Thoughtless Gift?

[musicmama]

My sisters threw me a baby shower for DD (now 15). We knew that it was to be a daughter, and sisters made that very clear on the shower invitation. Received a box from DHs "favorite" cousin's wife and her MIL (DH's aunt) with -- you guessed it, BOY outfits. Sent a polite note and gave them away.

My SIL is the absolute worst for Christmas gifts. We've always given good gifts to our siblings and she never ever reciprocates. So, a few years ago, my 2 sisters and I decided that we'd had enough cheap bath baskets and dollar store candles and would give her a similar type gift for a change. My mother told DBro that we were upset and he told her that we were all getting better gifts that year - much much better gifts. Supposedly gift cards to Bath & Body for us and restaurants for guys. So we all changed our gifts - mine was a DVD player for each couple. Comes Christmas morning, we're all exchanging and SIL hands out 3 small gift bags with - nope, not gift cards, obviously cheap little fishbowls with potpourri and a light string (only 1 of the strings worked and the potpourri smelled awful). We were all speechless and my mother never said another word about it. I think she was embarrassed that we'd so obviously gotten screwed. Since then, they get a joint restaurant gift card and we still get junk. This year, we are most likely not exchanging for adults, at least not with DBro and SIL.

 

[bzzymom]

I've got one for you. My mother-in-law went a little crazy when I had DD.

First, I'll give you a little info. We have a small (950 sq feet) house, and our bedrooms are pretty small, living room is the only descent sized room in our house, and we have an unfinished basement. Money was really tight when I was pregnant because I had hyperemesis and was hospitalized a couple times, and the medication I took to help me not get sick cost $30 per pill, 30 pills was $900, and I had to refill it 3 times. Then, I took 6 weeks off after having DD without any pay because I had used up my sick time.

DS was 6 when DD was born, so I had a bed, car seat, high chair, and a relatively masculine stroller which had a wheel lock that kept slipping and locking which was kind of a pain in the behind, but I was going to use because I didn't want to spend the money to buy a new one.

The evening I brought DD home, M-i-law comes over with a huge box. The box is as big as our artificial christmas tree box. It was wrapped with pretty pink paper, and I was excited because I thought that it was a new stroller. Then, she procedues to tell us DH's step-dad told her she was crazy to buy this, but she said when she saw it, she had to buy it. I opened the package and it was a gigantic stuffed pink dog from Macy's that cost at least $300. I thanked her and she left. I called my mom to tell her about it, and when she answered I started laughing so hard that I was crying and my mom thought something bad had happened. I couldn't take the dog back because m-i-law was so proud of this gift. I could have had a really nice stroller for the money she spent.

Now, the dog is super soft, and cute, but we have no room for this thing. So, the dog stays in the box, in our unfinished basement. Once every year at DD's birthday, the dog gets out to go to Sear's portrait studio with us so that DD has her pic taken with it. However, I can't take the dog in my car, it is too big. The dog must travel in my mom's minivan or m-i-law's suv.

 

[poohs_hunny]

I have bad outdoor allergies. what did I get...

cow shaped soap and body wash that smelled like fresh cut grass!!!

OH MY it was nasty!!!!

OMG - that is the best!! Because who doesn't want to smell like a farm worker?

 

[teachermom]

My youngest daughter is deaf. For her 2nd birthday someone gave her a walk on piano keyboard as a gift. Sucks doesn't it!

 

[1-disneyfan]

Wow, really had to think about if I wanted to post My beautiful mother past away this past year, and my close friend bought me a "stepping stone" for my garden (don't really garden by the way) and on this stone was my Mother's name, birth and DEATH dates!!! why would ANYONE want that reminder. Needless to say, my husband got rid of the stone for me! Sorry this one is a depressing one! wish it was something more funny, like my MIL buying me and my husband socks for Christmas and BIL a motorcycle....true story, but I can smile back at that memory.

Kris

 

[cntrygal]

years ago when i was in college and a single mom, my brother(who was a construction worker at the time) his wife came to visit me, well he put my tupperware sugar canister on the hot burner of my electric stove, well the plastic melted and the sugar melted, it was a huge and smelly mess. I had to replace the element to the stove. Well as they left, they said they would replace the canister, months go by and I come home for christmas, well i got one gift from them and you guessed it a cheap no name brand plastic container........ and they say ....we told you we would replace it !

