Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I cannot wrap all presents for the ILs in 90 minutes

36 replies

manchestermummy · 18/12/2014 11:58

I have this afternoon off work. By the time I get home and have my lunch, I will have 90 minutes before I need to get the DC from school as I'm taking them somewhere this afternoon.

DH has requested that I wrap ALL his family presents in that time: several boxes of biccies; wine (which to be fair just needs bagging but because he nicked one for an unexpected present I am now short); five childrens' presents; his sister's gifts.

I haven't had any time to replenish wrap/ribbon etc. That's was tomorrow's job when I have the whole day at my disposal.

He took the day off the other week to "clear out the garage" but actually spent the day drinking tea watching Netflix. Which is absolutely okay by me (the garage was done at the weekend in the end) as we all need time to ourselves.

He just wants to avoid bothering taking these gifts to his very local family and as he's seeing him mum tonight, has decided presents are to go to hers later.

I'm cross.

He's not normally this thoughtless but 90 minutes!!! That's IT. I was intending to drink tea and watch Netflix, thank you very much.

Xmas Angry
OP posts:
TeWiSavesTheDay · 18/12/2014 11:59

Don't do it.

He's not the boss of you.

arlagirl · 18/12/2014 11:59

Why are you wrapping his family's gifts?
But yes I could do that in an hour

HalfATankini · 18/12/2014 11:59

Well don't do it then. Just tell him you're doing it tomorrow and he'll have to take them another day.

Fudgeface123 · 18/12/2014 12:01

Tell him to do it himself!

Goingintohibernation · 18/12/2014 12:01

I'm fairly sure you could do it in that time, but why the hell should you? Enjoy your tea and Netflix!

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 18/12/2014 12:01

So tell him no?
It is not down to you to do it all. For the last 10 years I have wrapped every gift that has entered this house. This year I said I am not able to do them all myself, and do you know what? DH has done 50%, and done them very well.
So tell your DH to crack on with them.

plinkyplonks · 18/12/2014 12:03

I wrapped all the Christmas presents for his and my family in under an hour :/ Don't think it's impossible

Real issue is husband organising your time ;)

VitalStollenFix · 18/12/2014 12:05

Why hasn't he wrapped the gifts for his relatives?

tell him to naff off and do it himself!

Original poster
manchestermummy · 18/12/2014 12:08

Oh believe, I'm not doing it. I am also going to eat the last mince pie when I get home to sit on my backside.

I curl ribbon etc. and there are about 20 presents. Irregularly shaped. I am clearly not very good at it!

I need that elf from "Arthur Christmas" to come to my rescue.

OP posts:
NotYouNaanBread · 18/12/2014 12:10

Just say no.

90 mins is ample to wrap all that, but not if you have to restock your wrapping paper and ribbon during that time too.

Original poster
manchestermummy · 18/12/2014 12:16

It's times like this when I am thankful that my only family (aside from DH and the DC) are my parents, who are happy with vouchers.

OP posts:
YoullLikeItNotaLot · 18/12/2014 12:17

I could wrap that in 90mins. I would just to a basic wrap though and only add ribbons etc once everything was wrapped.

I wrap my husband's relatives' presents. He untagles the Christmas lights and has taken my nan to the garden ecntre for her tree. Not everything has to split down the middle.

I'd just see it as doing him a favout to be honest.

3bunnies · 18/12/2014 12:18

Another man who still believes in the wrapping fairy! IF you wanted to you could buy more wrapping stuff so he can do it later. Why not get the whole family wrapping later on. It might not be perfect but I now get my primary school children to wrap their friends' presents now. If there are four of you wrapping it will be much quicker.

Pickitup · 18/12/2014 12:23

You shouldnt have to do it.
End of.

Xmasbaby11 · 18/12/2014 12:26

That wouldn't take me 90 mins!you can do it while watching TV and having a cuppa.

Not a big deal imo and one of the mire enjoyable chores!

ZenNudist · 18/12/2014 12:30

I could easily wrap a load of presents in that time but why should you? Good to see you're taking a stand (or a sit down!). No matter how easy a task I really object to women taking on all the responsibility for gift shopping and wrapping.

What's he doing about the Christmas chores?

PicaK · 18/12/2014 12:30

It's not actually possible in that time. Say no.

MiaowTheCat · 18/12/2014 13:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RegTheMonkey1 · 18/12/2014 13:21

Bags of time! However in our house husband wraps the presents for his parents.

canweseethebunnies · 18/12/2014 13:28

If it takes you that long, you probably put a lot of effort into wrapping.

Don't do it. I bet you bought them all as well? I think my dp is hoping to get away with this kind of shit, but I'm not playing. He is responsible for choosing, buying and wrapping his own family's presents as far as I'm concerned.

CuttingOutTheCrap · 18/12/2014 13:29

Could do it in that time, even faster if you just bung the lot into gift bags! Or relax and let dh do it if you're not happy to

coppertop · 18/12/2014 13:34

Arrange the gift tags neatly on a flat surface to spell the words "sod" and "off".

5Foot5 · 18/12/2014 13:42

Not sure I could wrap 20 irregularly shaped presents in 90 minutes. Possibly I could but it would be a very close run thing. I must have taken that long the other nigt to wrap 6 or 7 for DH - mind you I did the whole curly ribbon / little rosette / ribbon round the parcel swear at the bastard sellotape that kept healing up so I couldn't find the end thing.

YANBU. Tell him to wrap them himself. May be when he realises how time-consuming it can be he will be a bit more thoughtful about it another year.

And invest in a sellotape dispenser

MsAspreyDiamonds · 18/12/2014 14:31

Why couldn't he have watched netflix & wrapped the gifts! Don't do it otherwise you will be lumbered with this job for the rest of your life.

CrapBag · 18/12/2014 14:47

I only wrap the presents for my family, DH and DCs. As everything down to DCS presents and even buying their cards is down to me, I refuse point blank to wrap his sides presents or even do their cards. I used to write their cards but they rarely got given so I don't bother now. Cue him running around asking if we have any cards left 10 minutes before we have to see his family.

He has had time to do it, he has not bothered so why should you. It would only take him 1 hour on an evening.