Secret Santa Causes Anxiety For Millennials...

[Hatin Since 87]

Oh yes. Lots.
When I have to hand out an award for sneaking cookies from the jar I can often tell a "M" from and "X"r and a "B" just by how they respond.

To say what the diff. are would get me so nuff said.

Say it. I dare ya.

 

[jagee]

Are there any millennials on INGO?

Technically I think I'm a millennial. I was born in '87.

 

[jamil]

Secret Santa? Eh, not so much. I have NEVER participated because I think it's stupid. No offense to you guys who like that sort of thing, but I think it's silly. Well. Actually I can't say I've never participated. The tyrannical [STRIKE]Gestapo agents[/STRIKE] teachers in grade school made us do that ****.

 

[SpydieSig]

This. 100% this.

Wouldnt that money be better spent going to children who don’t have the luxuries we have? I’m a grown man, I don’t need a gift. I get it, if people want to do it for the fun have at it. It shouldn’t be expected tho. I’d rather my money go towards a kid that’s waking up Christmas morning with next to nothing. That’s heartbreaking

Very much agree with this. For me this even extends to family gatherings. Buy for my kids, fine. But if I want something I will buy it. I hate getting lists together and such. It just seems silly to me. I would rather just spend time with my family on the holidays. That is the gift to me. But take whatever you would have bought for me and use that money for a kid who wont have a great Christmas. That would make me much happier than giving you a list of stuff I could have just bought for myself.

And yes I am "technically", according to lots of random researchers that are over paid to study such nonsense, a millenial.

 

[churchmouse]

This. 100% this.

Wouldnt that money be better spent going to children who don’t have the luxuries we have? I’m a grown man, I don’t need a gift. I get it, if people want to do it for the fun have at it. It shouldn’t be expected tho. I’d rather my money go towards a kid that’s waking up Christmas morning with next to nothing. That’s heartbreaking

We have many times in the past found a family in need and gathered the troops to take care of the kids. Up to and including a Christmas meal.
My G-dad used to be a slum lord of sorts. There was always a family living on the edge for what ever reason. We would get the keys, set up a tree and put the gifts around it. Put food in the box with a note. All done as the Christmas fairy. This was before the drug culture infested that area of society and we made sure the kids got exactly what they needed.

These days we give to select charity's.

We do the secret Santa thing here on Ingo as I find it fun and rewarding at some level. Too me this is a time for the children. And I have yet to grow up.

 

[churchmouse]

Say it. I dare ya.

 

[Hatin Since 87]

We have many times in the past found a family in need and gathered the troops to take care of the kids. Up to and including a Christmas meal.
My G-dad used to be a slum lord of sorts. There was always a family living on the edge for what ever reason. We would get the keys, set up a tree and put the gifts around it. Put food in the box with a note. All done as the Christmas fairy. This was before the drug culture infested that area of society and we made sure the kids got exactly what they needed.

These days we give to select charity's.

We do the secret Santa thing here on Ingo as I find it fun and rewarding at some level. Too me this is a time for the children. And I have yet to grow up.

Thats awesome! It’s an amazing feeling to know you gave some kid who has nothing a piece of happiness that they’ll remember their entire life, and never know who or why. Me and my wife have been talking about making our oldest go with us to feed the less fortunate so she can see firsthand the pain some people live with, and appreciate the little things more. I really want them to grow up with an appreciation of what they have, and not care as much about material possessions.

I think the ingo secret Santa is cool, as it’s not mandatory and a way for everyone to have some fun with each other. I’m not against office secret santas either, I just don’t participate in them. Maybe when our kids are older I will, but for now I have higher priorities.

 

[HoughMade]

Let's face facts. Secret Santa is a female driven enterprise in office environments. Lenny, Biff, Rock and Bill down at the smelting plant aren't going to initiate this.

 

[jamil]

Let's face facts. Secret Santa is a female driven enterprise in office environments. Lenny, Biff, Rock and Bill down at the smelting plant aren't going to initiate this.

Rock and Bill, no. Biff? Let's just say he enjoys decorating and long walks on the beach.

 

[CindyE]

Gee, couldn't be having to come up with money you don't have, to buy a gift for someone who doesn't need it, because the office thinks it's a trendy and hip thing to do?

Yes, back in your generation you could work a part time job and afford college tuition and a mortgage for a house, while raising multiple kids, and the wife could stay home. Other counties aren't buying US goods like hotcakes anymore, europe isn't a pile of rubble needing US goods to survive anymore.

All of these fads that were created during that time period are woefully out of place in current times.

They'd be better off taking up anonymous donations to help the family of a worker who is having trouble making ends meet. Even then that seems a bit tone deaf.

I'm in the young boomer group. I don't recall anyone being able to afford college, a mortgage, kids and a stay-at-home wife on only a part time job. My dad worked a full-time job along with a part-time job, and my mom babysat until she rejoined the workforce when I was 12 and could watch my siblings and cook.

 

[Vigilant]

Rock and Bill, no. Biff? Let's just say he enjoys decorating and long walks on the beach.

Bif reallywent on a downward spiral after the breakup with Muffy. I don’t blame her for leaving though after finding Bif on the DL with Chip rather than at the Bowling Alley like he’s told her for the last few years.

 

[HoughMade]

I'm in the young boomer group. I don't recall anyone being able to afford college, a mortgage, kids and a stay-at-home wife on only a part time job. My dad worked a full-time job along with a part-time job, and my mom babysat until she rejoined the workforce when I was 12 and could watch my siblings and cook.

