The Controversies Of Angel Tree Shopping | TikTok Overconsumption Infiltrating Angel Tree Program?

[@clovis_the_spook]

I've always hated the "Beggars can't be choosers" mentality when it comes to low income, or struggling families. Regardless of the situation, those children did not choose to be in those circumstances, and they have no power to change or fix their situation. Treating them like they deserve less than any other child is sickening.

[@misamisaa4547]

According to volunteers, who work for angel tree program: Some locations don't allow you to wrap gifts since they check if people got appropriate gifts for the kids. Some people get something totally unrelated to the kids' wishes & the volunteers then shuffle the gifts so every kid gets at least approximately what they asked for (eg if someone buys books for a kid who asked for a barbie, they might switch the books to a kid who actually want them & try to find a spare barbie or a similar doll from another kid)

[@ashketchup1788]

My family did the angel tree through our church and I remember being surprised when they asked us to stop wrapping gifts, but this makes total sense now (and also makes sense why they wouldn't have explained it to a 5 y.o.)

[@CatMom5050]

Companies asking for donations at the checkout are getting tax breaks based on your donations.

[@letthePigeondrivethebus]

Was going to comment this!

[@Dextreads]

The fact that in the video of the crossed out barcode the item was underwear, an item that could reasonably need to be returned because of them being the wrong size.

[@mv4340]

That’s crazy if Walmart doesn’t pitch in and help clear out remaining angel tree card OR offer discounts for people doing the angel tree Like come on y’all can afford to give a few thousands dollars from your billion dollar company

[@kaitlyng.473]

I just came to this realization last week while watching Angel Tree videos. Walmart is 100% benefiting from this arrangement and it grosses me out that while they have donated to the Salvation Army over the years they are most definitely making money off of this. Kids do benefit from it and I’m glad for that, but why are corporations relying on the average person to fund these projects when corporations make millions (if not billions)?

[@lildinosaur8856]

Yahhh I agree don’t pick an angel tree tag if you can’t afford it! If you want to do home made gifts just do regular donations !

[@OverlordZeroULTIMA]

Or give homemade stuff to your own family! Some of my favorite presents are literally drawings of my OCs on an Xmas (or birthday) card from a friend. The only money she paid for them was for the material, card, and to mail!

[@g_willow]

Santa does not donate, he gifts.

[@RowdyRayRay]

I grew up a foster kid and received donated gifts every year what you're saying is exactly spot-on. Thank you!!!!

[@xxbabybatxx0067]

Several years ago when my dad passed away and we had no money all they did for christmas was give me a giant bike that I wouldn't be able to ride (i was 4) and nothing for my brother since he was 14 so my mom returned it and got the money and spent it on us plus church helping

[@user-wd8vk8kl7b]

I hate this mentality of "give people free stuff because they have kids" because it does inevitably lead to people intentionally having kids just to get the free stuff. I know because I was one of those kids. Honestly I've even had that dark thought myself and I don't even like kids.

[@HaleyMary]

I've seen some drug and grocery stores have those gift trees for seniors. The seniors can write what they would like on an ornament tag, put it on the tree and then people can pick an ornament tag and buy those gifts for the senior and the senior can then pick up the items at the stores. A lot of the items listed are like toiletries, slippers and sometimes more expensive stuff like electronics, make-up, kitchen appliances, etc. If people can't afford to buy angel tree gifts or gift for seniors, then it's best to choose not to participate.

[@rayshelld791]

You have to remember...a lot of us has gotten so burnt so many times on these donation deals. I'm just over it. If they have a box for donated new toys, Im all for it. Its not kids wants coloring books, or baby dolls, or a big fire engine trucks anymore.

[@OverlordZeroULTIMA]

Now they want Stanleys, Sephora makeup, and garbage that doesn't even sound like it's coming from a child's wishlist - more like the mother's... Hell, even Transformers got kinda lame over time - nowadays they're made for simpletons and it's a case of "pull the arms to each side to transform! AMAZING!!!". I like the knockoffs more; I've yet to see an official Transformer that could turn into a 3 headed dragon! As cool as my scorpion guy is, haha.

[@cheryltamelcoff2557]

One thing you can do is do it with a few friends so if there is stuff on there that may not be in your budget you can split the cost.

[@kassiedelong7983]

My library did an angel tree two years in a row and I took a kid off there and racked up my credit card 😅 I then realized I was in fact “the less fortunate” I need someone to donate to me. I just get such big feelings when I see the angel tree bc I just want those kids to have a good big Christmas like they deserve but I know I don’t have the money unless I put myself in more debt 😢😢😢

[@winterhusky404]

12:12 in addition to this, it should prob be mentioned that big retailers only put those there bc when customers donate through them the retailers can claim them as a donation for their tax write offs.

