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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To enjoy this barmy collection of birthday presents from MIL?

68 replies

DorothyBastard · 04/09/2013 07:27

I am extremely lucky to have a completely brilliant MIL (a fact in reminded of every time I read a thread about someone else's batshit crazy MIL on here). I landed on my feet, especially given the fact I fell pregnant only 5 weeks after meeting her son. She has been nothing but kind, warm, welcoming, and good company; and is an excellent Nana to my DD.

However, her choice of gifts is, erm, unique. To say the least. She seems to have a habit of giving me an 'eclectic mix' of little things - at Christmas everything was red and included a pack of paper napkins as a particular highlight.

Today is my birthday. Her present to me (all presented in a beautiful gift bag) consists of the following:

  • small box of daim mikado (yum)
  • small box of cheese crumbles (double yum)
  • two 'snack packs', one of dried fruit, one of nuts
  • handbag sized pack of tissues
  • hamster shaped post it notes (I don't own any pets and have never expressed any interest in hamsters, love a good post it though)
  • (the piece de resistance) a foam, half-face ladybird mask.

All topped off with a card that says on the front "happy birthday oh gorgeous one".

So AIBU to eat daim bar mikados for breakfast while wearing a ladybird mask and writing myself little hamster-based post it notes, all the while wiping away my years of joy using my little pack of tissues?

OP posts:
HorraceTheOtter · 04/09/2013 08:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Weegiemum · 04/09/2013 08:09

I wish my mil would buy me stuff like that. As it is, she usually tries to buy me clothes but has a sad preference for sequins.

Though for Christmas last year she got me this map I'm a geography teacher and a bit map obsessed - so I luffs her and her shiny clothes!

*disclaimer: she is batshit crazy about other stuff on a regular basis

AngryGnome · 04/09/2013 08:19

My MIL does the same! One Christmas I received 14 (14!) nail varnishes, a bic biro, a pair of socks, some speech bubble post it's, and a party popper. Just one party popper. All beautifully wrapped and in a lovely gift bag. I love my MIL!

EsTutMirLeid · 04/09/2013 08:23

Happy birthday! Grin

Bunnygotwhacked · 04/09/2013 08:37

She sounds lovely Happy birthday and have a great day enjoying your presents. I've just put novelty Christmas tissues onto the dc's christmas stocking list

ILoveAFullFridge · 04/09/2013 08:52

I received a folding bucket from MIL for my birthday one year. I suspect that her thought processes have moved on from "Oh, this will do" to "I wonder whether FullFridge would like one of these?" Which is a major improvement!

Enjoy Grin, Happy Birthday.

(Write her a thank you note on one of the postits!)

Nellelephant · 04/09/2013 08:53

Happy Birthday. Your presents made me chuckle, at least they are all useful, ok maybe not the ladybird mask! My MIL is pretty good at presents, it's my mum that's awful. I had a garlic card for Christmas. A pink curved piece of plastic with one side looking a bit like a grater, I had to phone her up to ask what it was!

Hugglepuff · 04/09/2013 08:53

Not MIL ! But funniest wedding present was a tea towel and tray with 'I've been to Barbados ' written on them . Hadn't been there at all, but I guess DH's cousins were stuck about what we might like :)

D0G · 04/09/2013 08:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QuintessentialOldDear · 04/09/2013 08:57

Excellent present!

She has given you not just joy, but the gift of your baby giggling and laughing at you! Smile

DoItTooJulia · 04/09/2013 08:59

Oh, I get 'stock' gifts from mine. Sometimes I get the same gift for my birthday that I got for Christmas.

Last year it was a glass nail file and hand cream for Christmas. And birthday.

I've always thought she wasn't that keen on me!

shockers · 04/09/2013 09:00

DOG [shocked]

OP, if I didn't love my MIL so much, I'd come and steal yours so she could buy me a ladybird mask too!

shockers · 04/09/2013 09:00

Shock even!

GrimmaTheNome · 04/09/2013 09:00

Grin Fabulous. Not only made your DD laugh, but made everyone on MN who reads this thread smile. The world is a slightly better place for that eclectic mix. Smile

DorothyBastard · 04/09/2013 11:46

DP just said "well, they are Emma Bridgewater tissues..." Grin

OP posts:
liquidstate · 04/09/2013 12:04

My MIL is very similar. I get a stocking full of random stuff at christmas usually involving badgers Confused.

The classic gift was a new house number when we moved in. Handpainted ceramic, lovely it also has badgers on. She had asked the artist to depict two badgers entwined but what we got was two badgers humping. Hmm

Clobbered · 04/09/2013 12:09

Your MIL sounds great, and I bet she has fun picking out her barmy presents. My grandma used to do this - totally random stuff every time and we loved it. I do themed presents sometimes, usually for my sister. A recent one was gingerbread men - she even got some sort of cooking spatula with gingerbread men on. No particular reason other than I happened to spot a couple of related items and it went on from there. Her birthday is coming up and she's getting a bunch of oboe related items...

littlewhitebag · 04/09/2013 12:30

Happy birthday OP - your presents sound fab!

My DM does this with the eldest grandkids - makes up goody bags of things she thinks they will like, mostly sourced from the local pound shop.

My DD1 is 21 today and i know a bag is being assembled for her as we speak as she phoned to say she couldn't get Fererro Rocher chocs in the pound shop - would DD like a chocolate orange!!

I didn't ask what else she was putting in as it would spoil the surprise but previous items have included toilet rolls and bags of pasta!

SunshineMMum · 04/09/2013 13:11

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TooTabooToBoo · 04/09/2013 13:20

I'm going go turn into your MIL OP. I love doing gift baskets, lots of little presents that I spend ages choosing.

My friend once received a sellotape dispenser (no sellotape inc) from her mum FOR CHRISTMAS! Her mum was lovely, they had a good relationship but she was obv batshit! Grin

EarlyIntheMorning · 04/09/2013 13:23

That's wonderful. She obviously puts a lot of thought into the gifts she buys. You don't necessarily know what those thoughts were from the gifts but that's not the point Grin. I hope I will be like your MIL one day!!

MummyPig24 · 04/09/2013 13:39

Haha she sounds absolutely brilliant!

Happy birthday!!

UnexpectedStepmum · 04/09/2013 13:48

DorothyBastard what an excellent name!

Happy birthday Cake

diddl · 04/09/2013 13:56

Well it's all useful!

Happy Birthday!

We had one of those types of masks, only like this-Bear

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 04/09/2013 14:03

My daughters have recently acquired guinea pigs. I'd love to know where I could get guinea pig post it's to put in their stockings. MIL sounds great fun. Happy birthday.