I can't speak to what the Boomers experienced, but as a Gen Xer, I graduated from college debt free with some help from my parents, my own savings and work (my parents required a good portion of our earnings as kids to be saved) and Uncle Sam. My wife has not worked outside the home since I started my full-time, career level job (in 1998- not ancient history). I bought a house in my later 20s which was easily affordable....because I bought a house for under $100,000 in 1999.

Those who complain that they have it harder than previous generations.....c'mon. The way I paid for college, despite insane college inflation, is still available. Further, you can always choose the less expensive college option...because there is almost always one. The post-college jobs pay more unless one chooses a career path that is notoriously low-paying. Choice. The houses are only as expensive as you are willing to go.

 

[jamil]

I can't speak to what the Boomers experienced, but as a Gen Xer, I graduated from college debt free with some help from my parents, my own savings and work (my parents required a good portion of our earnings as kids to be saved) and Uncle Sam. My wife has not worked outside the home since I started my full-time, career level job (in 1998- not ancient history). I bought a house in my later 20s which was easily affordable....because I bought a house for under $100,000 in 1999.

Those who complain that they have it harder than previous generations.....c'mon. The way I paid for college, despite insane college inflation, is still available. Further, you can always choose the less expensive college optio...because there is almost always one. The post-college jobs pay more unless one chooses a career path that is notoriously low-paying. Choice. The houses are only as expensive as you are willing to go.

A decent inexpensive education can be had. Enrolling in a college in your state to get the in-state tuition will in some cases cut expenses in half. If you live in the same area as the school, consider living with parents while commuting if that's an option, as that will save a lot on room and board. Of course a job would be nice as well.

In Louisville, UPS sponsors the Metro program, which pays full tuition at one of the community colleges and University of Louisville. In return you work for them part time night shift as a package handler. It doesn't pay room and board, or other fees, but I think they do reimburse for books. So if you can live at home, you can earn a 4 year degree pretty much free, although students who live off-campus still have to purchase a meal plan.

On top of the tuition, UPS pays part time package handlers $14/hour, and you usually work 5-6 hours per night. After 9 months on the job you're eligible for full benefits. Anyone who lives in the area and wants to go to college, who doesn't get a sweet scholarship deal, would be crazy not to avail themselves of that. Depending on the cost of tuition after scholarships, that could be nearly as much as a $300K swing from being in debt for the 4 years of tuition to pay for your degree, to having your degree debt free and money in your pocket when you're done. Downside is you have to work ****ty hours doing a ****ty job, plus, most students can't handle the job along with much more than 13 credits per semester, so it may take a little longer than 4 years to finish the degree.

 

[HoughMade]

It can still be done. I have one college graduate kid who did it debt free and a second well on her way to the same.

I get it, some people want the full "college" experience which to them means ample time to party and/or, generally, do nothing productive. Choices. Every choice has consequences.

 

[1775usmarine]

Graduated high school in 04, did 4yrs in the service. Got out and used the gi bill for a degree in diesel tech and within a month before graduation had a job with the railroad. My wife has a small business and we live within our means to have a house and her be able to stay home 95% of the time with our 8 month old. I had a solid 4yrs in the service to party and when I went to school at 23 I was focused on my studies unlike my 18yr old counterparts.

 

[OakRiver]

Are there any millennials on INGO?

 

[churchmouse]

I'm in the young boomer group. I don't recall anyone being able to afford college, a mortgage, kids and a stay-at-home wife on only a part time job. My dad worked a full-time job along with a part-time job, and my mom babysat until she rejoined the workforce when I was 12 and could watch my siblings and cook.

Yeah that is an outright serious stretch right there.
Yes things were different. But not that different. I as born in 50 so yeah I am a boomer and grew up in those times.

 

[Nevermore]

Born in the mid 90's here, so I suppose I count as a Millenial. My first house cost about 16k, plus another couple thousand to fix the "can't live here without these things working" issues it had. My college all told cost me about 12k without a single grant or scholarship and took me a year and a half of grinding it out work. I now have a fully paid off house that I'm still slowly improving room by room as I have time and patience, and a bachelor's in general business management from Thomas Edison State University. Of course I didn't live in a dorm or enjoy college life: I just did my work online and earned the credits by passing the tests like any other student, skipping the time consuming classes and substituting extensive and focused self-study. My house is in a small town, well under 500 people and it doesn't have a nightlife or public transport or any of those other things that are apparently necessities to daily life. It's a matter of priorities. If you want the high life, be willing to stop whining and pay for it. Alternatively if you are willing to part with the things you "must have" like the college experience or living in more expensive/trendy areas of the world you can trim costs relatively simply.

 

[Jludo]

I don't think the point of the griping is that it's impossible to graduate from community college and buy a cheap rural house. It's that the same paths aren't available and it's not as easy as it was for previous generations if comparing apples to apples. You can't go to purdue and pay tuition/ room and board with the cash you made at your part time and summer job.
All that said the flip side is that college is all but unnecessary today. You're paying for the experience and the network but there is very little you can't learn without a university. We are just in an uncomfortable period transitioning from employers wanting a 4 year degree to employers realizing degrees don't matter.

 

[churchmouse]

I don't think the point of the griping is that it's impossible to graduate from community college and buy a cheap rural house. It's that the same paths aren't available and it's not as easy as it was for previous generations if comparing apples to apples. You can't go to purdue and pay tuition/ room and board with the cash you made at your part time and summer job.
All that said the flip side is that college is all but unnecessary today. You're paying for the experience and the network but there is very little you can't learn without a university. We are just in an uncomfortable period transitioning from employers wanting a 4 year degree to employers realizing degrees don't matter.

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