aibu to be freaking out about christmas?

[BuggerLumpsAnnoyed]

I know I know it's only november. BUT my dad has come up for a visit and my sister had sent up her christmas presents to us...and, well...i peeked. I know i shouldn't of but i did. On first glance it was a pair of slippers and I thought "aww thats nice" then i saw they were fatface and thought "oh they must of been dear". THEN I saw a bag at the bottom full of truffles and an ENTIRE SET of bare minerals make up. My sister is wonderful and we love eachother very much. DH and i have no spare money. None. I have a sister and he has FOUR brothers most with wonderful partners. All of which are thoughtful, lovely people with some disposapel income who buy wonderful gifts. We are both poor and unimaganitive. And bad at spelling.

So aibu because christmas is making me panic? Yes, very lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people who just want to show us they care but so frustrated at our lack our complete lack of resources to do anything simliar and yes i know christmas isnt all about gifts but but it would still be nice to turn up with something

How about home made fudge, shortbread? That is what i'll be doing.

What a lovely gift from your sister. Do you think she was trying to spoil you as she knows money is tight? My sister was skint a few years ago so I spoiled her & would have loved the suggestion of a photo album with photos you'd chosen etc in it. I'd get her something cheap that shows how much you love her. Or if I bought my sister a tenners worth of Dairy Milk she'd be thrilled!

I have big love for anyone that makes me Christmas chutney.

They know they have more money than you and want to treat you all the same.

Nice people don't give to receive so don't worry.

The only people that have to worry are those who only comment on a thread to point out petty errors, Santa won't be going down their chimney this year.

Indigo: Rude and massively unhelpful.

Not unhelpful if the OP takes it on board, is it?

Why should she want to take it on board. This is a chat forum and she's come on for a natter about Christmas presents.

I have sisters with very different incomes to me. For what it's worth Id be thrilled to receive something thoughtful that required physical effort or time that I don't have than a £500 handbag.

We only buy for spouses, our own children, godchildren and get a group sibling present for our parents. Anyone planning to be at my parents house at Christmas gets a kriskindle/Secret Santa to buy for with a £50 limit. Even £10 a head adds up to a lot of money on tat, which is worse.

My favourite gift from my SIL was when she was really struggling financially and gave each family a deep ikea frame containing all the names interlocking in scrabble tiles like this one: www.rocketandco.co.uk/Rocket&co/Scrabble.html
You can get the tiles on ebay. it meant a lot that she took the time to do it.

Well said harold I hate these people with small lives trying to make someone feel rubbish to make up for their own inadequacy

I've never had time to sort out a wedding album photo book style. I'd love some framed pics of my kids. Homemade chutney or cranberry sauce would be lovely for Christmas. I don't want "things", I want time..

I want a pot of scented bulbs not expensive creams or perfumes I might not like and def won't use.

I have two v v v high income friends (by MNstandards, not mega rich, lots of staff types). Every year one sibling who is childless gives the other a long weekend of child sitting. There is no cash present on earth that could compensate for that in her eyes!!
Best present I ever saw?a homemade recipe book of family recipes

God I'd love that!

AesSedai: Thanks for quoting me but my point stands. The comment made by Indigo was not helpful to OP as she asked for advice on how to make her sister's Christmas special, not for SPAG advice.

Seriously, it pisses me off so much; I'm an English teacher and it breaks my heart to think that the sweet girls in my bottom set Y11 group might come on here one day with a genuine problem and be made to feel like shit because of their grammar or punctuation.

It doesn't make you look more educated or classy, just rude and a bit sad.

Sorry OP for derailing; as I said above, you seem lovely.

Well cherrypez, why not make sure they can write a simple phrase properly? That might help them more than your pity.

I want to know more about the little rats that twentyten loved as a child...

yeah - because it's that easy indigo18!
knobber!

sorry for hijack OP

Why is it difficult??? Teach them to do it properly. Over and over. I am a teacher. If I need to teach something, I do. It is important to avoid these mistakes.
No need for name-calling.

*Indigo: Rude and massively unhelpful.

Not unhelpful if the OP takes it on board, is it?*

I can see it now. the OP reads Indigo's helpful post and suddenly sees the light about all those should haves. From that moment on not an errant "of" passes from her fingers or lips. At work, her boss notices. he is a sexy italian billionaire and this sudden improvement from colloquial to formal piques his interest. Pretty soon ... no wait, OP is married. Ok, her boss notices. He is a short squat conservative businessman who judges people by their grammar. pretty soon he decides to promote her and not long after she is running a billion dollar corporatation and can hire a personal shopper for Christmas.

And it is all due to Indigo.

Children with learning difficulties will struggle all their lives, no matter how many times they are taught. You must be an amazing teacher.....

The OP had already stated she was bad at spelling, your comment was uncalled for.

Again OP apologies...... hope you have a lovely Christmas!

I'm a former English teacher indigo and see nothing positive in your response to the OP. I set high store on writing but you're just being patronising.

To the OP: your family sound great and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas.

It's unkind when someone writes a post that can be summarised as 'I feel inferior' and a poster says nothing about it except 'your grammar is bad, too.'

OP: Try not to worry. Be small scale but creative

at Canyouforgive

I think the family recipe book is a brilliant idea.

Sorry fell asleep

Thank you all for the lovely replies. Really made me feel so much better. I can't tell you how much.

(And sorry about the gramatical mistakes, my dad was here and I wrote it in a wine fuelled rush so as not to ignore him )

But honestly, thank you so much you wonderful, beautiful people.

Tell everyone else you aren't doing gifts this year and make your sister something nice.

I am one of 4 siblings, OH is one of 6. We have 10 nieces and nephews, plus several wonderful BIL's / SIL's, both sets of parents, our own DS and a baby on the way there is no way we can afford to buy for everyone.

We only do the kids and that works for us.

I so want a collection of little rats for christmas. It's going on my list.

I only want the rats if they are wearing Christmas outfits.

12 rats. One for every month. Dressed in outfits to correspond with each month. Like a tiny little rat calender.