She gave him 2 x £1 toys from Poundland.
Now I know it's not about the money, it's the thought that counts - but that's the problem, there doesnt appear to have been any thought!
The toys are cheap tack and one is definitely more a girls toy.
It just seems she has gone for the cheapest, easy option, not thought about what DS might actual want/need/like, they weren't even wrapped and there was no card.
And just for the record, she could afford to spend more on him if she wanted - she is in a very good full time permanent job, pays very little rent on her own pad, owns a house which she rents out, and has no other responsibilities (no partner, children, pets, car, etc.).
She could have also put more time / thought into his gifts - I would rather her have made him something which would have been more personal or quite frankly not even bothered as what she did give just seems a bit pointless / pathetic (sorry, I know I sound ungrateful but I just know she could - and maybe should - have tried a bit harder as she knows it means a lot to me).
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not materialistic or a snob (there is nothing wrong with Poundland - I shop there myself occassionally and that's how I know the gifts were from there!!). I'm by no means loaded either, I do like a bargain, am sensible when it comes to money, come from a working class background etc etc. but this has just upset me a little.
She has been my best friend for years and I have helped her out in many ways in the past including financially (I have lent her money when she really needed it), practically (ie. when she moved house), emotionally (when her relationship broke down), etc etc. - all of which I of course don't mind doing, that's what friends are for.
I just feel a bit miffed about this, plus she didnt even come to the Christening in the end saying she had family stuff to do instead (even though the date had been in her diary for weeks).
AIBU?
AIBU?
To be a bit miffed by what my best friend got DS for his Christening?
PaperandNuts · 23/07/2013 12:36
Hehe Blonde I read that as "cheap sex toy" 
I was unaware that it was expected etiquette to give a present at a Christening unless you were the Godparent. She may not have thought that she was expected to bring anything, but did make an effort to bring a token gift in apology for not attending rather than giving a "Christening Gift".
You don't say what the "family stuff" was OP, but is there any chance that it was something really important that she wasn't aware of before, say a relative in hospital?
Yanbu. And how they were presented seems odd too; no card, not wrapped. Did she get them on the way there?
I would always at least take a card to a something like a christening.
But as usual on MN thou shalt not expect regarding gifts blah blah..has anyone said you're entitled yet?
You're not btw. I'd be hurt and confused too.
Agree with MrsKeith's earlier post.
Thank you for all your responses - well most of them!
A lot were pretty predictable actually; going off on tangents, not reading the thread/post properly but still feeling the need to contribute, trying to debate the wrong thing (ie. this was not about whether a child should be Christened or not, or whether there is such a thing as a girls or boys toy!), etc etc. Typical Mumsnet.
MrsKeithRichards summed it up perfectly actually (thanks!) 
I (obviously!) agree with those of you who are also nice, normal, sane, rational people who said I was not being unreasonable - I knew this, it's just nice to have back-up!
For the record, the invites did not mention gifts at all and they of course were not asked for or expected. However, a lot of people asked us for ideas on what they could buy DS. When we said we didn't expect anything they replied along the lines of 'of course we're going to get him a gift', 'we want to get him something', 'it's tradition'.
All those who were invited (except this friend) gave beautiful, thoughtful cards & presents which were gratefully received and mean a lot.
I guess it's the same with occassions such as weddings, birthdays, retirements, engagements, etc. - the main reason for having them / celebrating them is not for a party or for presents, though the majority do end up including them.
Besides, I said from the start, I would rather her got him nothing or maybe made him something which could have been cheaper but much more personable and thoughtful than give him what she did which suggests no thought, time, or effort was spent so to me is pointless.
I have been thinking about the friend in question a lot actually and I can think of a fair few occassions where she has upset / disappointed me, let me down, been selfish, and/or unreliable (and no, not all these were about gifts!!). I do think she can be thoughtless sometimes, and a bit of a miser!!
Everyone is different though, and I guess some of what is important to me is not important to her.
Anyway, thanks again for all your reponses; I knew I was right and not being unreasonable!
Case closed!
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