Holiday Preparation Posted On
As the holiday season draws near, many people are scurrying about trying to come up with holiday gift ideas. For those who give cards, or stuff stockings, sometimes it seems easy, and harmless, to throw in a scratch-off, but “harmless” is certainly not the case.
Concerning youth, 17 years and younger, offering scratch-offs could lead to a future of addictions. Approximately 68% of youth age 14-21 have gambled in the past year, and 6.5% of them are at at-risk or problem gamblers. Underage gambling places our youth at risk to struggle with nicotine, alcohol and other substance abuse disorders.
The holiday season is a time for family and loved ones to come together and celebrate in a positive atmosphere. We are confident that people aren’t trying to hurt their children with gifts, but we strongly urge you to come up with other inexpensive gift ideas for our youth. If you’re struggling to come up with inexpensive gift ideas you can certainly frequent the sale/clearance section of most stores. If you’re looking for specific ideas, here are some:
- Family Photo in a frame
- Small Books
- Art Supplies
- Snack food
- Gift Cards
These are just a few ideas for inexpensive gifts to take the place of purchasing scratch offs for our youth. For more ideas, simply go online and type in ideas, such as “inexpensive holiday gift ideas,” and you’ll find an endless supply of gift ideas to help you. We hope you enjoy preparing for the holidays and continue to make healthy choices for our youth.
