Not to be a downer on this special day, but...

[GameMaster]

I don't think their's anything wrong with the punishment. Aside from the fact that the kids have completley dismissed the real meaning of Christmas and what it's all about, they also lied to their parents by telling them they would stop fighting. Then the next day the kids started fighting again. The father told them what the consequences of their behavior would lead too and the kids blew off his warning. I think it's very deserving. Although if I were the father, I would've just relocated the tree to my room so my wife and I could still celebrate. The parents shouldn't have to lose their celebration. I hope the kids' classmates all find out and tease them. The father deserves +rep for following through with his plan. Most parents aren't so bold.

[quiet mike]

Punishment is a show of love. If you trully love somone you must sometimes punish them. And this kinds of punioshments are best seen on long term. Now the kids know that behavior is important in family. Also I don't think that a christmas tree took away the selebrations. I have never had a christmas tree at home and I bet I celebrated as much if not more than most here.
Good for the parents. They choose a punishment that can make the children change into better, and then, they could comeback after a little time if they improve and give them the gifts as a apreciation of their change. This way the children not only change so they don't get punished, but are incouraged to be like that always so they can be apreciated.

[Swan]

Wow, the winning bid was $5,300.00

That's alot, oh well. Poor kids, no christmas for them.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by deejzguy

That's alot, oh well. Poor kids, no christmas for them.

They can just pretend they were Jewish for a year.

[Jason1]

5000 Dollars for a Nintendo DS? Are you kidding? Wow...unbelievable...

[Blackmane]

That might have been someone running up the bid way high so it wasn't bought by a real person. Maybe the father is taking it back....

And, yea, true love includes punishments, or else you would never learn when you do something bad. They needed to learn that their are consequences to their actions.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Jason1

5000 Dollars for a Nintendo DS? Are you kidding? Wow...unbelievable...

Well, technically it was for three.