Gift from MIL

[jeepgirl30]

I get weird gifts from both my own mom and my MIL!

As a child i never got how santa could be such a great gift giver to all my friends but got me same strange stuff. One year for my bday my mom sent me a pair of used shoes. She likes to say she is thrifty but the woman is cheap! She is the queen of regifting and buying sale items to have a gift drawer and then just pulls something out. Could be a good strategy but when DD was 3 she got a box of silly shapped pasta, same year my mom gave my DH a box of um, male shapped pasta! Okay then.

MIL used to get me thoughtful gifts but over the last few years not so much. One year while i was pregnant we went to a candle party. She insisted i smell this melon candle. I said no because it makes me ill. She stuck it under my nose and it made me run to the bathroom sick! Guess what I got a month later for my christmas present? That darn melon candle.

I tell them both not to worry about getting me anything, just have fun shopping for the grandkids. I know they don't spend a lot on me but why spend any when its just junk?

 

[ShiPooOwner]

Well we had my DH's Christmas family party and guess what we got from his parents. 3 boxes of chocolates that EXPIRED 5 months ago. That is it. The other thing is that DH and I do not like chocolate. She told my DH that I would be proud of her because it was on sale. She knows that I only shop sales. I do love my sales, but I also check the date if it is food, guess she did not think to do that or maybe she did and thought that it would be ok. I just don't get some people

They would probably make a nice Valentine's Day gift for her!

 

[Dusti1960]

My MIL passed away this Jan but she always gave me the best gifts. I'm glad that 2 years before she passed she came to Disney World with my husband and my sons. We all had a great time and have great memories.

 

[hinodis]

I find this neither funny or entertaining. I usually do not get a gift from my MIL and if I do it is something very small and inexpensive, but no matter what it is, I will cherish it. It's not because she dislikes me. She had 15 children and as a result has about 70 grandkids. She is not wealthy. Christmas is not about the gift you get. It should be enough that you were thought of. If you feel the gift was an insult then ask yourself why the person giving the give thought of you that way.

 

[tinkntraining]

SIL and I have gotten cellulite cream and various hair removal products. MIL figured that since she enjoyed the product herself, she would get us the same thing. While I appreciate the thought, I wonder if she feels that I am a hairy woman with cellulite

Sorry to pick on you....there's just sooooo many funny ones here (yours just jumped out at me) If the tag fairy is reading.....I'm just sayin'

 

[pumpkinfish]

Since I do not have a MIL (she passed away when DH was 12) I'm not sure how I would feel in the shoes of those who have posted about their bad experiences...
I do know, however, that I would love to have tacky thoughtless gifts if it meant I did have a MIL. DH is 31 and still suffers from no longer having a mother . I don't want to be a downer or pick on anyone...just stating my wishes...We do receive a monetary gift from DH's dad and step-mom. It's always appreicated. And my mother has taken DH under her wing and treats him like he is of her own skin & flesh . But it just isn't the same as having his own mother alive and well again.

Now, as far as tacky gifts are concerned....my dear fashion-forward grandma gave me a pair of elastic waisted polyester pants for Christmas when I was 11!!! I laugh now but really thought she went loco. In my 29 yrs of existence I have only had to return 3 things she has bought me clothing wise (I really love shopping with her because we have the same taste!): 2 items didnt fit and the third were those green polyester pants .

 

[n2mm]

Some of these are too funny. (Made me LOL -- in the office).

My MIL informed me last year that she was cutting back and would no longer be giving my kids gifts -- only the grand kids who are blood related. (I've been married to her son almost 20 years and my kids call her grandma.) They were pretty hurt last year as we all gathered at her house at Christmas time and she handed out gifts to everyone but my kids. (BTW, it's not a money issue, as she is well off.)

 

[littlelulu33]

Copy from n2mm
My MIL informed me last year that she was cutting back and would no longer be giving my kids gifts -- only the grand kids who are blood related. (I've been married to her son almost 20 years and my kids call her grandma.) They were pretty hurt last year as we all gathered at her house at Christmas time and she handed out gifts to everyone but my kids. (BTW, it's not a money issue, as she is well off.)


That is so sad--the same one that gave us the chocolate decided that their grand kids that were over 14 were too old for gifts this year. I really wish that she would have gotten them something then getting us chocolate. I do not mean to be ungreatful for what they got us, but there is so much more to his family and their one favorite child there are 6 of them and two favorite grand kids of which they have 11 grand kids and 2 great grand kids. We are thankful that no one had a yelling match or a fight we were kind of expecting it this year. I did see several family members biting their lips not to say anything and they would say to me I am trying to be nice. They also did not get their new great grandson anything he is only 3 months. My DH and I bought for all the nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews under the age of 18, which was always the cut off in their family and for the one that got married this year we gave them a frame with a picture that we took at the wedding and something for their tree. I felt so good that all the younger kids had something to open.

 

[pixiewings71]

One year I got a broom and a copy of Wicked.

Plus some dessert scented bubble bath with a note: Thought you could bath in it instead of eating it.

Yuk!! How rude!!!!

