To want my birthday presents gift wrapped?

StuntNun · 2026-04-07T13:08:28+00:00

It’s my birthday tomorrow, a milestone one, and there are currently at least thirteen cardboard boxes, mostly from Amazon, stashed around the house. My mum is trying to persuade my DH that he shouldn’t gift wrap the presents but just let me open the cardboard boxes myself instead since “it will still be a surprise.” [hmm] So, AIBU to prefer my birthday presents wrapped up rather than open a stack of cardboard boxes on my big day?

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 14:03

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 11:55

Then Happy Birthday for yesterday OP!

Or are birthday wishes rationed as well as wrapping paper

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No I don’t think k they are, but I was just correcting your error….

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 11:57

StuntNun · 09/04/2026 08:54

Thank you. DH went the extra mile and bought gold wrapping paper so that everything matched. I had a lovely birthday and received wonderful presents; I’m very lucky.

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I’m glad you had a lovely day.

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 11:55

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 07:55

Her birthday was yesterday….

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Then Happy Birthday for yesterday OP!

Or are birthday wishes rationed as well as wrapping paper

Original poster

StuntNun · 09/04/2026 08:54

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 07:40

Happy Birthday OP. I hope you have a lovely day and get to unwrap pretty presents

(some very low expectations on this thread)

Thank you. DH went the extra mile and bought gold wrapping paper so that everything matched. I had a lovely birthday and received wonderful presents; I’m very lucky.

OP posts:

Original poster

StuntNun · 09/04/2026 08:53

CoatiCutie · 08/04/2026 14:24

Of course they need to be wrapped - how else can you check the items are ok, not damaged, the correct one etc - again total lack of effort expected from men by women on this thread

That’s a really good point. I ordered a iPad for DS once and the Amazon box contained a children’s book about crayons instead. It was a complete faff to sort out with Amazon insisting that I report the theft to the police even though they had sent the wrong item out. Imagine having to do all that on the day of DS’s birthday rather than getting it all sorted out beforehand.

OP posts:

Original poster

StuntNun · 09/04/2026 08:50

Easterbunnyhaspackedherbasket · 08/04/2026 10:19

Does your dm stick her nose in other areas of your life?

Oh yes.

OP posts:

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:39

JoaoJoao · 09/04/2026 08:36

Respectfully, you sound a bit mad on this subject. Just put it down to different people being bothered about different things. Or not having such crappy relationships they need to think of gift wrapping as some kind of proof of love. It’s not complicated.

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Respectfully, you don't sound like you live in real world.

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 08:37

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:00

Yes, wrap it up, show some thought, do you gift people things like that, without checking the contents? Why are some people acting like wrapping a gift is wrong?

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No I don’t, but neither would I tell them not to bother if they hadn’t wrapped it! Very churlish.

JoaoJoao · 09/04/2026 08:36

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:27

Why? It's perfectly normal, perhaps YOU don't understand the concept of gift giving
I wrap a lot more than 13 gifts at Christmas, clearly I must be deranged.

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Respectfully, you sound a bit mad on this subject. Just put it down to different people being bothered about different things. Or not having such crappy relationships they need to think of gift wrapping as some kind of proof of love. It’s not complicated.

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 08:36

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:00

Yes, wrap it up, show some thought, do you gift people things like that, without checking the contents? Why are some people acting like wrapping a gift is wrong?

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No I don’t, but neither would I tell them not to bother if they hadn’t wrapped it! Very churlish.

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:27

JoaoJoao · 09/04/2026 08:21

Wrapping THIRTEEN gifts unnecessarily is wrong, yes.

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Why? It's perfectly normal, perhaps YOU don't understand the concept of gift giving
I wrap a lot more than 13 gifts at Christmas, clearly I must be deranged.

JoaoJoao · 09/04/2026 08:21

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:00

Yes, wrap it up, show some thought, do you gift people things like that, without checking the contents? Why are some people acting like wrapping a gift is wrong?

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Wrapping THIRTEEN gifts unnecessarily is wrong, yes.

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 08:00

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 07:28

So unless they’re wrapped you would rather no present at all? You’d rather the DH didn’t bother?

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Yes, wrap it up, show some thought, do you gift people things like that, without checking the contents? Why are some people acting like wrapping a gift is wrong?

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 07:55

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 07:40

Happy Birthday OP. I hope you have a lovely day and get to unwrap pretty presents

(some very low expectations on this thread)

Her birthday was yesterday….

1000StrawberryLollies · 09/04/2026 07:54

YANBU, but there's a lot of competitive martyrdom and low-expectations on MN about this kind of thing. If you expect more than a bunch of flowers from the petrol station you're being childish and wanting 'a fuss'. Surely nobody over the age of 12 expects an actual wrapped present? etc.

LittleBearPad · 09/04/2026 07:40

Happy Birthday OP. I hope you have a lovely day and get to unwrap pretty presents

(some very low expectations on this thread)

JumpinJehoshaphat · 09/04/2026 07:31

Opening Amazon boxes gives me the rage. Of course your presents should be gift wrapped. Why is your mum interfering anyway?

BoogieTownTop · 09/04/2026 07:28

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 07:00

Wow, some really bizarre comments on here, I've never even considered giving gifts to people in the unopened Amazon box's, that are usually grubby,tatty, squashed. Put a little effort in or just don't bother.
What's wrong with some people, just wrap your gifts up and recycle the Amazon packaging.

So unless they’re wrapped you would rather no present at all? You’d rather the DH didn’t bother?

Wednesday505 · 09/04/2026 07:00

Wow, some really bizarre comments on here, I've never even considered giving gifts to people in the unopened Amazon box's, that are usually grubby,tatty, squashed. Put a little effort in or just don't bother.
What's wrong with some people, just wrap your gifts up and recycle the Amazon packaging.

JoaoJoao · 08/04/2026 16:42

CoatiCutie · 08/04/2026 14:24

Of course they need to be wrapped - how else can you check the items are ok, not damaged, the correct one etc - again total lack of effort expected from men by women on this thread

Snort.

CoatiCutie · 08/04/2026 14:24

Of course they need to be wrapped - how else can you check the items are ok, not damaged, the correct one etc - again total lack of effort expected from men by women on this thread

ithinkilikethislittlelife · 08/04/2026 10:33

WormHoleInSpace · 08/04/2026 09:55

Umm can you lone him out for a few days if I promise to take good care of him ?
It's my birthday in a few weeks and u don't have a DH/P

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If I could clone him I would. But loan him out? I can’t take the risk 😉

Easterbunnyhaspackedherbasket · 08/04/2026 10:19

Does your dm stick her nose in other areas of your life?

Original poster

StuntNun · 08/04/2026 10:16

Thank you for the birthday wishes @WormHoleInSpace and happy birthday back to @ToffeePennie

I have had a lovely birthday so far with hand-drawn cards from my children and rather a lot of gin and chocolate to see me into my next decade.

OP posts:

WormHoleInSpace · 08/04/2026 09:59

Happy birthday @StuntNun pingu has wrapped a present for you.