 

[natnelliesmom]

I have a disgusting and EXTREMELY tasteless gift to share.
One of my best friends lost a daughter to cancer several years ago. 4 years ago she had another daughter- and with her other son- that makes 3 children.
Well, Her sister bought her a family sculpture for Christmas last year- with 2 children on it.
Wow. What do you say to that?
My friend didn't know wether to be angry or laugh. I mean how tactless can you be??
-Sarah

 

[ColleenG]

For my first Mother's Day DH bought me boxes. Nothing special in them, just 2 decorative, kinda ugly floral, boxes. Nothing special to put in the boxes. Just boxes.

Now for any holiday, birthday, or Mother's Day I give him a list. If it's not on the list DO NOT buy it!

 

[grumpyvet]

I won't even go there with being regifted back the gift we gave to the Boss's kid, my most thoughtless gift was back about a million years ago, when I was in college I had a boyfriend who I was head-over-heels-in-love-with-stupid. My brain and sense had seriously looked the other way.

Anyway, for my birthday after we had been datintg for 2 years, he gave me 3 music albums (man am I dating myself) of artists I had never heard of.

To make it even worse, I didn't OWN a stereo. To make it even worse, upon seeing my bemused expression when I opened the albums he said,


WAIT FOR IT!!!

"I can always keep them at my apartment and you can listen to the there!!"

Class act him!!!

 

[rie'smom]

One Christmas my mom gave me the leather coat that my dad had given her 2 years earlier.

 

[Katy Belle]

Unfortunately there has been several over the years

My ILaws gave my oldest son, who was 3 at the time, a very expensive remote control car, for ages 12 and up. They'd already charged it an insisted he play with it, then kept yelling at him because he was bumping it into things and was going to break it! I got so mad I picked it up, handed him an age appropriate toy and lectured them on buying him things for HIS AGE.

DHs sister has always been a doozy of a gift giver. Cheap with a Capital CH!! Never too big a deal. We've always bought them nice gifts because we had a larger family, 3 kids by the time they had 1. She'd usually buy my kids a shirt, or a towel, or a cheap toy, sometimes a book. It was all fine, way less than we spent, but fine. One year I gave her son 3, a really nice Discovery Toy car set, with track, etc. and a couple of books and an outfit. This was similar to what I'd given him for Christmas and Birthdays in the past. During gift unwrapping there was nothing under the tree for my 3 boys, ages 3,5,7, from her. At the end she brings out a gift bag and tells them its for all 3 of them to share..... a baggie of SUGAR COOKIES. It was hurtful. They would have been thrilled with an action figure from Dollar General. They were all troopers and were happy to see their cousin so happy, but it hurt me.

One year she gave DH, her brother, a mug (he doesn't drink coffee or tea) filled with candy and told him not to eat the candy because she'd gotten it at the thrift store and thought the candy was old.

She gave me an EMPTY apple juice jug shaped like an apple one year..I was a teacher. That was it. Also from the Thrift store.


Katy

 

[Stitchfans]

It used to make me angry but not any more I am used to it, but my DH's family is well known for their thoughtless gifts to DD.

some examples:
from his mom- an old torn up, plucked up blanket she had laying around her house (while DH's sister's son got a real nice easel with a chalkboard/painting set)

one SIL gave DD her son's used book, and used baby bowl, plus yes used spoon

same SIL who works at Khols bought DD with her discount an ugly sheet set which was to small for her bed which came out to be a little over $2 after her discount.

other SIL again sent used written in books from her DDs since my DD likes to read.

These are all Christmas or birthday gifts and the list goes on. I solved the problem a long time ago, we no longer exchange gifts with his family any more.

 

[tinkerlisa]

My fiance and I have been together for 7 years. The first 4 I never met one of his sisters(huge family fight).
We live in an extremely small house. Less than 800 sq feet.
When my oldest son was three, the ridiculous family squabble was finally over and I met his sister. Well that Christmas, she said she went a little overboardwith presents for my son. Said she needed to make up for the last 2 1/2 years of not being in his life! Well let me just say this: SHE OUTDID SANTA CLAUS!!!!
She gave him so much stuff including several toys that he was too old for!
And to make it worse, the giving didn't stop!!! For his birthday 2 MONTHS later, she came with 2 HUGE gift bags(the biggest they make) filled with stuff!
Every year since, she gets him a ton of stuff! I am just glad she finally got the hint this past christmas when we said NO PRESENTS!!!!! And she finally toned the gifts down on his birthday!
Boy was I glad when she was too ill to come to my younger son's first birthday this year! We still haven't gotten a present from her yet although, she keeps saying she owes him one we are like "no thats ok". She will probably make up for it this christmas!

