Jade Warshaw, financial coach and media personality from “The Ramsey Show,” is under fire for comments she made during a recent Fox News segment, where she urged viewers to trim their holiday shopping lists by skipping gifts for adults.
“Budget, budget, budget. You need a plan,” Warshaw said on the network’s “America’s Newsroom.” “Remember, adults don’t need gifts, OK? Focus on the people in your life who are age three to 18. Grandma doesn't need slippers. If they don't live by you, don't get them a gift. Now is not the time to spend and break the bank sending packages across the country.”
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Viewers Split Over Harsh Holiday Advice
The clip, which quickly circulated online, sparked intense debate. Critics slammed the suggestion as tone-deaf, especially given the sentimental value of gifting older family members during the holidays.
“So… going from 30 dolls to two or three wasn't enough of a cost savings?” One X user wrote. “NOW, in Trump's economy, Grandma, who cooked for you, sent you $2 bills for your birthday, traveled hundreds/thousands of miles for your graduation… DOES NOT GET A GIFT?!”
The reference to “30 dolls” comes from an earlier comment made by President Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting in April, when he said that due to inflation and tariffs, children might get fewer toys, saying, “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls.”
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The backlash was amplified by political influencers like Harry Sisson, who posted on X, “Fox News is now telling people to save and not buy Christmas gifts for loved ones because Trump is doing such a good job. ‘Remember, adults don’t need gifts… Grandma doesn’t need slippers.’ Trump’s economy sucks and they know it.”
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Warshaw’s comments are grounded in financial reality. With inflation, rising debt, massive layoffs and a shaky consumer outlook, many families are being forced to rethink traditional spending. “I am hearing firsthand. Yes, the price of housing, rent, mortgages—they're a problem,” Warshaw said during the segment.
Surveys back that up. A recent LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) poll found 68% of U.S. consumers said rising prices would affect how they spend this Black Friday. Nearly 40% plan to spend less this year.
Still, for many, Warshaw's advice struck a nerve. For some, holiday gift-giving is about more than just money; it’s about love and tradition.
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