BY MARCIA SHARPE
Just ten more sleeps until Christmas, you tell the little ones
Wait until you see your gifts, bigger and better than ever before
Can’t have your friends outdoing you
Mum, don’t get into debt this Christmas
You are the only one who cares what others think
All we want is a fun time and special food
What has happened to last year’s gifts, sitting in a cupboard somewhere, forgotten
My brothers and sisters don’t need to keep up with their peers
Start a new trend and keep it simple
But Mum, don’t get into debt this Christmas
Christmas Day is only one day in 365; what about the rest of the holidays?
Every year I can remember it is the same, we can’t do anything during the holidays
Like a trip to the movies or the Wildlife Park because you have no spare money
Mum, don’t get into debt this Christmas
We don’t want to hear about it every day until we go back to school that you have no money
It gets boring
There must be a better way
We don’t need the latest I.T. gadgets or Play Station
Buy us something we need that you can afford
Same for Christmas dinner, forget the turkey and ham; a chicken or pork will be fine
Jelly and ice cream with a few strawberries sounds good to me
Mum, please don’t get into debt this Christmas
Christmas is not about climbing some social ladder, so save your money for those who care
Christmas is not about purchases or actions you might regret later
Christmas is about remembering the reason for the season
Celebrating Jesus’ birth with family and close friends
So, Mum, there’s no need to get into debt this Christmas
Having time with you and Dad, a chance to play outside games and no phone interruptions
Is all we really ask
Seeing cousins or grandparents would be a bonus, but not at the expense of going
Into debt this Christmas
Mum, we love you, and we are pleased you are our Mother
But Please, Mum, don’t get into debt this Christmas
Written by your 5 children aged 11, 9, 7, 6 and 4 years