Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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:
Dawndonnaagain · 04/09/2013 14:08

Oh dear, I'm always buying novelty tissues and handing packets to all and sundry!

RiffyWammal · 04/09/2013 14:09

I am jealous of all those with thoughtful MILs. My MIL's mantra seems to be 'that'll do for her'. Every year I get a box of cherry liqueur chocolates. I hate them. She has never inquired whether I like them or indeed what chocolate I do like. For my first Christmas with DH, when I was a fashionable 20 year old, she gave me an old ladies' style shopping bag and a pair of pop socks. Hmm

She also gives me cards with my name spelled in any arrangement of the letters that make up my name.

Wineandchoccy · 04/09/2013 14:35

Happy Birthday Dorothy!

My MIL buys the same presents for me and my SIL, we think its funny as she must look out for buy one get one free offers and she must think we don't ask what each other got.

My Mums presents are always really random and if you mention you need/want something you will get it, but you could have mentioned it in January and get it for Christmas so you will have long since forgotten about it!

MorphyBrown · 04/09/2013 14:39

Happy Birthday! Your MIL sounds brilliant. Totally bizarre, but brilliant.

Original poster
DorothyBastard · 04/09/2013 16:13

It's worth mentioning that the guinea pig post its are in the shape of a guinea pig Smile

OP posts:
prettybird · 04/09/2013 16:17

At least you get on with your MiL and she does appear to put some strange thought in to her presents :)

There is one MNer (can't remember who) who got knicker elastic for her birthday Shock

WheresMyCow · 04/09/2013 16:29

Happy Birthday Dorothy, have some Flowers, Cake and Wine...they sound like great presents and the sort of thing I could imagine my MIL buying Grin

pigsDOfly · 04/09/2013 16:42

Your MIL sounds lovely. Sometimes these kind of presents are the best ones.

Last Xmas my one of my daughters came up with the idea that all our present to immediate family (including partners) should only come from the 99p shop.

It was brilliant. Shopping was stress free and everybody seemed very pleased with what they got - some funny some practical. Certainly the men in the family had great fun playing with their guns and bows and arrows (the type with suction pads) all afternoon. Certainly added to the general hilarity of the day.

pigsDOfly · 04/09/2013 16:42

Oops. Happy birthday OP.

DuckToWater · 04/09/2013 16:44

MIL buys us all a selection of small items for Christmas, as well as a main present. One of the little presents was industrial rubber gloves Hmm

SubliminalMassaging · 04/09/2013 16:44

She sounds fantastically nuts and just generally fantastic. Grin You are very lucky. My MIL has very bizarre taste in gifts as well, although they are not as imaginative and fun as yours!

SubliminalMassaging · 04/09/2013 16:46

This actually a really great idea for Christmas presents. Jut a random, motley assortment of fun but useful little things that can be re-gifts, built up over the year, don't need to cost a fortune but will put a smile on everyone's face. I might nick the idea.

UserError · 04/09/2013 17:12

Oh! I give presents like that. It's usually because I don't have much money and I'll pick up little bits and pieces I think the person might like.

Celadorthepinksequineddragon · 04/09/2013 18:16

My DF's exgirlfriend bought me the following one year for Christmas;

Jalapeno chilli favoured jellies
Small CD case in the shape of a red PVC jacket complete with fake chains
Sheet of teddy bear stickers

I was 25 Grin

SmiteYouWithThunderbolts · 04/09/2013 18:19

Dammit, my MIL buys really good presents and now I'm jealous of all these completely bonkers ones!

Ericaequites · 04/09/2013 18:32

Many happy returns on your birthday
. One Christmas, I gave various friends and relations glasses repair kits I had bought very cheap in addition to nicer gifts. They come in so handy. All these people wore or had children/spouse who needed glasses. Who says presents must be serious?

stealthsquiggle · 04/09/2013 18:39

OP is there a theme in there that you are failing to spot?

Original poster
DorothyBastard · 04/09/2013 20:08

Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone Smile

Stealth ooh, perhaps there is a theme, any suggestions what it could possibly be?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page