AIBU to be frustrated by repeated wolf-themed gifts?

You could try asking her to donate to a Wolf preservation charity instead of giving you wolf themed gifts.

Try to think about why she buys the wolf things. I imagine she thinks of you with fondness everytime she sees a wolf item. And imagines she's bringing you joy. It makes her feel good and feel close to you. I do get it seems overwhelming. Can you start a new theme, like a new hobby? Good luck!!! I've been the target of serious giant earrings as gifts.

We all need this shirt - we could become a team of superheroes

My mother got into the habit of gifting me butterfly related items - bags, belts, brooches etc. One birthday, after receiving a couple of naff butterfly cushions, I asked why she always got me stuff with butterflies on? She said "Well I thought you like butterflies". I said I do like butterflies but no more than anyone else likes butterflies. "But you had that blouse with butterflies on". Mum, you bought me that, and I was 12! The butterfly crap stopped.

I feel rather horrible but yes, I’d agree with you. And preteens in a „phase“.

Gently telling her mother that she’s out of her wolf phase probably won’t help given the previous skull obsessions. Her mother will be offended and most likely move into a new theme.

sooo solutions:

1. Tell DM exactly what you would like. Aka: gardening tools, specific kinds of flowers, chocolate or similar. Invent a newly found obsession for chocolate?

2. Tell your DM that you have stopped doing physical gifts but that you would appreciate donations in our name or experience gifts. You could even direct your DM towards a wolf sanctuary or similar…

Number two seems like the more promising option, tbh! You can embellish it with a new found love for minimalism, not having enough space etc.

You DONT like her gifts…

What about telling her what you would like to receive? Instead of what you dislike?

so you’d keep saying something along the lines of:
„I would love a new vase / you really can’t have enough vases, can’t you?“

„I‘ve recently fallen in love with hellebores. They’re just gorgeous! I’d love to fill the [insert garden space] with them.“

and then just repeat whatever item you’d like. Pick something she can’t personalise with woolf prints or pictures. So definitely no mugs or items of clothing 😅

My daughter regretted “loving owls” from aged about 10 for many years. She now works with sea turtles so her presents have moved over from owls to turtles.
I keep telling her that she should just have been into money.

Another idea..

Converse with friend about how you treasure the natural habitat of wild creatures and that you have come to a decision to help save the planet.

Tell her it is the last present you will accept from her and that you are no longer buying her gifts. You both have enough stuff.

From now on you are puting money in a jar and donating to World Wildlife Fund. You will invite her over to eat cheese toasties and watch Dances With Wolves Near yiur birthday.

Ask her what she would like to do for her birthday if buying gifts is not suitable for the health of the wilderness. Start a new dynamic.

My mother gets ideas in her head then I get waves of one type of present. In recent years its been bobble hats. MIL started doing same. I didn't wear them until I was bought about 5 then I started wearing them as its such a waste. I look like an overgrown toddler!

Eventually I just had to say I had enough hats and I don't wear bobble hats.

Your wolf gift story made me laugh so hard.

Thank your friend for the joy she brings strangers.

I would suggest joining a club or group that adores wolfs. Some wolf loving people will adore your unwanted items.
Let friend see you wearing them once or twice then pass most things on.

One of my friends once expressed that she liked elephants.

She now can no longer charity shop ceramic elephants out one door as fast as they come in the other.

Just tell her all the wolf stuff over the years has been lovely but you’ve gone off wolves now.

People like giving gifts they think the recipient will really like. Can you think of something else, something innocuous, for her to focus on? (Food/drink is good, then you can get rid of it if necessary and tell her you’ve eaten/drunk it.)

I’m laughing my head off cause I was literally just about to make a similar thread. My friend keeps buying me “Yorkshire Terrier” themed gifts. I just don’t know why. So far I have a few YT pics in frames, a YT tray, YT make up bag and a YT cushion. I don’t know what to do. I’ve never ever said I particularly fondness for YT so I’m not even sure why this is happening.

Why don't you tell your mum you are supporting a UK wolf charity, and would prefer direct donations instead of gifts?
This would stop the wolf themed presents, but would mean no actual present for you on your birthday.

This has made me chuckle a lot 😂😂😂

This and the story of the pig tea pots. 😂

Maybe you should up the stakes and comment that you really love something - that’s hard to find?!

I think so..easy done in the early hours
You be as well give your thoughts on wolf fleece things ?

Hmm I think I'm on the wrong thread

I always think working extra hours for free, through lunch break ect is scab behaviour and does a disservice to workers everywhere. Why are you doing it? To get brownie points for a shitty company who is profiteering from your free labour? Where does that leave everyone else who want to only work the hours they are paid. Clock in, clock out, and stob being a scabby teachers pet.

I feel for you. When I was younger, purple was one of my favourite colours. Now everything my mum buys me is purple. And last year my daughter bought me purple gifts as well. It's been about 15 years, and purple isn't even my favourite colour anymore !

Maybe tell your mum your favourite thing about wolves is the colour of their eyes or their coat or something? Your mum might go with it and buy you things in "wolf colours" instead of buying loads of wolf themed things 😂

I’ve had a rubbish week and this thread has cheered me up no end 😂

Further......."mum, I know you like to buy me things I really love, have I shown you my new diamond earrings?"

Bluntly......why do you care about her taking offence when she doesnt care about your being pissed off? Tell her straight and let her be offended. She is just being lazy. In her head it is @Herecomes = wolf so easy. Like with a family member of ours who had my sister as Jane = Hedgehogs, or the SIL above = Pigs.

Who the hell cares if she bangs on about it? "Mum, I have told you, I dont want anymore wolf stuff, stop wasting your money on stuff I send to the charity shop" "OMG!!!!! SO YOU HATE EVERYTHING I DO FOR YOU?!!!!" "No, but I want you to stop".

And then she strops. So you just repeat again "I did ask you to stop, and you didnt".

I am sick of people like this. They can ignore your words but cannot cope with you pushing back.

Nope. That wouldn’t work. Exposure is highly effective at desensitising phobias. OP has been exposed to a lot of fleecey, blankety wolves.

Can you say you had a horrible nightmare about a Werewolf. And now have a phobia about wolves 😅. It might work.