"Why Does This Cost Over 100,000 Won?"... Parents Hesitate While Shopping for Children's Year-End Gifts

Toy Prices Rise Amid "Ten Pocket" Trend
Popular Animation Toys Priced Around 100,000 Won

As Christmas approaches, more parents are feeling the burden of buying gifts for their children. Popular toys are priced around 100,000 won (approximately 77 dollars), so even purchasing just a few can become a significant financial strain. As a result, there is a growing trend of seeking cost-effective gifts at stores like Daiso, making the polarization of year-end consumer spending more pronounced.

Rising Parental Burden Due to Toy Prices

Catch! Tinyping Collaboration Product. Lloyd

Recently, a significant number of toys sold on major online platforms such as Naver Shopping have been found to be priced around 100,000 won. The Catch! Tinyping Princess Pact, a toy from the popular animation 'Princess Catch! Tinyping' (Catch! Tinyping), is being sold for 99,900 won. The Tinyping Princess House is available for 79,900 won, and another Tinyping Princess House is also priced at 79,900 won. In addition, the official price of the Pororo Talking Refrigerator is 200,000 won, and the Little Bus Tayo Smart Tayo Big Mat is 53,000 won.

The high prices of products targeting infants and children are driven by the 'Ten Pocket' trend, where not only parents but also grandparents and relatives open their wallets for a single child. Accordingly, companies are employing various strategies, such as forming higher price ranges and collaborating with popular children’s animations.

In fact, jewelry brand Lloyd reported that after collaborating with 'Catch! Tinyping,' sales of its 'Child Safety Necklace' for kids increased more than threefold from November 17 to December 11 compared to the same period last year. Lloyd launched four types of child safety necklaces featuring Catch! Tinyping characters on November 17, and some products sold out their initial stock within a day of release due to high demand. The necklaces are priced in the 100,000 won range.

Advent calendar sold at Daiso Mall. Daiso Mall.

However, not all parents are opting for expensive gifts. With inflation causing financial strain, some are choosing cost-effective Christmas presents at Daiso. In particular, many parents are preparing gifts using Daiso’s advent calendars. The advent calendar is a calendar where a gift is opened each day while waiting for Christmas. Parents are filling them with small packaged snacks such as jelly or chocolate to reduce costs. On Daiso Mall, it is easy to find reviews such as, "I filled it with snacks as a Christmas gift for my niece," "I bought it to put in the snacks my child wants," and "The kids absolutely love it."

Year-End Consumption Polarization Also Seen in the US..."A Christmas Without Gifts"

The polarization of year-end consumption is also evident overseas. According to US polling firm Gallup, Americans are expected to spend an average of 778 dollars (about 1.15 million won) on Christmas and other year-end gifts. This is 229 dollars (about 340,000 won) less than the estimate in October (1,007 dollars, about 1.49 million won).

By income level, households with an annual income of over 100,000 dollars are expected to spend an average of 1,230 dollars (about 1.82 million won) on year-end gifts. In contrast, households with an annual income below 50,000 dollars are expected to spend 384 dollars (about 570,000 won). Middle-class households are projected to spend an average of 842 dollars (about 1.24 million won).

Meanwhile, more parents are choosing a "Christmas without gifts." The US parenting media outlet Parents reported, "On social media, parents are sharing their experiences of a 'Christmas without gifts,'" and added, "As Christmas approaches, some parents are beginning to reconsider long-standing traditions."

The outlet stated, "A 'Christmas without gifts' is not a familiar sight, but for families facing significant year-end financial burdens, it can be an alternative." It continued, "Some people are choosing to spend their Christmas gift budget on more important things." The article also highlighted a recent story of a grandmother who, instead of buying Christmas gifts for her grandchildren, deposited money into a savings account she had set up for them in advance.