To think if mil wanted to spend £250 on us she could have chosen better than a...

[lecce]

2ft tall black and white framed print of John Lennon, taken c.1968 with Yoko in the background.

I love John Lennon, dh not so much. However, mil had no idea whether either of us likes him- was happily surprised to find I do. Much as I do, I don't want this gift. It is huge. It will dominate which ever room we put it in.

To make matters worse, we are trying to sell our house so it really can't go up now. It seems we may have found a buyer but, when we do move, the fun of decorating the new home, arranging furniture etc will be totally spoilt by having to accomodate this picture.

WWBU to 'accidentally' break it while moving? I cringe when I think about the amount she spent on it - why, without having any sense that we would like/want it? It was a joint birthday present. I do not expect to have anywhere near that amount spent on me and would be more than happy with a card. But. But - if she was going to spend that amount there is so much we could have had that would have been either useful or a lovely treat (money is fairly tight - certainly wouldn't spend that amount without thinking very carefully first.)

Tbh, I see it as another example of her controlling behaviour.

Could you sell it? And then "lose" it in the move?

Ebay it!

would you be able to sell it to get some of the money back then tell her it unfortunately got damaged during the house move?? if she never finds out then it wont hurt her will it..

That is a very odd present, unless you where known fans, which you're not Sell it discreetly.

eBay it and say the movers lost it, or preferably, when you move tell her you have no place for it and ask her to exchange it for you

Actually - Ebay it and then when she asks her where it is tell her she can't see it because it's in your bedroom and your bondage kit is also in there and you're sure she'll respect your privacy. Plus the swing and the whips take up so much space there isn't any room for two people to stand and look at it unless you're naked and wrapped together.

hmm difficult because she's being generous with the cost of the gift but rather a bad choice.

i'm not sure what i'd do other than put it in the attic.

my dbrother gave us an awful photo for our wedding present. lovely thought and all, but it was actually a very depressing photo. i'm still a bit why they chose it. it's in our attic.

What Northernlurker said.

We had a similar problem; MIL gave us a very random print for Christmas (can't say more because I don't want to out myself). Every week she would ask whether it was up yet...

We ended up hanging it in the upstairs corridor. Guests are not likely to see it there, but it isn't hidden behind a door either so MIL isn't too upset.

Downstairs loo?

Could you very diplomatically ask her to exchange it for a print more in keeping with your decor?

Tell her your love it but your DH is getting jealous of your obsession with zjohn Lennon and it is putting him off his stride. So, regrettably, in the interest of producing some / some more grandchildren for her you will have to get rid of it.

If you really don't like it then your Dh should tell his mum.

If he explains that it was an expensive gift that was very generous of her, but you have nowhere to put it as it's massive, and you aren't really big fans,and you don't want to waste her money, maybe she will appreciate your honesty?

I'd have it but i've not got £250

Hmm, maybe she got it on sale somewhere. Agree with Springforward, perhaps you could ask her.
I don't think you can eBay it. At least if it's in the attic you can pull it out of she asks.

My in laws are always buying us prints by a local artist (their town and therefore DH's birthplace)... It's like a North Wales invasion on my South East England home. I hate them, DH doesn't mind them. But we have to put them up because they're a gift and they will be offended. Sigh!

I don't know why people buy art, prints, photographs etc... as gifts because what we chose to put in our homes is so personal.

I'm a chicken, I put these prints up. But I so would not be putting John Lennon up.

I think you win, OP.

eBay it.

Thank you for the replies - loving Northernlurker's solution .

She didn't get it on sale - she told us the price and she got it from a pub that has a load of simialr ones uo. Tht is another reason I don't like it - it belongs in a pub, not someone's home.

I would have actually killed someone for it 20 years ago, though .

2' tall doesn't sound like it would dominate any room it was put in. Ebay otherwise. Did you mean 10' tall?

What an odd..and very specific present to give someone!Did she get it from someone else and offload it on to you?Or does she usually give random stuff like that?

Tell her Yoko's eyes are following you around the room and freaking you out :)

How do you know she spent £250 on it? I can't understand how it could cost that much!

Accidentally leave it behind in the loft hidden under the boards when you move.

Or - do you have children ? One of them is bound to be scared of the picture or could easily be bribed to pretend to be .

YANBU. What a strange gift Are you sure she spent that much? Personally, I would say thank you and put it up somewhere a bit out of the way like in a cupboard in the hallway. Maybe, she just thinks its fantastic but couldn't justify buying it for herself so thought she would buy it for her wonderful DS and wonderful DDIL, and knowing that you aretont flush with cash at the moment would appreciate the extravagance of it .....

well, you never know.