Anonymous
Post 12/17/2018 00:11     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
OP, just because you don't like it, don't trash it.

I toss some of that type of stuff into a small basket that goes with Halloween decorations. We hang a sign at Halloween that says we support the Teal Pumpkin project which means we have toys instead of candy for those kids who have allergies. We usually have a few kids out of about 250-300 kids each year that take a toy instead of candy. Not a lot, but enough to make it worth doing each year.

Alternatively, put them in a box and bring to a Toys for Tots drive. This stuff makes good stocking stuffers or can be bundled together with a few other things for the toy drives. There are plenty of families that are struggling to make ends meet that would appreciate having even dollar store junk. So I collect a lot for those drives. A box that sits in a closet all year, gets tons of stuff tossed in and then heads to the toy drive each Christmas.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 23:50     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
It could be much much worse OP.
Giant plastic desks, creepy dolls for high school age girls. Super large stuffed animals.

Just say thanks and give it away. Maybe ask her for a special toy for the kids next year and tell her one they really want.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 22:24     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
My MIL gifts dolls. Really expensive, real looking, creepy dolls. Our daughter is approaching college age and has zero interest in dolls of any kind. My MIL loves these dolls and thinks everyone else does too.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 21:18     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are some incredibly spoiled and mean-spirited gift recipients on this thread, but it seems that they were brought up in homes where kindness and thinking of others weren't taught. Now it's being modeled for another generation.


NP here. There is a HUGE difference between a thoughtful inexpensive gift and a thoughtless one. It’s not the dollar value it’s the sentiment.


There's also a huge difference between being grateful for another person's gift and deeming it as thoughtless, based on YOUR opinion. That's neither kind nor classy and certainly not the response that we should be teaching children.


so basically we must call something a thoughtful gift because somebody gave it to us. this is preposterous. keep your junk for yourself!


pp here. You don't have to keep it, but you don't have to be a rude b*tch about it either.


oh, i don't have to keep it? well, thank you, it was very nice of you to give me permission to take out the junk from my own home!
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 20:11     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:You don’t get to dictate the gifts that people buy. The end. I cannot believe adults have not been taught this.


+1

Just give away what you don’t want.

Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 20:10     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
I can see your discomfort with all the piles of chinese plastic crap, but take it from someone further along than you.

There is nothing you can do but say thanks, and be glad there's no followup.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 20:09     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are some incredibly spoiled and mean-spirited gift recipients on this thread, but it seems that they were brought up in homes where kindness and thinking of others weren't taught. Now it's being modeled for another generation.


NP here. There is a HUGE difference between a thoughtful inexpensive gift and a thoughtless one. It’s not the dollar value it’s the sentiment.


There's also a huge difference between being grateful for another person's gift and deeming it as thoughtless, based on YOUR opinion. That's neither kind nor classy and certainly not the response that we should be teaching children.


so basically we must call something a thoughtful gift because somebody gave it to us. this is preposterous. keep your junk for yourself!


pp here. You don't have to keep it, but you don't have to be a rude b*tch about it either.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 20:07     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:Drive miles...please, it is dollar store crap. Pitch it in regular trash or recycling if donating is too cumbersome.


it's a burden mentally - just another thing to think of. and why? because someone wants a thrill of thinking of themselves as a gift-giver but not putting any money or effort into it. talk about selfish!
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 20:06     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are some incredibly spoiled and mean-spirited gift recipients on this thread, but it seems that they were brought up in homes where kindness and thinking of others weren't taught. Now it's being modeled for another generation.


NP here. There is a HUGE difference between a thoughtful inexpensive gift and a thoughtless one. It’s not the dollar value it’s the sentiment.


There's also a huge difference between being grateful for another person's gift and deeming it as thoughtless, based on YOUR opinion. That's neither kind nor classy and certainly not the response that we should be teaching children.


so basically we must call something a thoughtful gift because somebody gave it to us. this is preposterous. keep your junk for yourself!
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:44     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts

If my parents or MIL did that, I would tell them that the toys are unsafe and that I cannot accept such items.

Seriously - these are your close relatives, or close relatives of your spouse. Can you not talk to them? It's not like these are strangers you can't say a word to. The same etiquette does not apply here. If I were a Grandma and gave something that my children could not give to my grankids, I would appreciate it if they let me know, so I don't look like an idiot every year!

Manufactured problems, people. Manufactured because you can't communicate properly.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:40     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are some incredibly spoiled and mean-spirited gift recipients on this thread, but it seems that they were brought up in homes where kindness and thinking of others weren't taught. Now it's being modeled for another generation.


NP here. There is a HUGE difference between a thoughtful inexpensive gift and a thoughtless one. It’s not the dollar value it’s the sentiment.


There's also a huge difference between being grateful for another person's gift and deeming it as thoughtless, based on YOUR opinion. That's neither kind nor classy and certainly not the response that we should be teaching children.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:39     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
OP, read the thread about the grandma who sends huge ugly kid desks as gifts and consider yourself lucky. At least dollar store trinkets are easy to dispose of and won’t cause hurt feelings.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:37     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:Yes. My mom buys stuff from yard sales. She loves yard saling, and her house is too small so she buys stuff for other people. Just deal with it. No need to ruffle her feathers over something stupid.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:33     Subject: MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Play nice OP . Don’t eff up your son’s inheritance by being a pita.
Anonymous
Post 12/16/2018 19:32     Subject: Re:MIL only buys cheap gifts for kids - Drives me nuts
Anonymous wrote:There are some incredibly spoiled and mean-spirited gift recipients on this thread, but it seems that they were brought up in homes where kindness and thinking of others weren't taught. Now it's being modeled for another generation.


NP here. There is a HUGE difference between a thoughtful inexpensive gift and a thoughtless one. It’s not the dollar value it’s the sentiment.