WIY posted “If someone wealthy enough to afford it buys it Lishmah for the sake of Chavivus Hamitzva, to beautify the Mitzvas Aseh of Kiddush (Friday night and Mitzvah Drobbanan by day) and to show his wife and children what money is really given to a Jew for, then not only is it not materialism it is a big mitzvah and beautiful Chinuchand he gets a lot of Schar for it.”
There are many other ways to be mechanueh children to show what money is really given for. I don’t think people are jealous in what you accuse them of having such things. Most people don’t need such things and are quite content with their becher, be it brass, or ceramic. I think the real issue is that it bothers people who really value what money can do and help out. There are more important priorites in life. Like helping a needy bride, helping people have operations to be able to live… You can educate a child by showing him instead of spending on luxuries. Show the children you are writing a check to so and so’s tzedekah.
Trust me, I am not jealous. I live by the adage, “the more one has, the more one has to worry about” I don’t want such things.