Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU regarding DH's Christmas present to me.

125 replies

Yourefired · 13/01/2012 19:33

Ok get the biscuits ready. DH hates shopping and is not very good at it when required to do so. Fast forward to Christmas. I've done all present buying, including my own (I prefer this as I like to get stuff I want at good price). Bought myself some M&S pyjamas, some socks, a £12 scarf and some make-up that I would have bought anyway but just wrapped for something to open in front of family. DH told very clearly I would like some £35 perfume, it's name and where to get it. This was all he had to do. He arrives home on Christmas eve with three libertys bags and puts under tree. I say nothing, wider family staying with us, wrong time etc. Open on christmas morning, there is a cardigan, a scarf and some soap. Soap, fine I can live with, but clothes all wrong for me. Explain very nicely I'd like to return and can I have receipts. Got these this morning as was going in with friend to exchange purchases today. After he'd left for work looked at cost. Cardigan and scarf equalled £1102. I felt sick, we cannot afford this and he knows I'm saving up to buy a piano for the family. Left a very impolite message on his mobile, and went to libertys with friend where all they would do is give me a credit note to be used in 6 months. We hunted round but nothing obvious that was me or my comfortable price bracket. To explain this expenditure will not place us in debt or financial ruin, but delays things like getting piano, cheaper holiday etc. All he could say was I wanted to spoil you. All I can think is it's irresponsible, lazy impulse buying on Christmas eve at a shop I have never shown any interest in on items I have never asked for. Incidentally if anyone is a libertys fan I am happy to sell the credit note for £800.

OP posts:
LivingDead · 13/01/2012 20:37

Shock I think he was being a bit of a twonk. If dp ever did this I would be bereft at all of the useful wanted stuff I could have bought for that amount of money, ipad, total wardrobe makeover.

I think like other posters have said, selling the credit note is the way to go, but use the money for things that you really do want.

LivingDead · 13/01/2012 20:39

Blimey fatima that is one ugly cardigan.

aurynne · 13/01/2012 20:40

Yourefired, I have a suggestion for you. Even though 1100GBP is definitely too much to spend at one time, why don't you stock on prezzies for friends and families (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new arrivals...)? This way you would not have to buy a single present probably in years, so in the long term you would end up saving money, as you'd avoid future price hikes.

ISayHolmes · 13/01/2012 20:41

Damn shame about the piano fund though :( You never know OP, you may find an absolutely beautiful pieces for your house. Maybe see this as a decorating opportunity?

I like aurynne's idea too.

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 20:41

I would have been delighted.

FatimaLovesBread · 13/01/2012 20:45

Oooh you could buy rhino or egg cup

Sorry, i'm getting distracted by the Liberty site now.

I would have gone mad! It's so far out from your suggested present and it's price. But if you can sell the credit note that not too bad

Maybe loiter in Liberty one day and track down someone spending mega bucks then do an exchange before they get to the till

grograg · 13/01/2012 20:47

ShockShockShockShockShock

YANBU

I have nothing else to say.

midlandsnightnannybabysitter · 13/01/2012 20:47

I am with you op, I had similar issue with Dh & my Xmas present although cost was less (£100). I took it straight back for a refund and although he was trying to be nice I was not impressed - I had specifically told him NOT to get this certain thing for me! Men!!!!

crunchbag · 13/01/2012 20:48

If it is the cardigan Fatima linked to, I would shoot DH Shock

aurynne's idea is good.

treadonthecracks · 13/01/2012 20:50

YANBU

I send DH a link to the exact present, at a shop where he can order online and have it delivered. Failsafe.

AntlersInAllOfMyDecorating · 13/01/2012 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yourefired · 13/01/2012 20:55

Fatima. The same brand. Only brown/grey colour with buttons up the front, and more expensive. Vile.

OP posts:
AKissIsNotAContract · 13/01/2012 20:56

I was right with you until you said you tried to return a mulberry bag.

FatimaLovesBread · 13/01/2012 20:58

Wowzas (never used that word before)

I looked at the scarves, I was worrying he'd bought you one of the one's or £445! But if you're cardigan was more than that then at least the scarf was ok (ish) priced Grin

droves · 13/01/2012 20:59

Was it an alexander mcqueen scarf ? . If so , yabvu .

But yanbu about the cardigan. Liberty cardies are a bit frumpy imo .

Figgyrolls · 13/01/2012 20:59

Have you seen if liberty's sell piano's?

BeaOnSea · 13/01/2012 21:02

Any chance he needs reading glasses? He might have thought the tag said £102 or even £10.20 Grin

Yourefired · 13/01/2012 21:04

Scarf was £260 by some Italian sounding individual. Thanks for making me laugh. At one point we actually considered the rhino as it seemed good value, until sanity prevailed. Agree that I was being unreasonable re mulberry handbag.

OP posts:
FatimaLovesBread · 13/01/2012 21:09

I've just fallen in love with a rather beautiful guinea pig egg cup Grin

droves · 13/01/2012 21:13

i think you should blow the lot on the posh chocolate and novelty egg cups , and a handbag or two ?

angel1976 · 13/01/2012 21:15

Yourefired You sound like me (except for the Mulberry thing! Grin) and your DH sounds like my DH... except after some pearl earrings incident and lilies ("your favourite flowers, right? "Uh... No..."), he doesn't really dare to buy me anything spontaneous.

I know how you feel, I really do. I'm a complete bargain hunter too and doesn't need anything expensive... DH bought me a hoodie I choose for Christmas (fair enough, I said that was enough) but I got some rubbish presents for Christmas. Felt a bit sorry for myself and went out and bought myself a beautiful leather bag in TK Maxx (so less than £100) in the post-Christmas sale, came home and DH had bought me a Mulberry bag I had been hankering after for a while but would never buy for myself. P.S. We won't get in debt either but we are spending a lot of money doing up our house so I do feel a bit like 'Oh, that's two blinds and a curtain for bedrooms!' Grin

However, I do appreciate the sentiment as he knew how hard I worked to make Christmas wonderful for the family. Is there really nothing you want in Libertys?

angel1976 · 13/01/2012 21:17

Oh, I love that rhino. I live in greater London and I don't go into Libertys much but I remember that rhino... :) Surely we can find something nice for the OP to buy from Libertys?

TheParanoidAndroid · 13/01/2012 21:18

1100 pounds sterling? My car cost less than that! On a sodding cardigan? I did not know that was even possible.

northerngoldilocks · 13/01/2012 21:21

OP- I'm going to have a 2nd look at a sofa tmrw in Libertys. If I buy it (likely) happy to pay you £800 for the credit note!

Swipe left for the next trending thread