[@chibiarts9029]

The UKs approach to this is a lot better we just have toy collection bins people donate what toys they think a kid will like you can give as many or as few things as you can afford without pressure to buy spesific things and then vollenteers choose who gets what based on what they've collected and every child gets a gift regardless without having to hope someone "chose them"

[@DeemoandPuff]

there’s similar things/charities here in the US, this is just a more personal method i guess. i’ve only ever done the ones like you’ve described bc its easier

[@oliviar9808]

Ewww it's not 'donated' it's 'gifted' and you don't write on people's gifts

[@fernfaith]

oh! i donated to something similar, except i went to a different shop to buy them (also I'm based in the uk). it was for 50+ year old community users(?) - 2 books and a puzzle, because that's what 3 people asked for. i was the first person to donate as the cart was completely empty. it's good when it's *good* but with some of these influencers, it's terrible when it's *bad*. And i don't know anything about tax breaks especially considering i bought my gifts from another store, but that's incredibly shitty if stores are REALLY doing it for that.

[@celestedemure9800]

8:10 The percentage of the scams are actually so low. Most parents want to be able to give their child some thing. Do I know people that have taken donated stuff and sold it for crack, yes. But out of the majority of my peers that receive stuff like that they got the stuff because their parents wanted them to have it.

[@amandagiles1889]

My kids elementary school does an angel tree every year, this year they helped about 70 families in need with gifts for the kids 💜

[@yeeyeeyeeye]

I was an Angel Tree kid, and I don't like the idea of them filming themselves doing it, and I don't agree that it's still good if they're filming it because they're still helping kids. I always think about Mr Beast when I express my distaste of prople filming themselves doing charity, because that was his whole persona for a while before this year when it was revealed that he abused his employees, knowingly hired pdf.files, and faked/edited a lot of his charity videos. It's an extreme example, yes, but that was the exact excuse Mr Beast fans gave to people who criticized his content before his major controversies earlier this year. Now they don't say it because they know now that he didn't actually help poor people, but rather exploited them for his content. It's the same here: poor, low income, and homeless people are not content. Give them the same amount of respect and dignity you would give to everyone else.

[@trashfur1656]

good video! (sorry for asking, but i NEED that shark blanket in the background😭 its amazing, where did you get it?)

[@oliviar9808]

Doing it for views doesnt negate the fact that they are sponsoring christmas for a lot of families. The intentions might be gross, but the ends justify the means in this case. 🤷‍♀️ it's icky, but silver lining?? Adding that i commented this before you said they are buying cheap garbage instead of actual quality products. Thats gross. If you wouldn't give it to your child, why would you give it to another?

[@belindaslatter5111]

We do something similar in Australia kmart , but the only difference is that you donate and write what age group on the little card

[@OverlordZeroULTIMA]

I actually like this idea better! Considering how I've heard about Gen Alpha wanting freaking makeup and 5 0 USD Stanley cups at 10 years old and using socials that they shouldn't be (13+ PEOPLE!!), I don't believe anyone that's under a certain age should even HAVE makeup, unless it's plastic or something intended for said age group (so candy-flavored chapstick for a 10 year old? Sure. Drunk Elephant? HECK NO!). Then someone can buy something like that and put it for 17+ or something, and the proper age group would get it.

[@OverlordZeroULTIMA]

Do these people on TT even know how to breathe?! Three of them IN A ROW sound like the Chipmunks without the pitch! Holy hell, slow down, the world isn't ending anytime soon! Subtitles wouldn't even help translate them, lol. It feels like I'm trying to watch subbed anime and trying to figure out what word is being said in Japanese while I try to read in English. Though the sad thing about this - like any charity where things are anonymous - is that it could be easily taken advantage of by scummy people. Unless people check in on houses and actual locations to find the applicants, how many of these are from genuine poor folk or those truly in need? Especially since SalArmy is a controversy on their own, yeah.

[@Z0mbie_erik]

Cool eyeliner wish I could do that 😍

[@joselynbonyuet6003]

Good video but your audio is a bit too low

[@pennygivan2551]

The Salvation Army does some wonderful work in the area of reentry and substance abuse treatment. Please educate yourself before making a statement that they do bad things.

[@OverlordZeroULTIMA]

There could be some bad things they did though. While they may have some good programs, who's to say they don't have a share of controversy or have done bad things before? For all you know, they USED to do bad stuff, but since learned from those mistakes and had a turn around - which kudos to them for it!

[@yeeyeeyeeye]

There was a story of how SA locked out a homeless person and let them freeze to death on the streets because she was trans. They may do some good, but they intentionally refuse help to trans and LGBTQIA+ people, which goes against the idea of charity in the first place.

[@yeeyeeyeeye]

They kicked a person out from one of their shelters and left them to freeze to d*ath on the streets because she was trans. They may do some good, but they do a lot more bad in the name of charity.

[@vanillaicecream5924]

Good video

[@elChulachaki]

Stop playing with your bang, dear.