Xmas pressies and todays teenagers/"millennials"

[Antifa Hibs]

Has it always been the case or are today's youth more inclined to spend ridiculous amounts of money on Xmas presents, usually on over-priced pish generally used for status symbols on social media.

Back to work and lads and lassies in work rattling off their gift lists, Gucci bag for her, Tag watch for him, wee trip to NYC, some Balenciaga trainers, wee Moncler gilet and Canada goose jacket etc etc. No even good gear too, all tacky pish but must amount to thousands.

No-one earning anymore than 20k, all taking it out on CC and expensive loans. Always been the case or we living in a more materialistic f****d up world? I'm partial to treating myself but £600 on trainers that wouldn't look out of place in Woolies or What Everyone Wants and Gucci t-shirts that look like they're straight from the Barras, mental.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

It's not a world I find myself particularly involved in but, social media is definitely cultivating a "look at me" culture and it stinks.

[calumhibee1]

Has it always been the case or are today's youth more inclined to spend ridiculous amounts of money on Xmas presents, usually on over-priced pish generally used for status symbols on social media.

Back to work and lads and lassies in work rattling off their gift lists, Gucci bag for her, Tag watch for him, wee trip to NYC, some Balenciaga trainers, wee Moncler gilet and Canada goose jacket etc etc. No even good gear too, all tacky pish but must amount to thousands.

No-one earning anymore than 20k, all taking it out on CC and expensive loans. Always been the case or we living in a more materialistic f****d up world? I'm partial to treating myself but £600 on trainers that wouldn't look out of place in Woolies or What Everyone Wants and Gucci t-shirts that look like they're straight from the Barras, mental.

I’ve asked the same myself. God knows how young people afford it. There’s young lads walk out of the BOS building on Fountainbridge, no older than about 18 and they’ve got a different Moncler/Canada Goose/Stone Island jacket on every day. Gucci or Alexander McQueen trainers usually aswell. Same with the girls, Balenciaga trainers, Canada Goose/Moncler jackets and LV bags by the dozen it seems. I can only think the majority of it must be fake?

At least the holiday to NYC etc is actually worth spending the money on. Spending the sums they seem to on shan gear is ludicrous.

[Jay]

Lets not tar them all with the same brush. I know loads of youngsters who wouldnt thank you for any of that but there is definitely an culture where designer and expensive comes way before common sense. The stuff will.have been bought by pressured and stressed parents, boyfriend and girlfriends. I blame the dire reality tv that they watch, Love Island and Towie to name a couple.

Between my kids I was asked for car tyres, a monitor, an xbox game and the other got a Michael Buble ticket but had asked for nothing. I wouldnt even know where to buy any of the designer stuff :greengrin

[calumhibee1]

Lets not tar them all with the same brush. I know loads of youngsters who wouldnt thank you for any of that but there is definitely an culture where designer and expensive comes way before common sense. The stuff will.have been bought by pressured and stressed parents, boyfriend and girlfriends. I blame the dire reality tv that they watch, Love Island and Towie to name a couple.

Between my kids I was asked for car tyres, a monitor, an xbox game and the other got a Michael Buble ticket but had asked for nothing. I wouldnt even know where to buy any of the designer stuff :greengrin

Of course it’s not them all. It is a crazy percentage though when you consider were talking about items at a price point that only about the top 5% of earners could even attempt to justify.

[Geo_1875]

What shocks me is the number of teens/twentysomethings who didn't get socks for Christmas.

[Pretty Boy]

Social media plays a part. There has always been 'must haves' but the pressure put on young folk by 'influencers' is huge. Companies know it as well and pay these people a lot of money to force their products down peoples throats. An evolution of advertising I suppose.

I'm lucky that my daughter is still a fair way off that age and the general rule currently is if it has Peppa Pig on it then she likes it. I'm not looking forward to the time coming when the 'I want a X, Y, Z' starts though.

In saying all that I know a lot of folk with bairns between 10 and 18 and most of them seemed to control what their kids expected and got well. Of course there was the odd iphone or whatever but as a main present I don't think that's overly extravagant; it's probably better than getting an expensive phone handed to them randomly during the year. By the same token most of the couples we know around about our age with kids a similar age to ours tend to refrain from doing 'big presents' for each other. We took what we would have spent on presents for ourselves and had a family trip to have breakfast with Santa, have a day at the Christmas market and a take away together on Christmas Eve. I enjoyed that more than any material gift.

I think as with anything there are those who love to be vulgar and show off what they have and brag about how much they spent on it. My experience is that most people I socialise with and work with tend to be quite restrained in their spending habits at Christmas, even those who I maybe think go a bit OTT seem to do so because they get carried away more than anything else.

