AGAIN!
IABU in a way, I know that. You don't get to dictate what gifts you are given and you should be gracious in receipt BUT..I hate cut flowers, always have, I've never really understood the point, they are ridiculously expensive, usually don't look particularly natural, have ethical/environmental dodginess. In my case, they make me sneeze and they hardly get looked at as I'm out all the time, and I have to put them high out of DCs reach and therefore normally somewhere a bit odd.
I have just received a bouquet by post from PIL for my birthday - again. Addressed to Mrs DH's name 
. I didn't take his name and DCs are a double barreled mine-his. We've been married nearly a decade and have 2 DCs. I have got flowers from them at nearly every event and each time have tried to be polite but indicate I'd rather go without a gift. A year or so ago I got so fed up I insisted DH talk to FIL and he's sure he was very clear - but here they are again. They never, ever ask what I would like, and have made no effort to get to know me so would have no idea.
My birthday is not going to be fun. We have no spare cash (we are in no way on a low income but childcare, car and house maintenance have nearly broken us over the last few months), we can't go out for a meal or get a takeaway, have no family nearby and the weather is going to be rubbish. I dread to think what they've spent on flowers that could have been not spent, or given and = a real treat for us. One of our outgoings is £100/month to them to pay off a loan they gave us to help with car costs so this is just laughably pointless.
I know IABU to be so het up and cross, I'm low, stressed about cash and hormonal. Aargh