Anonymous wrote:So many of these don't seem passive aggressive to me...just bad gifts.

I think the vibrator gift was outright aggressive. You know what someone is like and decide to go against their nature to discomfort them. It's cruel

So many of these don't seem passive aggressive to me...just bad gifts.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if this was passive aggressive or just a last minute dash. A classmate gave a wrapped STEM subscription box for my kid’s birthday. Not a subscription, but a single box that was clearly the birthday guest’s.

I don't see the problem with that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few Christmases ago at the family gathering, my cousin gave a vibrator to her very single sister and our other very single cousin. They were not at all amused.

Are they uptight? I think it's practical and funny.

Yes, uptight and frigid. I thought it was funny until I saw their hurt reactions.

Anonymous wrote:A few Christmases ago at the family gathering, my cousin gave a vibrator to her very single sister and our other very single cousin. They were not at all amused.

Are they uptight? I think it's practical and funny.

a jar of anti-aging cream

When DH and I were dating, his parents gave me an alcohol related gift every Christmas and would comment "we know how much you like to drink." I don't drink because of alcoholism in my family. I would comment that I don't drink but it would be great to have on hand when we host. Many years later and we get along great now.

My mom will ask what I want and then buy it for me in a close variation or color I won't like. This year I suggested a brand of pajamas that had about 20 different colors to choose from. She handed it to me saying "I know you hate lilac, but here you go." WTH? If she knew I hated the color, why not choose one of the 19 other colors?

Anonymous wrote:A potted orchid as a threat.

Huh?

Anonymous wrote:A potted orchid as a threat.

I don’t get the reference? Were they implying you’re fragile, like a hothouse flower?

This is probably more amusing than Passive aggressive but DH used to often give me atlases and turgid novels such as Russian classics even though I am terrible at reading maps and don’t enjoy dense morose novels. These were for himself not me as he loves maps and turgid overly serious novels.

So I started giving things that I wanted for myself such as modern satirical novels or fluffy towels or bath bombs. Now, he always asks what I want and we both love bath bombs. 😀

We both laugh about these gifts for ourselves.

A potted orchid as a threat.

At age 18, after I visibly lost a TON of weight and dropped from a size 10 to a size 4, one of my best friends gave me a swim suit that was a size 14.

And no, 30 years later, I have NOT regained all the weight. I go between a 4 and a 6.

I don’t know if this was passive aggressive or just a last minute dash. A classmate gave a wrapped STEM subscription box for my kid’s birthday. Not a subscription, but a single box that was clearly the birthday guest’s.

A few Christmases ago at the family gathering, my cousin gave a vibrator to her very single sister and our other very single cousin. They were not at all amused.

Spinoff from the thread about the mean SIL who gave the ugly dishes that DH enjoys. Reminded me of my PIA SIL who gave me baby outfits for my birthday when I was pregnant. Also, when we were dating, DHs brother gave him a big bottle of whiskey, saying “I know how much you like to drink.” DH has an occasional glass of wine, never hard liquor.