Ruined Christmas Surprises

[MomToOne]

My dad is the most impossible person to buy for. I found the perfect gift for him on QVC a week or so ago. It was to be delievered today. He came home early from work sick today. Instead of being in the generic QVC box it's just in the product box with a huge picture of what it is on the front and he had brought it in the the house by the time I got home. WT^&$ERG@#!!! I mean I get that cutting down on packaging lowers costs and saves the environment, but I recycle anyways. Grr. He's a sneaky snooper already, and I had a stack of boxes stashed to Russian Doll style pack it in, and now it's just like "meh. whatever".

I like that Amazon sometimes lets you know if something ships by default in it's product box and gives you a chance to say you want it put inside an Amazon box instead. I wish more companies would do that. A lot of times I am fine with things shipping in their product boxes, but every now and then I need them not to.

But of course, Amazon also shipped me a box of Swiffer Duster refills in the flimsy thin product box, without an outer box. Just slapped a mailing label on it. By the time it got to me, the USPS had had to tape the heck out of it to keep it from falling apart. I don't understand Amazon's thought process on that one

 

[smiths02]

I'm sorry the surprise got ruined. It sounds like your children are past the Santa age, so as long as it's not ruining a Santa gift, I'd say just tell him it was a Christmas present he got early. Someone who can use a motorcycle and a phone can understand having fewer presents under the tree.

My DH doesn't make mistakes like that, but he gets really excited to give people stuff (and to get himself stuff), so he can NEVER wait for the actual day to give it to them. It drives me insane. Luckily, I still shop for the kids, but he'll do stuff like get his dad some $200 gizmo at the early November, and I'm going crazy why he didn't wait until Christmas/birthday (early January).
He also does that to me for my gifts...it drives me crazy, I'm really about the actual day (birthday, Mother's Day, Christmas, whatever)
I'm learning to get over it. I guess DH just loves to give gifts.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I know it is harder as they get older or if ppl in your house don't get it.

All I know is that MrsRustyScupper told me to hold my Christmas present TIGHTLY in my hands and I will be a diamond in 10,000-15,000 years.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Most of you who think this is no big deal seem to celebrate Christmas and gift giving differently than the OP. It IS a big deal to the OP, and I understand why (perhaps it's easier for me to understand since it seems like we gift-give in a similar manner).

OP, I think I'd give maybe a few little things to wrap (I know you said budget was expended, but can you afford $25 or so?), like a starbucks (or Wendys, etc) $5 gift card, a couple of different colored bandanas (if he's into that sort of thing - my 22 year old uses them for hiking), a card or dice game (Farkle is fun), etc.

 

[here757]

Just posted before I head to work because I am so still so mad. Preface: every year it seems like someone opens a package from the mail or goes snooping for presents. This year I made it VERY clear to everyone not to open any packages and put all packages in my room when they arrive.

Black Friday I saw the Google Pixel phone on sale. DS2 is eligible for an upgrade and has cracks in phone. Talked to dH and we agree to get him this phone FOR CHRISTMAS. I ordered it, followed the tracking but Fed-Ex didn't arrive before I had to take DD to cheer. Called DS3 when he got home from school and he confirmed the package arrived and put it on my bedroom dresser. I asked who the package was from and DS3 says Fed-ex. I say no silly, what company? He says he doesn't know. So I was laughing about that with DH and certain it was the phone. When DH gets home from work he confirms it's DS2 phone. Okay no problem. I am wrapping things as they come in and DS3 already put the phone in my bedroom where DS2 never goes.

I walk in from cheer practice and DS2 is in the kitchen programming the phone!!!!! I was like... how the freak did he get the phone? He says dad gave it to him. I ask my DH and he says "well didn't you order the phone because his phone has cracks in it?" I said YES, but it was suppose to be a CHRISTMAS GIFT which means you DON'T GIVE IT TO HIM UNTIL CHRISTMAS! DH was just like "sorry, I didn't know you didn't want me to give it to him." REALLY, I AM FUMING AT THIS POINT! How many times have I told EVERYONE in this house NOT to open any packages and put them up. Why the heck would I order a phone on Black Friday when I was ordering all the other Christmas presents to give to him right away. DH says, well you said it was on sale, so I thought you ordered it for him because it was on sale, I didn't know you wanted it to be a Christmas present.

So it's hard enough to buy for DS2. I just paid for his motorcycle tow and new tire and told him that was part of his Christmas. He wants motorcycle wind pants I planned on buying but giving to him to use once his bike is repaired because he needs them in the morning as he drives to work at 5AM when it's cold. I had nothing else on my list to give to him!!!! And I am already over budget on presents.

Ugh.... I am still fuming. Why does every year something I order, someone ruins. DH is the worst. I can be talking to him about a birthday surprise gift for my daughter and said I am thinking about getting "A" or "B", which one do you think I should get. He answers but later that night driving to cheer he asks her "mom was looking at A or B, which one do you want?" She comes home and says she prefers "A". I was so mad because I wanted to surprise her, not give her a choice. He was like "oh I didn't know" then too.

I swear at this freaking point I need a PO Box and storage container and to just not involve DH at all.

Off to work.

Seems that when I take my girls to cheer things go sideways at my house too..
lol perhaps it's a Cheer curse?

 

[tarheel618]

I feel your pain OP. Bought my husband a fitbit charge 2 yesterday and my DD put it in my bedroom on the bed for me to hide and I forgot about it while putting away groceries. Hubby came home and found it. We don't do many gifts between each other- so this was his big gift No surprises for him Christmas morning.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I would be upset at the DH because it seems that you made it very clear to him that the phone was for Christmas. As for your son, I agree with others. He is not a little kid, but an adult and should be fine with realizing that this was his gift. If you just want him to have something to open on Christmas morning with everyone else, then I would write him a letter. A heartfelt note would be a nice compliment to all of the great gifts that he had already received.

I like this idea much better than wrapping and giving an empty box. I think that's mean. As if to say, "Here's a gift. Not!!!"

 

[a742246]

In both cases I don't think your husband was intentionally trying to ruin your plans. This boils down to communication problems caused by vast differences in how males and females communicate. Men don't read between the lines the way women do. Here is an example: Let's say you are on a long drive with your husband and you start to feel hungry and you remember a restaurant up ahead a couple of miles. So, you might say " I'm getting a little hungry. I think Yummy Burger is just ahead." A couple miles further your husband drives right past Yummy Burger. You get angry and start yelling at him. He says, " Why didn't you tell me to stop?". In your mind you think you did, but actually, you never did say those exact words. So, what I'm trying to get at is that it is better to communicate in exact words instead of leaving anything to be figured out or left "between the lines". Save that kind of chatting for you and your female friends. You'll notice things going a lot smoother in your relationship with your husband once he doesn't have to try to translate female speak into his male mind.

I love this, this explains everything in my life!