Dear MIL...

[Mizzoufan]

Dear MIL, I know you mean well. So it's all good.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Dear MIL - please stop shopping for the kids at the Dollar Store. Sorry but I absolutely HATE, DETEST Dollar Store junk. This includes food and nonfood items. The candy you buy from the Dollar Store goes straight into the garbage.

BTW - nothing at all against the dollar store, I too go there for a few specific items but not for gifts.

Amen!!

 

[Hisgirl]

Dear MIL,
Year after year after YEAR you had those HUGE things of fake cheese and potted meat and gawd knows what else, sent to the house. It literally covered the whole table. I can honestly say I never ate one single thing. My husband, your son, felt guilty and would open a pack of summer sausage and have it on a cracker. The rest got thrown out or given away.

However, the fact you took your small funds that you had, and bought us a gift, was gift enough. You could have sent us a box of old magazines and we would have felt loved, thought of, and cared for by you.

We knew that you just didn't know what to get us. In your eyes, we had everything...houses, cars, a safe and sober life. So different than what you experienced and were experiencing at that time. I knew you didn't have one spare dollar, but you took what you did have, and you chose something, just something to send to your beloved child, a man now....because you just wanted to give him something.

You couldn't cook for him anymore, or darn his socks or clean the ducks he brought home for food....all of that was gone, just a memory now. So you sent us a gift, a big gift, Maybe you chose a huge box with multiple food items because it looks like lots of presents. It was like you were sending us a whole parcel of gifts! That part made us smile. Bless your dear heart.

We don't get those big boxes of cheap fake cheese and summer sausage anymore, because cancer and alcoholism ate your body up and now you are no more, except in the smiles of your grandchildren and in our memories. I appreciate every single sacrifice you made and every tacky gift you sent. Because you loved us and just wanted to give us something. Anything. And that was more than enough.

** These types of threads break my heart. The last thing I want is my son's wife or my daughter's husband complaining about my pathetic attempts to give them a gift. Honor and respect are beautiful gifts to give. I hope and pray both will be exchanged in my family for years to come. **

 

[tcufrog]

Dear MIL,

Please stay in India during Thanksgiving and Christmas where you belong. You hate cold weather and complain about the gifts you get because you just want cold, hard cash. Don't think I've forgotten about your turkey tantrum the one time you were here for Thanksgiving. You're the one who wanted to stay to see how Thanksgiving is celebrated. We warned you that a whole cooked turkey was part of it. We're not going to eliminate that from the dinner because you're vegetarian. It's not like Thanksgiving is your holiday anyways.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Dear Step MIL,

Stop asking me if I'm sure I'm not having twins. It wasn't funny the first three times you asked me and it sure as heck wasn't funny this last time. It's my third pregnancy in four years--of course my belly is big!

 

[BigAlsGal]

Dear MIL,
Year after year after YEAR you had those tacky, HUGE things of fake cheese and potted meat and gawd knows what else sent to the house. It literally covered the whole table. I can honestly say I never ate one single thing. My husband, your son, felt guilty and would open a pack of summer sausage and have it on a cracker. The rest got thrown out.

However, the fact you took your small funds that you had, and bought us a gift, was gift enough. You could have sent us a box of old magazines and we would have felt loved, thought of, and cared for by you.

We knew that you just didn't know what to get us. In your eyes, we had everything...houses, cars, a safe and sober life. So different than what you experienced and were experiencing at that time. I knew you didn't have one spare dollar, but you took what you did have, and you chose something, just something to send to your beloved child, a man now....because you just wanted to give him something.

You couldn't cook for him anymore, or darn his socks or clean the ducks he brought home for food....all of that was gone, just a memory now. So you sent us a gift, a big gift, Maybe you chose a huge box with multiple food items because it looks like lots of presents. It was like you were sending us a whole parcel of gifts! That part made us smile. Bless your dear heart.

We don't get those big tacky boxes of cheap fake cheese and summer sausage anymore, because cancer ate your body up and now you are no more, except in the smiles of your grandchildren and in our memories. I appreciate every single sacrifice you made and every tacky gift you sent. Because you loved us and just wanted to give us something. Anything. And that was more than enough.

** These types of threads break my heart. The last thing I want is my son's wife or my daughter's husband complaining about my pathetic attempts to give them a gift. Honor and respect are beautiful gifts to give. I hope and pray both will be exchanged in my family for years to come. **

Taking it a little too hard. This is a harmless vent meant to amuse. I'm sure none of us would hurt the feelings of our MiLs. It's all in fun.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Dear MIL,
I wish you were still here for me to complain about.

I wish i had my mom, at least I would have someone to share with.

 

[MSLRAC]

** These types of threads break my heart. The last thing I want is my son's wife or my daughter's husband complaining about my pathetic attempts to give them a gift. Honor and respect are beautiful gifts to give. I hope and pray both will be exchanged in my family for years to come. **

Honor and respect are a two way street. My MIL is dead and she did not honor, respect, or love herself, her husband, her sons, their wives, or their children. She was a raging alcoholic that thought only of herself. Her go to gift was gift cards with no money on them and her parting gift to me was she stole my identity and racked up a huge amount of debt in my name right before she died. So threads like these don't bother me in the least and I certainly don't judge those that need to vent or chose to joke during the holidays because life and MIL's aren't always 80's sitcom perfect.

 

[disneychrista]

No MIL but I have an work-friend who insists to get me gifts when I continually tell him I don't want anything. Every time he insists I tell him what I want and every time I have to tell him that I don't like "stuff" and don't want anything. Just wish he would take NO for an answer.

