If she's not around, lie.

If she's like my MIL, who has a habit of giving children's bibles over and over again and badgering our child on the phone about the gifts, your child might eventually say to the repeated "Do you liiiiiiike your present?" questions: "Grandma, why do you keep getting me the same book about Jesus?" Because there is only so much we can do as parents on the other end of the phone to stop that coming out of the mouth of a 6 year old who has been asked 10 times about the gift.

i posted above and that is my earliest memory of Christmas.

When/if I have grandchildren they will get 1-2 items off a list plus money. Stuff to hand them when we see them or whatever. If spending Christmas Day at one of their houses ideally I'd give the parents money and they could procur/wrap/stick on names on a package.

Whatever they want. I'm never buying anything not on a list. Also will NOT stick my nose in wedding events and planning. Will email relatives addresses and provide check to use as they wish.

Anonymous wrote:Please. My mother gives my child furniture that we do not need or want. Her offering from two years ago is getting donated this year because I just refuse to entertain the (loving and well intentioned) crazy.

I'm a warehouse. One year I told them about various stuff and it was hissy fits. Been like that since before I entered kindergarten. Still remember one of DM 's hissy fits about a Christmas present. She liked it-I hated it-damn thing kept around forever...

First discarded it by tossing it down the basement stairs the day I got it.

Does MIL babysit well? Available alot?

Thank gosh my family rarely bought toys or my kids. My kids really didn't even play with toys for the most part.

"I'm really delighted that you think Larlo is so advanced, but it's just beyond him developmentally at this point.?

This is why when i give gifts to my relatives, I do not ever follow up. Just too awkward for them if they don't like the gifts.

Please. My mother gives my child furniture that we do not need or want. Her offering from two years ago is getting donated this year because I just refuse to entertain the (loving and well intentioned) crazy.

My mom does this. Every holiday she asks for suggestions, ignores them, and then complains when he doesn't like his gifts. In between the holidays she will complain that he would like gifts from her more if we would only help foster his interest in them. (We make sure to open and try out every single gift so it really isn't that). She also buys him things he tells her he doesn't like (board games) because she thinks he just hasn't found the right ones yet.

My FIL has always given DS expensive gifts that are too advanced and not anything he's interested in. Last year I regifted one of them to DS's friend because DS wasn't ever going to use it and DS and I knew his friend would be into it. DH was pissed for a while but at least it's not taking up space in DS' closet anymore.

And FIL has his wife pick gifts for our DDs. A couple of years ago she sent personalized t-shirts with BOTH of their names spelled wrong.

My parents have done this with Rush Limbaugh's children's book. "Is Larlo reading it?" "On, since he's home sick, have you handed him the book?" "Oh, he mentioned history last week, give him the book"

I haven't actually hidden it, but kid is not interested. They take it personally.