By Marie Fricker
Try this experiment with your 12-year-old grandson: “Ryan, do you remember what we gave you for Christmas last year – the gift you begged us for?”
Wait for the question to set in and then notice the blank expression on Ryan’s face as he struggles unsuccessfully to remember a single one of the expensive items that Nana and Papa bought him on December 25, 2023. “I don’t know,” he says, shrugging his shoulders. But I know what you can buy me this year. Here, I made a list.”
Scribbled in crayon on a piece of white construction paper are items like Playstation 5, Taylor Swift tickets, Celtics tickets, a new iPhone 16, and the list goes on.
Maybe it’s time for seniors to put their foot down collectively in 2024 and refuse to be saddled with a mountain of credit card debt for the next seven months. With rising prices throughout the country, it may be time to cut back on the holiday credit card charges and remember the simpler pleasures of celebrating the yuletide.
Baby Boomer children never asked for wildly expensive presents (there were no gaming accessories available). They were content to receive the usual socks, pajamas, and board games under the tree. After dinner, they played football with their cousins and slid down slippery hills on aluminum snow coasters that were the “big gifts” from their grandparents.
Many seniors in today’s technological age feel they have to live up to their grandkids’ expectations of pricey presents like iPads, smartphones and ear buds. But others are avoiding the high-tech pressures and simply enjoying the moment.
“My husband and I have decided not to buy the grandkids elaborate gifts anymore,” said Grace Troiano of Marshfield. “We’re in our 80s now, and just shopping and wrapping presents is a hassle. I’d rather have the family at our house for dinner where everyone brings a dish and we enjoy each other’s company and let the kids walk the beach. And no screen time!”
There are lots of ways for seniors to save money by ignoring their offspring’s grandiose wish lists. They can bake, sew, crochet, or paint a picture that their descendants will likely keep forever. They could host a Yankee swap for inexpensive grab gifts or decide to flee the shopping and wrapping frenzy of the season to set sail for calmer waters.
“My parents made a big deal out of Christmases when we were young children,” said Daina Bruns, 56, of Rockland. “But when they got older and became grandparents, they wanted to travel the world and take their kids and grandkids with them. We had family trips everywhere from Australia to their native Latvia, to Alaska, Germany, Italy, Greece, France, and all of the Caribbean islands. We might be having cocktails on a veranda on Christmas Day in Hawaii, but we were always together as a family, and I will never forget those memories.”
Dedham seniors Cheryle and Douglas Biggar are ardent believers in the value of multigenerational experiences as well. The parents of four grown children and grandparents of 10, the Biggars recently returned from an African safari in Kenya with 21 of their family members.
“This was an ‘epic vacation’ for our 52nd anniversary,” said Cheryle, 76, a retired reading specialist at the Dedham Public Schools. “We love traveling with the whole family. We take the kids to Turks and Caicos every February school vacation, and we’ve brought them to Hawaii, Costa Rica, and just about everywhere we go. Doug and I don’t need any fancy jewelry or cars. We live frugally so we can see the world with our loved ones. I’m 76 and Doug turned 78 on Thanksgiving and we intend to keep going as long as we can. We’re very blessed.”
If European or Caribbean travel is out of your financial reach, why not plan a mini multi-generational outing for your family? Even a short day trip, like visiting the aquarium, going to the Museum of Science, eating at a Chinese buffet, or skating at the Frog Pond in the Public Garden will leave lasting memories long after gifts are forgotten.
There are those seniors, however, who still love the excitement and bustle of crowded shopping malls in the Christmas season.
“I admit I get a lot of joy out of buying things for my seven grandchildren, said Barbara Miller, 68, of Walpole. “When my husband was alive, he would try to rein me in from spending too much money on holiday gifts, but that’s exactly what I want to do. That’s what makes me happy.”
Barbara Demilt, 70, of Holbrook, was recently at the Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham looking for Black Friday deals.