[Pretty Boy]

What shocks me is the number of teens/twentysomethings who didn't get socks for Christmas.

Probably those terrible people who wear trousers that are far too short for them, no socks and boat shoes.

[bingo70]

I know it’s not a Christmas present related point but similarly I find the holidays young ‘uns go on quite bizarre now.

Back in the day it was the 18-30 culture of cheap fun to get smashed where as now it seems to be expensive venues and grand a day sun loungers in fancy bars charging €15-20 a drink pretending to be footballers.

I just don’t know how they afford it.

[Pretty Boy]

I know it’s not a Christmas present related point but similarly I find the holidays young ‘uns go on quite bizarre now.

Back in the day it was the 18-30 culture of cheap fun to get smashed where as now it seems to be expensive venues and grand a day sun loungers in fancy bars charging €15-20 a drink pretending to be footballers.

I just don’t know how they afford it.

I went to Magaluf when I was 18 with a group of mates. It was cheap and cheerful and absolutely brilliant. A mental 2 weeks that basically involved drink, try to pull, drink more, sleep and repeat for 2 weeks.

A couple of years ago a few of us wanted to do a reunion type thing for us all turning 30. 4 or 5 of us were keen to do Magaluf again as it was what we were 'celebrating'. A week worked out barely more expensive than 12 years before. The other few all wanted to do Ibiza and one of those holidays you mention. The pricing was ridiculous and a long weekend was going to set us back well over a grand before spending money. They went off and done that and spent most of the time on Instagram documenting the whole thing. 2 of them adnitted when they got back it was pretty pish and full of chavs who wanted to be wags acting like snobs. The rest of us went to Newcastle, went to a game, got pissed for 3 nights, had a great time and spent about a quarter of the amount.

Like you I don't get it. Social media again I suppose. 'Look where I am and look at ny lifestyle.'

[bigwheel]

I went to Magaluf when I was 18 with a group of mates. It was cheap and cheerful and absolutely brilliant. A mental 2 weeks that basically involved drink, try to pull, drink more, sleep and repeat for 2 weeks.

A couple of years ago a few of us wanted to do a reunion type thing for us all turning 30. 4 or 5 of us were keen to do Magaluf again as it was what we were 'celebrating'. A week worked out barely more expensive than 12 years before. The other few all wanted to do Ibiza and one of those holidays you mention. The pricing was ridiculous and a long weekend was going to set us back well over a grand before spending money. They went off and done that and spent most of the time on Instagram documenting the whole thing. 2 of them adnitted when they got back it was pretty pish and full of chavs who wanted to be wags acting like snobs. The rest of us went to Newcastle, went to a game, got pissed for 3 nights, had a great time and spent about a quarter of the amount.

Like you I don't get it. Social media again I suppose. 'Look where I am and look at ny lifestyle.'


the most disappointing part of this story is that your reunion ended up getting split up - the whole group of mates being together all those years later would have been a blast! mind you, group trips are always like herding cats! :).

[Future17]

What shocks me is the number of teens/twentysomethings who didn't get socks for Christmas.

Ha ha! Brilliant! :-)

[speedy_gonzales]

Not entirely convinced I know what a Millennial is, initially thought someone born at the turn of the millennium, then again it might be someone who comes of age at the millennium.
Either way, guys in their mid twenties, early thirties, can't afford to get on the housing market because of all the baby boomers that have invested heavily in the buy-to-let market and pushed prices out of reach, SO, rather than save what the can they spünk their money on £600 Louboutin sneakers, £1500 puffer puffer jackets that would never see you through a mild winter never mind the Arctic and prestige (Mercedes?) car leases that cost more than my mortgage but after 3 years you own nothing,,,,
Weekends in Vegas so you can pay $60 for a drink with a hint of alcohol at an MTV style pool party or a week in an expensive millionaires mansion style villa at Marbella so you can fake it with the best at being a TOWIE or Made in Chelsea airhead.
It's all OK though, you might have to stay with your folks forever but at least you're a millionaire on social media and you're single handedly keeping your Tanz salon in business!

[calumhibee1]

I know it’s not a Christmas present related point but similarly I find the holidays young ‘uns go on quite bizarre now.

Back in the day it was the 18-30 culture of cheap fun to get smashed where as now it seems to be expensive venues and grand a day sun loungers in fancy bars charging €15-20 a drink pretending to be footballers.

I just don’t know how they afford it.

