Any gift-giving traditions from spouse's family that annoy you?

[Anonymous]

My in laws buy way more gifts for our DCs than DH and I do. So annoying, underhanded and undermining.

We buy maybe six smaller gifts for each and that includes one "big" gift for each.

In laws come over with a ridiculous amount of wrapped gifts for our children. The bigger, the better! Little tykes sliding board, playhouse, giant ride on trucks...

DH refuses to ever say anything to his parents.

When the kids were much younger, they'd have so many gift to open that they'd about fall asleep opening all the presents. Why'd get so many that they would not notice that about half disappeared and went to a local charity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My in-laws decided that the grand kids all give and get presents from each other, and give and get presents from the grandparents. Who buys all these presents? The daughter in laws who also have to make dinner for everyone. All the boys seem incapable of helping with this tradition their mother came up with. Fabulous. Oh, and their religion means no wine all day. Sigh.

Next year, invest in a nice big coffee mug, fill it with wine, and blow on it gently every time MIL glances your way. This is the only way I get through Beach Week.

Coffee and tea are also out, but thanks for the good thoughts.

I've got to know... which religion doesn't allow coffee and tea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My in-laws decided that the grand kids all give and get presents from each other, and give and get presents from the grandparents. Who buys all these presents? The daughter in laws who also have to make dinner for everyone. All the boys seem incapable of helping with this tradition their mother came up with. Fabulous. Oh, and their religion means no wine all day. Sigh.

Next year, invest in a nice big coffee mug, fill it with wine, and blow on it gently every time MIL glances your way. This is the only way I get through Beach Week.

Coffee and tea are also out, but thanks for the good thoughts.

I've got to know... which religion doesn't allow coffee and tea?

LDS, perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband's family is into mailed greeting cards for birthdays, which annoys me no end. They purchase cards, sign their name to the bottom (no other comment) and consider that a birthday remembrance. I view it as wasteful and unnecessary.

Wtf? You have a problem with birthday cards?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My in laws buy way more gifts for our DCs than DH and I do. So annoying, underhanded and undermining.

Wow, you sound like a real bitch. If you only bought your kids two gift each your IL should only buy them one each?

[Anonymous]

Mine are very into giving food items, like cookies from Trader Joes. I find this to be strange, I mean, if I wanted some, I could just go to TJs myself and drop the $3.99.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually I was going to say the whole fact that my ILs still give gifts to adults is what's annoying to me

This! Something thoughtful and small, I get, but each person gives each other hundreds of dollars worth of gifts. I can buy my own shit from target. This was my first Christmas with my in-laws, and I spent so much money, but apparently not enough . I guess it makes sense b/c we have the only grandchild, so they feel like they need to give gifts to someone, sothey pass it to the adults too. My, I can't wait till there are more kids in the mix, then we can suggest nixing the adult exchange.

[Anonymous]

My in laws are very nice, but they spend all year scouring yard sales for crap for my kids. The items are usually gigantic and loud and partially broken. Or they give us religious gifts and books. We are agnostic. But, it is the thought that counts, I know.

Most of the stuff gets trashed once they leave.

[Anonymous]

My SILs declared no gift among adults (except grandparents). For last three years, they always come up with some small item and say "it isn't a gift, just a token". WTF? Are we getting a small something or not. This year one SIL gave us a card with 100 dollar donation made on our behalf to a charity that she sits on the board of and used to create "an experience" for her daughter to Africa. I again got them NOTHING.

[Anonymous]

My dad when he chooses to buy us new gifts tears the tags off any clothing purchase so that it can't be exhanged. Stepmom who is very large will give me her rejects. I mean two of me could fit in her shirts. My husband who is very tall will get clothes made for shorter people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What annoys me is the wild swings in the gifts. One year it is a pair of running shoes, another it is a check for serious money, another it might be a $50 amazon gift card. Their income doesn't vary so I don't get it. Are we being rewarded or punished for our behavior during the year?

My MIL definitely gives gifts based on how much she likes or dislikes you at the time. The whole thing is so stupid, I don't need anything from her, but I'm not going to sit there and watch her other DIL unwrap her new laptop or coach bag while I've been given a $20 teapot. We no longer participate in the stupidity. She can send wherever gifts she wants, we send cards and pictures of the kids.

[Anonymous]

* whatever gifts she wants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My in-laws decided that the grand kids all give and get presents from each other, and give and get presents from the grandparents. Who buys all these presents? The daughter in laws who also have to make dinner for everyone. All the boys seem incapable of helping with this tradition their mother came up with. Fabulous. Oh, and their religion means no wine all day. Sigh.

Next year, invest in a nice big coffee mug, fill it with wine, and blow on it gently every time MIL glances your way. This is the only way I get through Beach Week.

Coffee and tea are also out, but thanks for the good thoughts.

I've got to know... which religion doesn't allow coffee and tea?

Mormons!

Unless it is a special Mormon coffee. They don't allow soda either...that is how you can tell who the cut loose wild ones are. Gee whiz! I let the cat out of the bag

[Anonymous]

My BILs send food baskets of desserts/chocolate, which I appreciate in spirit. But, one of my kids has severe peanut and treenut allergies and can't eat any of it, even seemingly innocuous stuff like Edible Arrangements. That means DH and end up having to hide the food and either eat it all ourselves, give it away, or throw it out. I really appreciate it, but it's a waste of money for BILs to send these kinds of gifts, even though they know DS has these allergies. I guess they don't remember, so I'm not annoyed with them, just at the situation. DH and MIL have reminded them, but...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine are very into giving food items, like cookies from Trader Joes. I find this to be strange, I mean, if I wanted some, I could just go to TJs myself and drop the $3.99.

Yeah, but at least you can eat the cookies and you don't have to find space for more stuff. And if you don't want them, just take them into the office. We've been gently nudging our in-laws towards consumable gifts (wine, food, coffee, etc.) and it's working.