 

[ronandannette]

Dear MIL, I know you mean well. So it's all good.

Dear MIL,
Year after year after YEAR you had those tacky, HUGE things of fake cheese and potted meat and gawd knows what else sent to the house. It literally covered the whole table. I can honestly say I never ate one single thing. My husband, your son, felt guilty and would open a pack of summer sausage and have it on a cracker. The rest got thrown out.

However, the fact you took your small funds that you had, and bought us a gift, was gift enough. You could have sent us a box of old magazines and we would have felt loved, thought of, and cared for by you.

We knew that you just didn't know what to get us. In your eyes, we had everything...houses, cars, a safe and sober life. So different than what you experienced and were experiencing at that time. I knew you didn't have one spare dollar, but you took what you did have, and you chose something, just something to send to your beloved child, a man now....because you just wanted to give him something.

You couldn't cook for him anymore, or darn his socks or clean the ducks he brought home for food....all of that was gone, just a memory now. So you sent us a gift, a big gift, Maybe you chose a huge box with multiple food items because it looks like lots of presents. It was like you were sending us a whole parcel of gifts! That part made us smile. Bless your dear heart.

We don't get those big tacky boxes of cheap fake cheese and summer sausage anymore, because cancer ate your body up and now you are no more, except in the smiles of your grandchildren and in our memories. I appreciate every single sacrifice you made and every tacky gift you sent. Because you loved us and just wanted to give us something. Anything. And that was more than enough.

** These types of threads break my heart. The last thing I want is my son's wife or my daughter's husband complaining about my pathetic attempts to give them a gift. Honor and respect are beautiful gifts to give. I hope and pray both will be exchanged in my family for years to come. **

I'd like these posts more than once if I could. Not because I had a great MIL; I didn't and my heart still hurts a little for my DH and DS because of her. But I absolutely agree with the generous sentiments, as well as having sympathy for those who have mentioned having really toxic individuals in their lives. That's pretty different than getting a cheap, plastic toy for your kid or having to say no to socks more than once.

 

[DisneyOma]

My MIL is fine, but my husbands....sheesh!

How many husbands do you have?

dear MIL did you have an affair with satin years ago

Must have been shiny...

 

[ConnecticutFlea]

My MIL moved from CT to California. One year I came home from work to find a huge gift basket of cheese and crackers on the porch. It had been shipped from California. I brought it in, opened it, and started eating. Since I love cheese, I thought it was one of the best gifts she ever sent.

Later I got around to reading the attached card. It wasn't from her. Then I realized it was delivered to the wrong address......whoops!

 

[sam_gordon]

Stop asking me if my husband needs socks and underwear for Christmas! If he needs it he will buy it himself... he's 37 for crying out loud.

Please add your own... doesn't have to be Christmas could be anyone.

Couldn't you say the bolded about any gift, from anyone?

 

[aprilgail]

Taking it a little too hard. This is a harmless vent meant to amuse. I'm sure none of us would hurt the feelings of our MiLs. It's all in fun.

I don't see the "fun" in it and I wonder how fun people will think it is when their sons marry a woman and she feels this way about them.

 

[Marchand63]

Dear MIL,
I wish you were still here for me to complain about.

We know we are on borrowed time with the remaining in-laws so we never complain to them or about them. I know she means well.

I don't see the "fun" in it and I wonder how fun people will think it is when their sons marry a woman and she feels this way about them.

Well if my DIL/MIL/FIL or any in-laws read here I would agree but people are allowed to vent. Better here than to the person & create bad feelings IRL. BTW I am sure my DIL has said things about me at times - MEH, we are all human. I know she loves me & I think my DS got darn lucky.

I am sure you have never said a bad word about anyone, anywhere at anytime - GEESH!!! Lighten up.

 

[Diaz]

I'm a MIL. I try really hard. I hope none of my gifts are laughed at. The best thing ever is that my smart DIL created an Amazon wish list. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

 

[Princess Mulan]

My MIL moved from CT to California. One year I came home from work to find a huge gift basket of cheese and crackers on the porch. It had been shipped from California. I brought it in, opened it, and started eating. Since I love cheese, I thought it was one of the best gifts she ever sent.

Later I got around to reading the attached card. It wasn't from her. Then I realized it was delivered to the wrong address......whoops!

 

[BigAlsGal]

I don't see the "fun" in it and I wonder how fun people will think it is when their sons marry a woman and she feels this way about them.

Mother -In-Law
Ernie K-Doe
Lyrics
Mother-in-law (mother-in law), mother-in-law (mother-in-law)
The worst person I know, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She worries me so, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
If she leaves us alone, we would have a happy home
Sent from down below
(Mother-in-law) mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
Sin should be her name, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
To me, they're about the same, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Every time I open my mouth, she steps in, tries to put me out
How could she stoop so low?
(Mother-in-law), mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
I come home with my pay, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She asks me what I make, mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She thinks her advice is a contribution
But if she will leave that will be a solution
And don't come back no more
(Mother-in-law), mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
Mother in law, mother in law, oh
Songwriters: Allen Toussaint

Actually I expect it. There's been songs written about it. I'm pretty sure my feelings will be fine.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Dear MIL, I know you mean well. So it's all good.

Dear God let me get a decent DIL one day.

 

[mommytoe]

Dear MIL,
I wish you were still here for me to complain about.

I agree. This Christmas is hard. It is the first one after MIL died last January. Our traditions are all changing this year with out her.