Folk going to Ocean Beach in Ibiza and getting their photo taken with Wayne (yes that’s right, Wayne, not even Gary) Lineker for Instagram and partaking in the good old “champagne spray”. I’ve never been but my brother went to one of these Ocean Beach/Nikki Beach places a few years ago and said it was absolutely horrendous and full of people just standing around not really looking like they’re even enjoying themselves. That might be all the Botox that makes them look like that mind you :greengrin

[Hibrandenburg]

People have always been sheep and try and mimic those they perceive to be successful, there are whole industries built on that assumption.

[Antifa Hibs]

speedy_gonzales wrote...

Not entirely convinced I know what a Millennial is, initially thought someone born at the turn of the millennium, then again it might be someone who comes of age at the millennium.
Either way, guys in their mid twenties, early thirties, can't afford to get on the housing market because of all the baby boomers that have invested heavily in the buy-to-let market and pushed prices out of reach, SO, rather than save what the can they spünk their money on £600 Louboutin sneakers, £1500 puffer puffer jackets that would never see you through a mild winter never mind the Arctic and prestige (Mercedes?) car leases that cost more than my mortgage but after 3 years you own nothing,,,,
Weekends in Vegas so you can pay $60 for a drink with a hint of alcohol at an MTV style pool party or a week in an expensive millionaires mansion style villa at Marbella so you can fake it with the best at being a TOWIE or Made in Chelsea airhead.
It's all OK though, you might have to stay with your folks forever but at least you're a millionaire on social media and you're single handedly keeping your Tanz salon in business!


Valid point about the housing stuff. I was out the door at 20 as soon as i worked full time, a quarter of 20-34 year olds still live at home, if your on a decent salary and pay your mother and father 100 quid a month, you've got a decent wedge of cash to waste on any old tat.

Agree with the holiday stuff aswell. Not to be to critical as i'm not sure how i would've been in this social media day and age but holidays seem to be geared towards instagram as opposed to what you actually like.

A general boys holiday for us was Salou, Benidorm or Lloret for a few nights. Benny's British Bar for the cheapest scran on the strip followed by O'Reilly's for a few pints and few games of pool followed by whatever promo boy or girl offered the biggest amount of free or cheapest booze for a club. Now its 300 euro bottles of grey goose pretending to be on ex on the beach.

Social media eh...

[calumhibee1]

Valid point about the housing stuff. I was out the door at 20 as soon as i worked full time, a quarter of 20-34 year olds still live at home, if your on a decent salary and pay your mother and father 100 quid a month, you've got a decent wedge of cash to waste on any old tat.

Agree with the holiday stuff aswell. Not to be to critical as i'm not sure how i would've been in this social media day and age but holidays seem to be geared towards instagram as opposed to what you actually like.

A general boys holiday for us was Salou, Benidorm or Lloret for a few nights. Benny's British Bar for the cheapest scran on the strip followed by O'Reilly's for a few pints and few games of pool followed by whatever promo boy or girl offered the biggest amount of free or cheapest booze for a club. Now its 300 euro bottles of grey goose pretending to be on ex on the beach.

Social media eh...

I can understand people paying more for holidays probably because I do it myself. I’ve been to Maga, Zante, Kavos etc and they were my idea of hell. I much prefer the likes of Miami, NYC, Cannes etc, all of which are very expensive but I find far more enjoyable. I see a holiday as something you’ll look back on with fondness (presuming it wasn’t ***** :greengrin) where as I just don’t see anyone looking back in ten years and going “mind that outfit I wore, the Canada goose jacket with the Gucci belt, Vivienne Westwood jumper, D&G jeans and Balenciaga trainers, what a period in my life that was”.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

[Pete]

Not entirely convinced I know what a Millennial is, initially thought someone born at the turn of the millennium, then again it might be someone who comes of age at the millennium.
Either way, guys in their mid twenties, early thirties, can't afford to get on the housing market because of all the baby boomers that have invested heavily in the buy-to-let market and pushed prices out of reach, SO, rather than save what the can they spünk their money on £600 Louboutin sneakers, £1500 puffer puffer jackets that would never see you through a mild winter never mind the Arctic and prestige (Mercedes?) car leases that cost more than my mortgage but after 3 years you own nothing,,,,
Weekends in Vegas so you can pay $60 for a drink with a hint of alcohol at an MTV style pool party or a week in an expensive millionaires mansion style villa at Marbella so you can fake it with the best at being a TOWIE or Made in Chelsea airhead.
It's all OK though, you might have to stay with your folks forever but at least you're a millionaire on social media and you're single handedly keeping your Tanz salon in business!

Spot on.

They say millennials prefer to spend money on experiences and clothes nowadays but it’s not like they have an alternative like a bricks and mortar investment. Welll, this is only after forking out half their pay in rent. Never mind there’s always the card to stick it on and what is the bank going to do? They’ll have nothing to come after should it all go tits up.

