MIL calls today and asks me to shop

[sunnyday123]

My MIL does this every year- she acts like she doesn't know what to get my DD7, although she manages to shop for her 2 daughters' boys and one of their baby girl(3 months)- the boys are 9 and 3. It amazes me- she says well if your out and see something- get it and I'll pay you. I think it a son/daughter thing. We have stopped trying to understand years ago though. LOL

Are you me? Ok, maybe not since my DD is 12-but my 32 year old brother has never-are you sitting down?-bought clothes for himself!! EVER! My Mother buys him everything! She shops through the year for him and his kids. She called me yesterday to tell me she "has nothing" for my DD and doesn't know what to buy her. I suggested an inexspensive camera, scrapbooking Disney stuff, and a hoodie/clothes for Aeropostle. I also threw in that everything at Aero was 50-70% off.

Her reply? "I'm Done! She is too hard to shop for, I'm Done! Clothes are too hard to buy!" She then backtracked and started asking questions because I have made it very clear my DD comes first, and I have NO problem cutting ties. ( My brother and I got into a HUGE fight Thanksgiving and I told her I will be civil, but in no way will I speak to him)

I hate when people act like this when it comes to gift giving-it should be the thought that counts, and if you can't think enough to put the effort into it, don't bother.

 

[wdhinn89]

Wait...why are you rolling your eyes? It's a great idea! My grandparents used to take us all out to the Woolworths 5&10, gave us each $25 and turned us loose to shop. Back then I could buy a pair of jeans, a top, shoes and some makeup for $25! When we got all our stuff together, Granny would buy some pretty paper, sometimes even foil. You know, the good stuff. And stick-on bows! I mean, we were really living.

We'd bring our bags and boxes home and wrap everything up for ourselves. The only rule was No Matter What, You Can't Open Til Christmas Day. It would almost kill us to have to wait, knowing what we had under the tree. And you know the great thing about it? Everything fit, everything was the right color, right brand, EXACTLY what we wanted. Win-Win. Plus, Granny didn't have to wrap anything,we did it for her.

I never thought badly of my grandparents for doing this. It was a lot of fun because Grandaddy would take us to the little cafe and get us some pie and a coke, then start forking out money. THey so enjoyed watching us shop and it was a big deal in our family.

What a great memory!

 

[puffkin]

We haven't seen my inlaws since Thanksgiving. They live 1 mile away from us and MIL does not work (she is also 55 and in perfect health, so that isn't an issue). They called on Sunday to say they were running errands and could they stop by. Sure! We thought they wanted to visit with DS3 since during Christmas it is hard to spend quality time with him due to all the other demands of the holidays.

They walk in and hand me a check for $50. She said "You can either put that all in his fund or you can give me some stuff to wrap for him to open, but that is my limit. He is so hard to buy for". Don't forget, MY SON IS 3!!!!! He doesn't really need $50 worth of toys, but he should at least have SOMETHING to open on Christmas when his cousins are opening gifts. Luckily I had pulled a few things out of DS's pile to save for his birthday in March since I had gotten too much so I gave her $20 worth of stuff out of there (and will probably still put the full $50 in his fund). I would have had NO PROBLEM with this if she had told me at Thanksgiving or even a few weeks ago. But not 5 days before Christmas. And come on, it isn't rocket science to buy a 3 year old a gift. He would have been thrilled with some matchbox cars or something like that. I told DH they are on there own next year....and if DS has nothing under the tree to open at Christmas and his cousins do we are through with them.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Update:

For the past few days I've asked DS7 what he bought when he went shopping with his grandparents. He wouldn't tell me. He kept saying I wouldn't like it!

We opened gifts with inlaws last night. My DS picked out a Ripstix! He couldn't even stay on it when he was riding it on his belly. MIL saw how dangerous this was and said she is taking it back. I didn't have to say anything.

He also got 2 other gifts that Santa had brought. He's ok with having duplicates and those he'll keep.

MIL declared that she is shopping early next year.

 

[jx3smom]

After my mom passed away my dad would take my sister, sister in law and me out shopping for our whole family. He didn't really have a limit but wanted everyone to have some things from him that they really liked. It was fun. He would find somewhere to sit and we'd go off shopping, usually at sears and value city. Then at Christmas he gave everyone $l00.00 each. I really miss those shopping trips with him. He passed away last year on Dec. 5.