Anau Fangupo says she has $200 a week for groceries for her family of five. Photo / RNZ, Marika Khabazi
By Amy Williams of RNZ
An Auckland mother of three says it makes her sad to see her children accepting there could be no presents this Christmas.
Anau Fangupo’s two teenagers have come to understand their parents cannot afford gifts – but her 12-year-old still hopes for a surprise.
“This year they’re not asking for a present, I think they understand. Only my little one, I try my best to get him the present that we can afford.”
Their Christmas tree goes up the week before the celebrated day but no gifts are placed underneath.
“I only put it there so the kids see it’s a Christmas tree because sometimes we have a present, sometimes don’t have a present for the kids.”
Social services are warning this would be a tough Christmas for many families already struggling to put food on the table.
Variety’s survey of households linked to the charity shows nine out of 10 would be unable to put on a Christmas spread and buy gifts for their children.
Others, including the Salvation Army, warn demand for support is on track to outstrip last year as rising unemployment and the cost of living widen financial hardship.
Fangupo’s husband works, they live in a state house in Auckland and their three children are sponsored by Variety.
She budgets $200 a week for groceries and, with budding sportsmen in the family, her kids fill up on noodles and bread.
“In my plan for Christmas this year, whatever we have, that’s our Christmas. We go to church then come home and if there’s chicken and noodles we’ll have that for Christmas.”
Fangupo said it is hard not to be able to buy her children presents but she is teaching her children to be humble.
Variety’s recent survey of caregivers receiving support or on the wait list found more than 89% of caregivers would struggle to feed their children at Christmas, while even more – 92% – wouldn’t be able to buy presents.
Its chief executive Susan Glasgow said rising unemployment and the increased cost of food, power and rent was creating further hardship.
“It’s definitely harder for caregivers this year in comparison to last year and I think that’s simply because the economic climate is so much worse. Power’s more expensive, food’s more expensive, rent’s more expensive so where caregivers are making really tough choices, food or rent, they’re choosing to keep a roof over their child’s head.”
Variety aims to raise $500,000 in its Christmas appeal to be able to give children on the waitlist for sponsorship a gift voucher.
“Children who are living in households where they experience daily poverty, they know not to ask their parents for the things they need,” Glasgow said.
“More often than not, what we receive are letters from older siblings asking for a gift on behalf of their younger sibling. The older ones can deal with their lack of toys or lack of food but they know that the younger ones don’t often know why they’re not receiving something from Father Christmas.”
She said for many struggling families, Christmas became a time of dread and humiliation.
“If you can’t afford to give your kids a lovely Christmas Day meal or a gift, then this time of year can be unbearable for parents.
“There’s also the pressure of providing enough food for their kids during the school holidays, when their appetites are strong and they’re always hungry. Nearly all our caregivers say they won’t be able to feed their kids adequately because of cost, which should be of great concern to New Zealanders.”
The Salvation Army provided Christmas support to 3700 households last November and December.
Its corps officer in Newtown, Andrew Wilson, said just a few weeks into this month they had almost reached that number, helping 3400 households, with no sign that demand would slow down.
“We’re expecting that this Christmas we’re going to be needing to support more families than we did last year.
“Our big concern this year is that the level of demand that we’re seeing outpaces that which we can meet under our own steam so we really rely on the support and generosity of our communities right across the country to support us at this time of year.”
Wilson said households needed basics and their foodbanks had been under pressure all year.
“Quite often at the end of the week you’ll go into our food banks and see shelf after shelf bare because of how great the need has been and so especially coming into the Christmas time where that demand increases for a range of reasons, this is the time of year that we really rely on our community to get behind us.”
The Salvation Army has launched its Christmas appeal and also welcomed donated gifts and food at its churches.
“We know it’s been a hard year. We’ve been fighting for support, whether it’s homelessness or the rising cost of living, so we know Kiwis across the country are doing it really tough.”