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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think six year old children's magazines arent really a suitable birthday present?

70 replies

emkana · 18/06/2011 19:46

this is what ds had of a friend of mine today. They were nicely wrapped up I guess. Last month dd had of same friend a coat that friends daughter didn't want anymore, and of which I had already said that we didn't want it when it was offered as a hand me down.

Do I sound like an ungrateful bitch?

OP posts:
PopBiscuits · 19/06/2011 00:06

Bet you're looking forward to next year then!

MumblingRagDoll · 19/06/2011 00:08

YANBU....on can buy a present for a pound...no matter how poor we are there's always a pound! Jeepers...a home made gift would have been better..more thought and effort.

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 00:11

Exactly Mumbling I was in the local Poundshop and saw so many nice things for kids birthdays that could be bought for a humble pound.

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 00:13

Even if the OP had helped her son make some simple fairy cakes or Rice Krispy cakes for your ds for his birthday, that would have been a fantastic present for any child imo, well it would have been for me at primary age.

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 00:14

Even now! Actually for my birthday I got a box of Maltesers from my friend, I was in chocco heaven Smile, love Maltesers and still do.

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 00:14

this was when i was 6

ensure · 19/06/2011 08:20

They are rather rubbish presents!
Everyone is right, you can easily get something from the pound shop for a child, or a charity shop book for 50p without someone else's scribbles in.

How odd!

TotalChaos · 19/06/2011 09:25

any idea if she does the same with other people? is she a good enough friend in other ways for you to just think oh it's mad old Joan giving another rubbish pressie and laugh it off?

jeee · 19/06/2011 09:32

Were they for a birthday present, or was she randomly giving your son some stuff she thought he'd like, and wrapping it up to make it more fun for him?

SharonGless · 19/06/2011 09:33

YANBU although initially I thought they were new magazines which would have been Ok as a present IMO.

What is your relationship with your friend like normally? Does she do odd things?

defineme · 19/06/2011 09:36

I mean this in a concerned way-do you think your friend may be having problems?
These aren't normal presents (yes I've given presents from the £ shop and unwanted xmas gifts and my friends and I pass kids clothes around, but this is different and we all know it) and suggest to me that this women is in a bit of a state. They remind me of the gifts I've had off elderly relatives when they're sliding into dementia.
If not, then she is officially the world's worst present giver and you must treat it with humour and good grace.

foreverondiet · 19/06/2011 09:37

Brand new magazines with gift attached totally fine, second hand ones or coat a bit weird! But maybe she can't afford to buy anything?

BulletWithAName · 19/06/2011 09:46

YADBU. Who gives used comics as a gift?! Very odd. You could easily go the pound shop and pick up some pencils and a couple of colouring books for next to nothing.

BulletWithAName · 19/06/2011 09:46

*YADNBU that should say!

ThisIsJustASagaNow · 19/06/2011 09:50

nethunsreject 'Yanbu, but on MN you must be grateful if someone wraps a turd and gives it as a gift.' ROFLGrin How true.

Yanbu How strange to keep such old comics and then to give them as a presentConfused I mean ok to pass them on but not gift wrapped as a birthday gift.

Yanbu about the coat either as you'd already said no thank you. I give dc's clothes to friends when we have sort outs and also gladly receive them but it's polite to ask first. It's only helpful if it's needed. If not it's a bag of someone else's stuff you've got to find time to take to a charity shop.

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 09:59

My friend was really short of money, and gave dd a lovely new ITNG magazine and it had a lovely gift inside, she was well chuffed. That is fine, a used one that is 6 years old is not!

ThisIsJustASagaNow · 19/06/2011 10:06

A new comic is a lovely presentSmile.

Sadly they are so expensive now that they really are only a very occasional treat for my dc. Why do they have to so £ anyway??Sad

I remember buying a comic every week with my pocket money and it wasn't expensive. I loved my weekly comic. They've always got toys on them now. That's getting away from the point of what they are imo. (Sorry getting off original topic there)

pigletmania · 19/06/2011 10:08

They are so expensive ThisIs about £2.50 so it really is a very rare treat.

PinkCarBlueCar · 19/06/2011 11:42

I think defineme has got it - I mean, really, who the actual fuck keeps kids magazines for six whole years?

Who would keep their DC's magazines for six whole years, look at them, and think, "oh, they'll do nicely for my friend's SN DS". Really? You've kept your child's magazines for six years and now you think they're good for someone else's kid?

I'm not even interested in whether she's like this with other people's DC, just keeping kid's magazines for six years suggests MH issues or at very least extreme eccentricity. Just too bloody weird, and I say that as hoarder myself.

SloganLogan · 19/06/2011 12:11

YANBU. Nice gift from a charity shop - fine. Your own cast-offs - not fine.

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