I'm with you all on this. I was brought up not to expect, so that when something is given no matter how small, large, cheap or expensive, it is the thought behind it that counts. The thought is the crux of the matter, the meaning of the gift and the reason for it. Unfortunately, alot of people have forgotten this and have raced on for the material values, Instilling this in thier offspring. This seems to have taken on competitive features in a 'keep up with the Jones' type of thing. If they've got one, I have to as well or mine is better still. Children do it all the time with toys, clothes,trainers etc and there's peer pressure to conform which makes life even harder for parents who do try to say 'no'. What we can do about it, I do not know except that with the credit crunch, no will be no but for the wrong reasons.