Rubbish gift from MIL

ExH received a wrapped up tin of tuna from his nan’s cupboard once Christmas!

Oh god this has just brought back a core memory.
my aunty, who was v cross my mum left and took us with her, sent my sister a make up case one year at Xmas. My sister has rosacea and very very sore skin flare ups. It was so thoughtless and a real f u present (it was also free from her Avon work lol )

If it helps my dad never gave gifts until he married his new wife (the witch) she used to regift. My children were given all sorts from empty biscuits tins (the type you buy in a tin) random 80s Christmas decorations, religious ornaments etc and this was when they were toddlers?! Just crap she didn't want really. Wished they stuck to no presents!

I come from a very religious family. My aunt gave me this sort of present the birthday before I went to uni to remind me to not succumb to temptation. She also tried to persuade me to live in the YWCA rather than the uni halls because I'd be with "my" type of people. Fat chance!

My DS is a bat shit gift giver, always has been. The list is long and we have a bit of a tradition in opening said gifts together.

Similar list

Key ring from australia, none of us have been. This hangs in the christmas tree each year.
Garden thermometer when i lived in a flat - and we have apps on our phones
Garden chair covers - same flat!!
How to knit book for things like a post box cover - mmmm
Hand made items (she must have had the same book) for things we don’t own. Think tall lamp shade - we had spot lights.
She gifted Grandad hair gel when he’s bald -
DS once got long girls school socks

These are just funny!

I would thank her and i’ve never asked!!

I’ve noticed the older threads get the more insane the responses. People presumably keep reading and getting more and more irate about something and then get rude.

Sounds like there was thought behind it but the thought was weird and minimal. I’d be annoyed too but I’m glad he wasn’t.

Some of the weird things my father and MIL have done or said have become hilarious family lore but they usually start with me being annoyed 😁

Tell her that the Lord came down and told you that you should give it back to her for Christmas

Do you have a dvd player still or a console that takes discs? They will work

What is meaningful for you and for her obviously are very different.
Just accept that.
I've heard absolutely fantastic Christian CDs before that have been life changing.
I don't know if it's a thoughtless gift or not. However I do think it could have been accompanied by an expensive gift that she knew he would like as well as CD.

That is an awful gift, but is really quite funny. I think it could become an annual game. Disguise it as something else and give it to someone at Christmas (appropriate timing). It can forever do its rounds! (I do mean only your ds/dh/you/ds siblings- I wouldn’t want to upset your mil).

That’s hilarious. Still doesn’t beat the time my friend’s MIL gave her an expired botox voucher for Christmas.

Is it possible that she may be in the early stages of dementia. My mum said the weirdest things at the start and I’m not sure why I didn’t figure it out earlier.

I'd say thank you, I'm sure he'll treasure it but can't play it as we don't own a CD player. Maybe she will get him one and he can take it to Uni with him. Well, I did say maybe.

Yeah that's just so weird I'd actually wonder about cognitive decline.

No gift would have been better than this! It’s the worst.
Personally a gift that someone has put no care or thought into, particularly a freebie that they couldn’t be bothered to wrap is worse than not doing something at all because it’s actively insulting whereas not getting a gift might have been slightly passively insulting.

No idea why you would thank her for that gift that’s practically okaying it. I would be calling her out on it for sure

You're making me wonder if it could be a sign of dementia....

alternatively, make her a nice cup of tea and use it as a coaster.. and ask if she has another five to make up the set.

OK... just messing about. But seriously... What was she thinking? He's off to uni and must need a load of kit for his room but new clothes... even £20 would have been appreciated.

Whatever the reason (and I would ask in a round about way) she must know that this is a rubbish gift.

I do like your Son's manners in sending a thank you text though. He sounds like a very mature young man.

Blimey that's a bit rude.

I think your reaction seems totally justified and quite normal.

MIL sounds a character.

Did you hear from mother in law again after? Did she ask whether DS liked the gift?

on mn there are coach loads of folk claiming they’d deliver these pithy responses right back at ya style. Nonsense of course. Only bombastic online. In real life they’d smile and do nowt

I think you need to tell her that it’s not his thing and he doesn’t own a cd player. Ask her if she can return it for a refund and get him something else…. Mayne saying that will make her think about the fact it was a free gift to her…..
or ask your DP to ask his mother if she’s stopping gifts for your son now as his present was a free gift.
mid be pissed too and wouldn’t buy her anything too expensive again .. give that money to your son instead

Say thank you and leave it.
She might think it's a brilliant CD that he would get a lot out of.
If you don't like it just say thanks and leave it.
We have all had gifts we didn't like. I was brought up to smile and say thank you. The end.

In my family gifts for birthdays from extended family stopped at 18. So just say thank you and move on.

Deadpan reply. “I do understand that your mind may not be what it once was. You appear to have inadvertently wrapped something you intended to bin by accident. Could you please rummage through your bins in case that is where you misplaced his birthday gift?”