AIBU to think this is quite strange?!

My Mil does this. We have had stuff we've given her back and stuff others have given her. We have a tradition that we open hers on Christmas eve and its always funny. SIL got a sewing kit one year and my strapping 6 foot son got a Worlds Best Auntie t.shirt. we were disappointed a few years ago when she upped her gift giving game. Its also started the tradition that we now buy SIL a sewing kit whenever we go away. He has quite the collection.

I think it makes sense that if she couldn't use them and couldn't return/exchange them you'd be the first person for her to think of giving them to (provided you take the same size) because (1) you have the same foot condition and (2) she knows you had these same ones before and so obviously you like them and they work for you - she may think she is doing you a favor giving you a second pair to alternate or a replacement pair for when your run out. It's weird to wait three years and then give them to you as a Christmas present, though.

My friend once gifted me a necklace that I'd bought for her the year before. I said oh this is very similar to the one I got you and she said yes, I liked it so much I bought you one..it was the same one and I guessed from her expression she'd forgotten it was me that gave it to her. Maybe the same thing has happened here.

Has she sent back the exact ones you sent her or bought you the same ones?

Yes, it is strange. In her defence, I would say that gift choosing sometimes brings out the strangeness in us. I love choosing thoughtful gifts but clearly recall a couple of times in my life when feeling stressed of getting gifts horribly wrong, with the best of intentions.

If she's normally a thoughtful person, I'd put this down as a one off error. She loved your slippers 3 years ago. Knew they were expensive. Hasn't used them. So thought she would pass a lovely, expensive, unused gift to you, as she knew you liked them. (Are you even the same size feet?) . She just overlooked the convention that you don't pass gifts back - ever!

Is she autistic too? That is an odd thing to do - find slippers 3 years later, tells you they were no good, ‘gifts’ them to you immediately afterwards. Is she hard up for money? If she’s not hard up, or autistic and this is new behaviour for her, she might need to get checked for a UTI.

Hmmm bit weird but I guess she’s thinking that as you like them you would be the best person to use them but as your gift, yes it’s odd. She should have told you straight away so you could return them.

Yes it's v weird to give them as a present

If it's out of character it could be a sign of cognitive decline, or being extremely broke I guess.

Thank god it wasn't just me who couldnt guess what the mil did! 😂

😂 ... I can't guess, can you please explain @Stanislas

Yeah this is an extremely weird and rude thing to do. She could have sent them back to you straight away so you could have your money back at least.

Maybe she put them tk the side thinking she’d get on with them. Forgot about them and discovered them again in a clear out/tidy up.

As she knew they were pricey sent them back so not to waste them?

All people are weird. Everyone has quirks and motivations others can’t fathom. Just look at the number of differing opinions on here. What one person thinks is rude another doesn’t bat an eyelid too.

As such, just ignore it and move on. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.

Yes it’s rude af and a bit crass to regift as a
present, let alone just hand them back. If they are that expensive she would surely remember who gave her them especially as she wanted the same as u in the first place. Cf x

It’s not you, this is weird. I can’t think of an explanation really. But if she is normally kind and lovely I’d just write this off as her having an off day.

My stepmother regifts stuff to me at Christmas that I’ve given her and my dad over the years quite regularly. One was a scarf I’d given 12 years previously and in the original (battered) box but she’d tried it on first because had lots of dog hairs on!
I also get stuff she’s clearly been given from others & bargain basement stuff collected throughout the years, all generic like bath bomb sets or candle from Aldi. Not a money issue as they’re well off with second home, designer clothes and expensive hobbies etc
I have asked my dad, politely, not to get me anything at Christmas many times but to no avail - I think he has no idea what she’s wrapping up to give me on their behalf! Don’t want to appear ungrateful but it does sting a little!

You’re not wrong OP. That is weird behaviour. Fair enough giving them back if they didn’t suit, as you have the same foot condition and they were expensive. Some people might have qualms about this, feel it a bit ungrateful, but it depends on your relationship. My sister and I have the kind of relationship where we could return things like this with absolutely no issue.

But…as your Christmas present three years later? Very odd indeed!

I have read this multiple times and still have no idea what MIL might have done and what it had to do with the godmother.

What did MIL do?

It’s weird.

fine if she wanted to say look have them back and make use of them, but not after 3 years and not for a present!!

Definitely a bit odd.

I can see the logic of her giving you them back as she knows you would wear them and they wont go to waste. I can’t explain the gap.
Perhaps she’s put them away with the intention of trying them again and not realised how long it’s been? Or have you mentioned recently you need to replace yours and that’s jogged her memory?

If your relationship is otherwise good, I’d assume good intentions

I don’t follow? You gave your DH godmother a gift of hankies and she regifted it back a few years later - What did your MIL do? Were you annoyed with DH godmother or MIL - confused!!

Your post isn’t clear. Did she you could have them back as a present or are they wrapped as if you never bought them in the first place? It could be she’s regifting because she never used them and forgot you gave them to her.

Does she remember they were from you?

I had a Great Aunt who was well known for regifting. As she got older and her memory started going, we often got our own gifts back.

My DHs godmother was a lovely lady who liked fine things of life in the handmade sort of things. Over the years I gave her fine leather gloves or fair isle or silk hand rolled scarves. That sort of thing. One year I gave her some embroidered Swiss handkerchiefs. Many years later they came back to me or my daughter ,I forget. I mentioned this to my mil thinking that the dear godmother was possibly strapped for cash and perhaps we should send her a voucher for the needlework knitting shop that I knew she bought from. So guess what dear Mil did? I still feel furious whenever I see expensive embroidered hankies even after all these years.

@BengalBangle "I don't care about her not wearing them. I care about her telling me 3 years later that they did not work and they are my Christmas present."

Yes OP, it's bloody weird and rude whether you're autistic or NT. Has she had any health or emotional issues, is she in the early stages of dementia?