I saw this photo like a lot of the internet two years ago and honestly went into full on judgment mode. What kind of parents would do this? Why would any kid need this many gifts? The kids must be totally spoiled brats by now, and on and on.
UK Mom Emma Tapping said in an interview that the 100's of presents were for her three kids, her partner, and her mother and that she did not, as the internet assumed, post this photo to brag about her gifts, but rather someone screen shotted the photo and it was sent out to become viral without her permission.
I honestly tried to calm the judgey voice in my head and come to the conclusion some did, which is why do you judge...it's her money, her kids, her life, let them all be happy if this is what makes them happy, but the image still disturbed me. Granted, as some also pointed out, I know, nor you know, nor the internet at large knew, anything about Tapping or her family other than she apparently had several blog posts about clipping coupons and how to save money all year, but aside from that, nothing.
My judgment wasn't just coming from thin air though. I used to work for a company that did a lot of children's birthdays. I'd seen parties like this with tables piled to the ceiling with expensive gifts, where even the kids friends (parents) brought in gifts that were sometimes more expensive then the rentals themselves and probably eight times out of ten, the kids were spoiled brats, corrupted by their parents want for them to have any and everything to no end. I saw the way some of these kids treated their peers like they were less than or worse, meant to worship them and their toys and gifts.
Rarely did I ever find the art of gift giving was about the kid. The gifts were usually only ever about the parents. For some, the parents grew up in poverty and so were overcompensating by completely spoiling their kids at every opportunity because "their kids deserved it" and by deserved it, that simply meant, they existed, not that they'd actually done anything to deserve it. The second reality was that parents were trying to impress upon other parents that they were wealthy enough to just throw money at their children. They had to show off the keep up appearances.
I recently found and bought this beautiful firetruck in pristine condition from a thrift store for my nephew when he came to visit. This kid played with this thing for hours on end and he was happy. I could not have imagined him showing up to a pile of 100 toys or what purpose that would serve other than my own ego at saying look what I can do or afford. I mean just because you can or you're rich doesn't mean you have to or should. The whole thing just feels like it sets up unrealistic expectations about the future and what is deserved or what one has to do in order to have a magical Christmas.
It's perhaps worth noting, as another writer pointed out, Tapping when faced with all this judgment about something that was not meant for the world to see and judge anyway, doesn't know me or any of the other eyes that saw this and judged her for it, and she probably didn't care because it's her life, her family, and she can do what she wants with that which is true for all of us.
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