Yesterday I was chatting with my neighbor, who was bemoaning the fact that she’d been pulling additional shifts at work to earn some extra Christmas cash to pay for her three kids’ lengthy wish lists. Seems it’s a common problem.

According to financial adviser Dave Ramsey, people just need to learn how to say “No” to children’s Christmas wishes that fall outside the reasonable: “Your children’s little self-esteem is not being damaged if they hear this ancient word that everybody’s forgotten. It’s a word that’s been removed from the dictionary. No. It’s a cool word. We need to introduce into our culture.”

Do you think our overly indulgent culture has adversely impacted today’s children, and if so, in what ways?

Christmas shopping for some people can be challenging. What do you get that person who seems to have it all? In recent years, charitable organizations have capitalized on this holiday dilemma, offering gift givers the opportunity to make a donation on behalf of the receiver. World Vision offers more than 100 item–like a fishing kit or goat–in its gift catalog; recipients receive a special card describing the gift that was purchased and the impact it will have on the life of a person in need.

While many recipients are honored by the gesture, I’ve heard others say they’d rather the giver just make a donation on their own and leave them out of it. After all, the giver gets the tax-deduction while the recipient is left in a quandary of whether he should write a thank-you note for a gift that was, well, not really for him. What’s your take on the practice?