 

[Jessiebugkovacs]

I think that I was about 10 or 11. My brother would have been 4 or 5. My parents had just divorced and my mom(she had only been a SAHM)had just started college, so we were tight on money so I wasn't expecting much(I understood the situation at the time but my brother did not he wondered why Santa only gave him books) from my mom, but my grandmother had promised my mom that she would take up the slack with Christmas, so my Mom was really excited and took us to grandmother's house right away. We started opening presents and we got a toilet brush, underwear, cleaning supplies(scrubbies, soaps, etc)toothbrushes etc. Then told Mom that it was stuff we needed. I guess our house wasn't clean enough for her. but we got some funny pictures out of it brother wearing underwear on head riding the toilet brush like a horse (I can't wait til he finds his wife!)

 

[eclairemom]

Unfortunately there has been several over the years

She gave me an EMPTY apple juice jug shaped like an apple one year..I was a teacher. That was it. Also from the Thrift store.


Katy

If it had Whitehouse on it, it could have been worth a couple hundred dollars. They are very collectable

 

[starann]

Not as bad as some of the others,

DH sister was always generous when it came to herself (new TVs, stereos, laptops) but when it came to anyone else......yikes!

One Xmas she gave me a bunch of cat stuff....."she knew I liked cats" Ummmm, I had 1 cat at the time, and while I like the company of cats, I don't need cat scotch tape, a cat stapler, cat socks (which were for a kid), cat paper and a bunch of other cat things.

That same year, she got her 1st nephew (it was just DH and her, she had no kids), age 1, a set of magnetix...the metal balls with the plastic sticks that, if swallowed will block a small child's intestines. Needless to say, they went straight in the garbage!

Gifts continued like this until she passed away 2 years ago.


Thankfully DH's family call and ask what to get the kids, as my boys were the 1st children in about 20 years (a lot of his aunts don't have children of their own). His Aunts call and ask, specifially what can I get them..I give them a few ideas along with where they would find them at. They do really well and get something from the list and, usually add in the odd gift of their own choice (like a William Shakespere action figure from his aunt who is an English Teacher).

They DH and I a calendar (one of the nice ones from the mall) that they think we will like (and we usually do) and GC, which are always a hit as we save them for a rainy day!

 

[surfergirl602]

This post is great!!! My MIL is the worst. (Why is it always the MIL's?) She buys the most rediculous stuff for us.... and they are always combo gifts. She usually just gets something for her son, and adds my name to the tag. If I do happen to get my own gift, its something crazy like electric scizzors, clothes from ebay that are rediculously small, glue sticks for a hot glue gun that I don't have... I got smelly pinecones once. Nothing on them... Just pinecones. I think the best thing I ever got was a fish tank decoration that was fiber optic - just in case we ever got fish!!!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My MIL was really weird about gift giving. She insisted that gifts had to be personal in nature and she would sit and tell us what was acceptable and what wasn't. On our first Christmas after we were married, she said we were allowed to buy her favorite powder ($25 a can) but that we shouldn't buy her things for the house (not personal enough). When we gave her the powder, she made a huge deal over how thoughtful we were! Whatever!

One year, we decided to get MIL and FIL a wicker picnic basket. We filled it with a table cloth, napkins, plastic plates, utensils, etc. They said they enjoyed going to the park and taking their lunch in a paper bag. So we decided a picnic basket would be a nice and useful gift. Well, she told us flat out that we didn't include anything "personal" for each of them. We should think about it more next time! Whatever!

Once before my DH's birthday, she asked me what he needed. I said he really needs an umbrella. He lost his old one and it's a long walk from the parking lot to his building at work. She said what? You guessed it. An umbrella isn't "personal" enough. What could be more personal than keeping the rain off someone you love? Then she asked what he didn't need. I said he didn't need clothes (she always bought him styles he hadn't worn since high school). I said he didn't need books (she was always buying him these spiritual-type books that she liked but he couldn't bring himself to read). I said we didn't need anymore knick-knacks in our small apartment (she gave us tons of stuff that we didn't have the room or the guts to display).

So what did she get him for his birthday? A nylon shirt, a spiritual book and a knick-knack. Oh, and she tossed in the umbrella too. After he opened everything, she gave me a "I'll do whatever I want" look. She asked me, afterall! Whatever!

 

[DisneyTwilight]

my aunt give our whole family used christmas presents from her moth ball smelling house!! it's so gross! last year I got a fake diamond studded calculator!

 

[agnes!]

Someone should get a hold of jeafl. Her stories are legendary...

agnes!