, a content creator named Katie Leith pointed out that as we get older, there is a deep appreciation for the Christmas gifts that can actually make a difference, like having your parents buy you that vacuum you've always needed or giving you money to finally get a new mattress.
She claimed that parents who refuse to pay a bill or give grocery money to their adult children for Christmas are bad at giving gifts.
In Leith's video, she offered up a reminder to all parents of adult children this holiday season. She explained that if parents are asking their children what they want for Christmas, and their answers are things along the lines of needing money to pay a bill, or for gas, or even grocery money, they should listen to their requests.
Leith claimed that when parents argue that things like that aren't "real gifts," they're wrong. "You're wrong and you're not buying the gift for the person, you're buying it to make yourself feel like you've done something and that is not how gifts are supposed to work."
While money may seem like an unconventional gift for some people, if you're asking someone what they want, especially young adults and their answer is something practical, then you should listen to them. Just because that's a gift that you may not personally want doesn't mean it is something special for someone else.
"Why would someone want something nice when they can't afford necessities? No adult is saying to their parents, 'For my birthday, I'd like food,' if they don't need it. If you were in a place where you could take them out grocery shopping and help them out that way and buy them a gift, awesome."
However, Leith pointed out that if there's a $50 Christmas gift budget, and as a parent, you want to make sure that your child will like their gift, then give them that $50 for gas, bills, or groceries, or anything else that they need and can't afford or don't want to spend their own money on.
"On that note, if you give someone cash as a gift and they don't use it in the way you want them to, that has nothing to do with you," she insisted. "That was a gift, you gave it to them."
Leith pointed out that while her opinion may be controversial if someone is asking for a specific gift for Christmas and you can afford to get them that request but you choose not to, you are "bad at giving gifts."
Many people strongly agreed with Leith's message to parents with adult children about Christmas gifts.
"My adult son said he wanted nothing for his birthday. I offered to pay his car registration and he gladly accepted," one TikTok user shared. Another user added, "My mom wrapped paper towels, dryer sheets, tide, toilet paper, new Tupperware, paper plates, and gift cards. Best Christmas ever as an adult!"
"Yes! I always ask if is there anything you need. If they say no, then I get them something I think they will like," a third user chimed in.
Times are extremely tough right now and the rising prices for basic necessities mixed in with the fact that many people aren't making livable wages means there are a lot of penny-pinching moments happening. Providing financial support for adult children, especially around the holidays, can have the biggest impact.
Photo: Odua Images / Canva Pro
Not all Christmas gifts need to be materialistic, and providing money can be of assistance to the real-life concerns that 20-somethings are facing right now. As Leith pointed out in her video, gift-giving isn't about the person giving the gift but who is receiving it, and if you're asking someone what they want for the holiday season, you should be prepared to get them that request and not something that you would want.
Money might sound weird as a gift to some people, but if that's what they need, why not? It's not about you feeling good; it's about making a difference for them.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.