Thoughtful gift from my mum - but I hate it!

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I have a dilemma....

We moved into our current home a couple of years ago, and since moving in I've talked about replacing the house sign - it has a cat and a fox cuddling on it; really not my taste, especially as I can't stand either animal!

So we looked through catalogues, and chose the style we wanted - but before I could order it, an unexpected gift arrives from my mother...

....It's a house sign. And it's absolutely ghastly, possibly even worse than the one we have already, painted with a garish mumsy floral design with nasty frilly lettering. I'm quite surprised my mum got it so wrong, tbh, she normally knows my taste. I like things very modern and minimal.

Help! It was a thoughtful gift, but I really can't bear seeing it stuck to the front of my lovely house; it SO doesn't reflect our taste. It obviously can't be exchanged, and it won't be long before mum asks why we haven't put it up. I don't want to hurt her feelings, but......

What would you do?

Tricky, could you tell a little white lie and say that you had aleady ordered the other one (and make sure to order it quick) and see if she can exchange it for something for the garden maybe.

Is it something she has had made specially ? If so could you hang at the back door ?

Do you have a side gate you can put it on until it "falls off" one day?
It is dreadful when someone is so kind and so wide of the mark at the same time! I feel for you on tis one.

Is it ceramic? Can you put it up for a while and maybe it might get cracked after a few months? It was bought with love and it's not that important, so I think you have to put it up.

Surly is't too precious to put outside? Someone may steal it. You also need to keep it out of the sun so that it won't rust so in the box in a cupboard is the best place for it.

I thought about breaking it, but just couldn't do it! Yes, she did have it made specially (one of those sign-writing companies).

She knows I hadn't ordered one - she asked me, and I blurted out the truth before I had the chance to pretend I'd ordered one myself.

Oh, it's vile, it really is. I might appreciate the style in 40 years or so; maybe if I hang onto it til then....

It is ceramic; maybe I could put it on the side gate, although it wouldn't be very secure.....

I'd put it up and grow a climber up over the top of it :o

She's coming over next month....

Oh, she only visits once in a while?? Put it up the day before, take it down the day after and leave the holes ready for the next time she visits!

Did she bring it in person, or order it and have it delivered to you? If the latter then pretend it hasn't arrived? Then order your own quickly.

Or move house.

How terrible that it was obviously so nice that somebody pinched it a couple of days after you put it up....... Or, someone drove into your gate and smashed it (had to go straight out in the bin of course because it was sharp)... Have a new one in place before she arrives because you wouldn't want to put her to the expense of replacing it - it was so nice of her to send it in the first place

Lots of creative deviousness from the MN jury.

If it was (say) an item of clothing I wouldn't be too worried, but it's going to be stuck to my house in plain view every time I walk through my front door. I'm not sure I could cope.....

I'd use it for a while.

Maybe you're right, I should use it for a while, then it could befall a nasty accident.

It's just that I love my new house so much that I don't want anything.....tasteless.... to ruin it. Sorry mum, doesn't mean I don't love you.

I would just be honest and say sorry but you don't like it.

Its much easier in the long run.