Buying your family a car for Christmas is arguably the biggest flex anyone can make during the holiday season. Can you imagine surprising your better half and kids with a brand-new auto on the morning of the 25th? Frankly, this is the dream.
That said, very few people have the financial capacity to afford said flex. And unless your account balance is constantly hovering around the eight-digit mark, it would probably wise to run such a decision by anyone else with a say in the family finances.
Actually, scratch that. It wouldn’t just be the wise course of action to run it by the family, it would be the responsible thing to do—especially now, with the COVID-19 pandemic’s stranglehold on countless peoples’ livelihoods. Saturday Night Live’s new Christmas sketch shows what happens when someone doesn’t get the memo. Watch:
“Did you seriously buy a car without asking me?” Nathan’s wife asks as he proudly presents his Christmas gift. “This is a major purchase!”
Nathan tries to justify his decision by invoking the power of holiday cheer, saying that he wanted this to be a “December to remember.” Naturally, this didn’t help make the situation any better.
“It’s a Lexus! We don’t have the money for this, Nathan!”
Yes, it’s a comedy skit, but this doesn’t make the lesson it conveys any less true. Remember, guys: Times are tough. We’re not saying to settle on giving free hugs out for the holidays, but remember to keep your finances in check when you’re out and about Christmas shopping.
