Yesterday morning I got a message from one of my friends to ask if I’d seen what was going on over at the Paypal Facebook page. I hadn’t but seeing as I’m nosey and don’t like to miss out of drama I obviously headed over there immediately to find out what was going on.
What I found there was a lot of outraged and upset parents saying that Paypal had ruined Christmas, broken the hearts of children and basically made sure that this year’s Christmas isn’t magical.
And just how had they done this? With a TV advert that showed parents buying presents for their children.
If you haven’t seen it then I’ve included it below but please, please don’t watch it in from of your children if they still believe as it’s clearly upset a lot of people whose children have seen it….
So, what do you think, would your Christmas be ruined if your children saw this?
I’d genuinely like to hear your opinion because I know for a fact that mine certainly wouldn’t be!
For starters I’m not convinced that the advert does make children believe that Santa isn’t real.
I know that I’m coming from a place where neither of my children believe any longer (they’re 10 and 13) so I might be more relaxed about it but even when they did believe, I always told them that they got one present from Santa and the rest were from us. The idea that we bought presents for them is normal in our house as Santa would deliver the toys we bought along with the special present off him.
Secondly, surely parents have had to answer awkward questions about the existence of Santa before. I know I did….
Why does Santa use the same wrapping paper as you?
How does Santa really deliver so many presents in one night?
We don’t have a chimney?
What are you hiding in that bag?
Add to that the odd present that they may have occasionally stumbled across (no matter how well I think they’re hidden) and I it’s going to be difficult to make sure they still believe. I used to have a huge array of excuses and I successfully deflected any non-believing for years. It’s a Mum thing, or at least it is in this house as Mr Frugal is banned from answering questions like this as his answers are ridiculous! 😉
And finally, the magic of Christmas is not some jolly old man who brings presents. I find it odd that so many people are saying that Christmas is ruined and it makes me a little bit sad that they think that.
Stick around over the next 8 weeks or so and you’ll see what makes Christmas magical to us…..
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Added:
Paypal have issued a statement now advising that they’ll only show the advert after 9pm and it seems that they’ve deleted a good few of the complaints on there according to what people are saying.
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I totally agree with you. It wouldn't ruin my childrens Christmas either
We always put gifts under the tree before Christmas, so this wouldn't be an issue with our family. Santa still comes on Christmas Eve (and I work very hard to wrap "Santa's" gifts in a different wrapping paper…). I could see it upsetting parents if the gifts only arrived on Christmas Morning, but otherwise no I don't see any reason for this to upset them.
I saw the advert on TV last night! I was shocked but it was after 9pm so I assumed that is when they were showing it.
I was always a bit vague about FC when mine believed, so I don't think that this would have upset them.
Ah, Cass, sure, mine is 6 this year and I do think she suspects Santa isn't for real. But she still loves to make believe and play imaginary games so even if she saw this, she would come up with some sort of excuse like "Santa let mummy and daddy choose the presents this year ". I do not see what the upset is all about.xx
Personally, I think Santa is over-rated. Why should some random man in a red suit be bringing my child presents?
I don't think it would affect my children, I think it would go over the heads of the little ones but my 7 year old might question it
I don't have children and I was the child who declared very young there is no Santa and listed the reasons why.. So for me it's not something I can imagine ruining. x
Had seen it and not picked up the message people are furious about but glad they've shifted it until after 9pm anyhow. I think most of us present Christmas as a mixture of things and hope we can get away with it for longer yet. It wasn't a very thoughtful advert.
I've seen the advert but it had not even occured to me it might upset some people. It certainly would not ruin Christmas for mine, our family makes the magic. Mich x
Like many above, Father Christmas delivers a stocking and a couple of small presents – small person knows we buy the main present as I don't see why some beardy stranger should get the credit for things we work hard to pay for!!
Oh dear I hadn't heard or seen anything about this, I was in John Lewis the other day though and Boo saw an 'Elf in the Shelf' box and said look Mummy he isn't real he's just a joke!!
Like you, we have some presents from family and then stockings from Father Christmas, so I’m not sure whether this would overly affect my children. I think it depends on your family traditions but I can understand why people are upset
I didn't even know that paypal did TV adverts. Shows the changing times we I've in. Just don't let your kids watch it!
I don't think it has ruined anything. I guess it depends on how your believed it all anyway. My children were always just told FC was the deliverer of the presents that we had paid for. I get there is magic in the other way but I wanted my children to say thank you and appreciate their gifts from us that we have saved hard for.
I hadn't seen the advert, I've just watched it now. I'm pretty sure children suspend their belief so they can enjoy Santa anyway, I mean once they get to the age they start asking questions, I'm not sure they REALLY believe any more anyway.
People need to find something important to be outraged over. Santa does stockings and one small gift which is asked for in their letter to him in our home so it doesn’t ruin our Christmas.
I'm exactly the same as Sarah, small stocking of silly things fro FC, main presents from parents and other family so this wouldn't worry me at all. Everyone's differrent and I agree with Jen that adults are reading too much into it.
I think that people are creating a storm in a teacup. Pah! It wouldn't spoil my kids christmas at all. Maybe adults need to stop reading more in to things. It reflects their issues not their kids!
My mum tells me I stopped believing at 5, and my kids are too young to know he exists yet so this is a hard one for me, but surely most kids get gifts from santander AND friends and family? So it shouldn’t really be too much of a problem if kids saw it in my eyes!?
Mine get a stocking of small presents from Father Christmas and a big present from us under the tree. It didn't occur to me to be outraged when I saw the ad because FC doesn't buy the big presents, I do! People all do christmas differently. Only 2 of mine still believe and I really don't like the awkward questions that start December time! I think it's better for children to get the drip drip of doubt over a few years than a big shock one year. And as you say christmas should be about much more than presents! X
Not a nice gesture from PayPal but I think they have taken the videos down.