[danhibees1875]

I can understand people paying more for holidays probably because I do it myself. I’ve been to Maga, Zante, Kavos etc and they were my idea of hell. I much prefer the likes of Miami, NYC, Cannes etc, all of which are very expensive but I find far more enjoyable. I see a holiday as something you’ll look back on with fondness (presuming it wasn’t ***** :greengrin) where as I just don’t see anyone looking back in ten years and going “mind that outfit I wore, the Canada goose jacket with the Gucci belt, Vivienne Westwood jumper, D&G jeans and Balenciaga trainers, what a period in my life that was”.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

I'd agree with that.

I like to go on nicer holidays, and I even sometimes put pictures on Facebook/Instagram too - I think it's a large jump from there to some of the opinions being posted here about millennials living in some sort of social media bubble though.

I think there's a lot of exaggeration on this thread - either that or me and my friends/colleagues are all seriously uncool (which is also a stark possibility). I've never noted any of the above mentioned behaviours about designer clothes or whatever else from anyone I know. :dunno:

[Pete]

Have to admit to having a google as I had no idea about some of those makes.

“Explore a laid-back urban aesthetic with an alpine twist in this collection of men's Moncler”




£700 for a rucksack.😂

[James310]

Have to admit to having a google as I had no idea about some of those makes.

“Explore a laid-back urban aesthetic with an alpine twist in this collection of men's Moncler”

£700 for a rucksack.😂

Did the same. £600 for a pair of trainers!

[lyonhibs]

It's certainly not a new thing for the "in" thing to be the need to be the snazziest/most expensive clobber and gadgets. It may have become more widespread but pushing 20 years ago I knew a lad who wouldn't stop banging on about how much his Timberlands cost, how much his latest basketball gear had cost (all financed by his long suffering single mum of course). He was an absolute weapon who ended up knocking up some munter so there we go.

There's always been a "need to be seen to be cool" section to society, one which I've - thankfully - never felt the need to belong to.

Although given the choice I'd have to go with the millenials budget for a holiday, if not their choice of how to spend it. "Lads" holidays to ****aluf etc have long been my idea of he'll on earth, including back when I was theoretically young enough to legitimately go on them.

[beensaidbefore]

Did the same. £600 for a pair of trainers!

That are the worst looking trainers I have ever seen. They look like a mosh mash of the worst trainers from the 80's, nicks, panams, and golas or some other *****.


🤣 🤣

Edit. Canny get link to work. Have a look for yourself😂😂

[DrSpaceMonkey]

Did the same. £600 for a pair of trainers!

In all my adult life I don’t think I’ve spent that total on all my trainers never mind one pair 😳

[Jones28]

That Moncler gear is awful.

[calumhibee1]

That Moncler gear is awful.

:agree:

Shiny bin bag like material jackets for hundreds of £s. Mental.

[Mon Dieu4]

Totally agree with this all, my nephew is 12 and just found "designer wear", don't get me wrong I had some shockers in my past but the current crop don't have a clue, he was decked out head to toe in Nike today and wearing Hirachis which I had in about 91, every Christmas and birthday I buy him clothes or trainer, it's decent stuff, addias originals custom trainers, levis or Fjallraven if it's winter time but the young team seem to be into garish, shiny and rank rotten gear, I know it's the sign of the times bit its horrendous, I'm getting auld

[Smartie]

What shocks me is the number of teens/twentysomethings who didn't get socks for Christmas.

My Dad sent a message around my family's WhatsApp group today - "guess what you're mum's been knitting", along with a picture.

It turns out they are ankle scarves, for men who refuse to wear socks but get a bit chilly around the ankles.

I truly despair about the state of the human race but was slightly heartened to find out that they weren't for any members of my family, they were from a work colleague of my brother.

It may yet turn out to be some sort of wind-up, I really hope so.

[K-Zazu]

See a lot of people wearing Canada goose and moncler and it just looks crap.

[Silky]

Probably those terrible people who wear trousers that are far too short for them, no socks and boat shoes.

That should be illegal!! Nae need for that. The same folk that spend 5 minutes in a coffee shop rattling off their order to the poor barista. "Skinny this, touch of that, none of this"... Hipsters I think they style themselves.

[James310]

That are the worst looking trainers I have ever seen. They look like a mosh mash of the worst trainers from the 80's, nicks, panams, and golas or some other *****.


🤣 🤣

Edit. Canny get link to work. Have a look for yourself😂😂

Panams! That's taken me back to late 1980's at High School and a boy in our class getting slagged for his blue panams!