MODERN FAMILY
CHRISTMAS is still six weeks away, but the first seasonal spoiler has already come up.
It actually all started last month when I tried my best to cheer up two distraught Wales football fans.
They had just watched their team miss out on a place at the next World Cup and were so upset I promised them a new kit each for Christmas. It did the trick of cheering them up enough to put the smiles back on their faces, and to admit it would be even better with their names on the back.
More promises from their naive mum, who agreed what a good idea that would be.
Why didn’t I remember our holiday to Spain and the visit to Barcelona’s Nou Camp when making such outlandish offers?
It was a wonderful trip learning about the club’s colourful history.
A fantastic day out until it was time to leave. Despite trying different routes, we quickly realised the only way out was through the three-storey, yes, threestorey, club shop that spiralled round and round like a Willy Wonka factory of burgundy and blue.
I urged my husband to walk the children straight out without looking left or right, but within moments they had scattered in different directions and the holiday budget had been blown quicker than you could say “Lionel Messi” – and we only had two items.
But this episode wasn’t enough to teach me the lesson that needed to be learned about football merchandise.
It comes as no suprise that two of the biggest sporting goods manufacturers had a combined football-related income of 4.2 billion dollars.
When I read that the new Wales kit had been unveiled this week I was pleased that I might be able to be organised in time this year.
A quick glance at this brand-new offering left me asking the question, “How is it different from the last one?”
Apparently, it is not a huge departure from the current design, with only some subtle changes to the collar and the placement of stripes, but those small changes are going to cost you.
You can’t find a cost for the full kit on the website, but when I added the individual pieces together the Christmas punch had to be opened early – it is going to set me back nearly £100 for just one!
A junior top is just £5 less than the adult one that costs £60, shorts cost £27 and it is £12 for socks – the full kit is going to set parents back a whopping £94!
All is not lost as I did get a text message from the main retailer to say that I would get a “free flag” with the kit, to go with all the other flags we have in the attic.
I would prefer it if they had said, “Don’t worry, we are going to make it a lot more affordable for parents and take some money off”.
Maybe it is time for parents to rebel.