My SIL once got from her MIL (her husband's mom) a can of Pizza flavored Pringles and told her that she thought she would like them. It was a huge insult to SIL as she was very overweight and depressed at the time. And one year my DH's aunt sent everyone in the extended family $25 movie theater gift certificates. Only problem was that they were for the theaters in her hometown and not good at anyone else's theaters! Everyone ended up sending them back to her and she sent back Walmart gift cards instead! Needless to say, she felt pretty silly

I, however, have the most wonderful MIL in the world. She gets me, my DH, and our two DDs annual passes to Disney every year. She is so great! Love her!

This is what we got this year from DBF's family! Much better than gifts we received in years past and soooooo appreciated!!!!!

Some of these are too funny. (Made me LOL -- in the office).

My MIL informed me last year that she was cutting back and would no longer be giving my kids gifts -- only the grand kids who are blood related. (I've been married to her son almost 20 years and my kids call her grandma.) They were pretty hurt last year as we all gathered at her house at Christmas time and she handed out gifts to everyone but my kids. (BTW, it's not a money issue, as she is well off.)

OK, that would make me livid......I would not go to her house at Christmas anymore.

And while it may not be the quality of the gift it's definitely nice to know you were considered while shopping and they didn't just grab whatever they could find or was cheap.

OP, I'm cracking up at the person who suggested giving it back to her for Valentine's Day..LOL But you better not, she would probably eat it without checking the date herself. LOL Sorry you got such a cruddy gift.

 

[pnutmnm]

Wow...I guess that I have the best MIL in the world! She could not stand to be outdone by anyone. This year she is buying us a freezer for the basement. Our housewarming gift was all the appliances for the house (fridge, microwave, washer & dryer).

 

[secretpantssam]

Holy cow, these are some crappy gifts!

 

[XYSRUS]

We always get the "free with purchase" gifts. They buy something neat and we get the extra junk that comes with it. Also they gets clothes for my 41 yo husband, their son, that borders on the cross-dressing.. I swear she wanted a daughter. And she's doing it with my kids-I have all boys and she buys these clothes that are for girls-they're not pink but geesh. I just shake my head. Oh and once she got my son a jersey from a thrift shop and the thing smelled so bad, i couldn't wash the stench out! How she could NOT smell it when she bought it!

 

[cheshireqt]

For those of you with great MILs be very happy and very grateful. Luckily you will never understand how hurtful a MIL can be and how much a manipulative one can and will interfere in your marriage, if you let them. Usually the thought behind the crap gift is to insult or put down. For instance for my birthday I got a Newlyweds Decorating book. background is important here: I have been married for 16 plus years (to my MILs chagrin) and have a very nicely decorated home. In fact MIL has made nasty comments about the $ we have spent making our house so. Anywho, the sticker attached shows that this book was a freebie from her book club. This would have still been fine with me BUT the card that came with explains all. "Just got finished decorating my new house, it is really lovely and turned out well. We spared no expense. I know you need some inspiration to make your house nice, enjoy." Luckily at this point I just call my SIL and tell her what "HER" MIL gave me, we scream with laughter over it and I no longer let things like this hurt me because I know that it comes from a deep seated sense of insecurity, feelings of inferiority and most of all jealousy. I am enjoying reading the posts! It is nice to know that there are kindred spirits out there.

 

[jobhunter]

One year MIL got me one plain white towel.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Wow. I have been so lucky...my MIL could not have been nicer, but she also did not interfere. She threw me a wedding shower from 500 miles away, and shipped all the gifts to us. She even made my maternity wardrobe. We were stunned when she unexpectedly passed away when ds10 was 1.

Reading these posts makes me even more determined to be a good MIL when the time comes. I'm also going to figure out how to be a good boyfriend's mom, but I'm clueless on that one. Hopefully I have a few year's to figure that out!

 

[PatriciaH]

If you feel the gift was an insult then ask yourself why the person giving the give thought of you that way.

Because they are mental? You do not give some of the gifts/notes I read in this thread without being off kilter.

I get along with my mother in law. She has always looked out for me. My mothers mother in law was a witch to her. I was so glad that I got along with my in laws after hearing some of her stories!

 

[janni518]

I think I need to call my MIL and tell her how much I love her. Last year she gave me a beautiful Dooney and Bourke handbag.

Now my own mother...she gives weird stuff. Last year she gave my dh a Farmers Almanac and some fleece pj pants with huge monkey heads on them. My sisters and I have the best time comparing and having a laugh. She means well, poor dear.

 

[Ennazus8810]

My MIL is fine, it is usually giftcards. My FIL is a totally different story. (They divorced when DH was 8). One year DH got a dragon mirror and 3 dragon bookends. He has never expressed an interest in dragons, so and we don't have knick knacks sitting around our house. I hate them. We got a call 2 days from FIL as he was on his way to an auction in the hillbilly town that he used to live in. We are scared, and dreading Christmas. I always make my husband open our joint gifts, I am too afraid!

 

[fakereadhed]

Luckily at this point I just call my SIL and tell her what "HER" MIL gave me, we scream with laughter over it and I no longer let things like this hurt me because I know that it comes from a deep seated sense of insecurity, feelings of inferiority and most of all jealousy.

Amen, sister!

 

[Darsa]

Wow... I thought my gift from my MIL one year of a paper shredder was strange, but it doesn't really hold a candle to some of these!

My DH tells me on a very regular basis how grateful he is to have parents-in-law as awesome as his