A playpen as a Christmas present???

[lurkinginthenorth]

MIL bought a playpen for our DD a few months ago when she was a newborn. We intend to use it in an area of our house to keep her safe when we're in that particular room. MIL bought this as a Christmas present. At the time, I wondered who it was for - 'us' her parents or DD.

Fast forward a few months and MIL has asked for a list for DS (a list of presents she can choose from as she doesn't understand/know what to buy for him and also to stop us all duplicating!) I said I would and asked if she had finished DD's shopping as I had (all 3 presents!) She said she thinks so as she has a doll for her and the playpen!

It did make me think WTF? A playpen as a Christmas present??? it's a fucking 'baby jail' intended to keep her safe from harm not a friggin' toy that she'll get excited about. Still, whoever it is intended for, I am very grateful for it!!

MIL is a bit notorious for presents. She is very thoughtful in her own way and buys us many gifts. but the wrapped gifts are things such as: a packet of clothes pegs, batteries, tea towels, a shower cap, socks (fair enough, most people get those!), but clothes pegs?!?!?!?

AIBU for thinking a playpen isn't really a present for a baby? (More like a gift for us to contain the whirlwind that we have produced).

For what it is worth, 'we' as in me and DH aren't actually bothered about receiving presents but it does make me chuckle about the clothes pegs! I did use them by the way!

It's a baby ,less than a year old by Xmas. She won't know or care what she got. AND mil also got her a doll? wtf do you want?

I'd love a hoover as a xmas present. Bloody expensive they are. I like to keep my own cash for gin.

Think there's a certain irony in people giving a hard time based on bad DILness, when it turns out op has her MIL living in, after she was widowed.

Everyone needs a vent now and then. But fwiw, she sounds rather sweet. Wanna swap?

Sometimes practical presents are best. I bet your DD is inundated with toys.

My 2 year old is getting a coat from my mum for Christmas and a few bits of clothing and some boots from MIL. They'll both buy him a little toy as well, just a little thing to open. Personally I am chuffed to bits, saves me a fortune plus he will get too many toys anyway! So a playpen for Christmas, if we needed one, would be fab IMO!

I've heard of the following gift given to a child at Christmas:

A beautifully painted "time out" chair!

Just what they wanted!

I would have loved it if someone had bought a playpen for ds1 for xmas, we wanted one but couldn't afford it. The intention of the present is to help out, a baby will not take this personally. Mil got him some shirts that were aged 3-4 (he was two MO at the time). Sorry but YABU and a tad ungrateful at the very least.

dd1's first Christmas present from MIL was a high chair. I can assure you she appreciated it as much as any other present and it has not scarred her relationship with her.

Yabu. She's a baby.

Is a useful present.

Sounds like a sensible mil. Small present for dd (who will play with the wrapping paper anyway) but the main present something useful.

So you want & need a playpen, so that's good so not sure why you call it a "baby jail" as if it's something that you are opposed to & wouldn't use.

And MIL has got your daughter a doll for herfirst Christmas.

Sounds great.

We only bought our daughter one pressie for her first Christmas.

You must have a pretty uneventful life OP if this is what you're getting hysterical about. Poor MIL.

Wow. You are so ungrateful and unreasonable. She bought her a doll AND a playpen! Something that DD can play with AND something practical. I love practical gifts - rather than buying crap that you won't use and you've saved a few quid as you don't need to go buy it yourself. But seriously - baby jail? Good grief. Stop trying to find an issue where there is none.

I agree with every other posted so no need to repeat.
I have actually asked for a vacuum for Christmas. Nothing wrong with practical presents

Ah, I agree with the pp who said she feels sorry for you and the mil.
What a sorry state of affairs.
My mil used to ask what the dc wanted and buy, wrap and deliver to us to do what we wanted, either from FC or her.
It was normally 5 mins of a conversation.
Now she gives them money as they are older.

YABU Sounds like she is thinking practically about what you NEED. At that age your DD doesn't understand and tbh i'd rather have useful things than mounds of plastic tat that people buy little children these days.

DD definitely thought her play pen was a baby jail. It's weird because the older children loved sitting in it but DD became hysterical whenever I tried to put her in. I do think it's an odd present for a baby but she's young so won't notice.

Yabu. She's not even going to know what Christmas is. It saves you buying one and she's also going to have a doll to play with.

We're getting dd (10m) a passport for her Christmas she's not going anywhere til June but they're not cheap so rather buy that and some wee bits than a shower of plastic musical shite. Plus, baby jails are so handy, you might even get the chance to pee in peace you lucky thing

YABU. As so many others have said, your baby will neither know nor care. Our DS got a car seat for his first Christmas. He loved the wrapping paper.

My parents bought a playpen as a baby gift, we were very pleased. They even bought the bit that makes it a circus tent

Yabu

And yabu again for using a playpen.

She's a baby. We're getting our DD who will be 21 months old a new booster seat for the table, clothes, and some new cups.

As long as she gets a ball it'll be the best day ever for her.

Her first Christmas we did get her toys and she was just overwhelmed with all of the present opening and new things. She had more fun playing with the wrapping paper. I suspect she'll have more fun with the paper this year too.

I don't think you're complaining so I understand the raised eyebrow at a baby jail for Christmas. My friend has offered to buy his toddler grandson the second dose of the meningitis B vaccine; I did think that was a present the kid really wouldn't appreciate!

I guess it's a different way of thinking. I also will renew my kids passports this December as I get my bonus then. I can't even imagine thinking great that's the kids Christmas presents sorted. My brain just wouldn't even make that connection. To me that's like saying Happy Birthday DP, I paid the gas bill for you. My daughter was born a few days before Christmas so we didn't get her anything. I definitely didn't wrap up her Moses basket and car seat.

I think it's pretty normal to by practical presents for children so young they have no clue what's going on.

My niece was a new born last Christmas. I asked Sil what she wanted. Was vests and some other clothing bits. She will be 14 months this Christmas. Again, I will ask get her something practical that sil wants. I know but toys or something more fun for my nephew, because he is old enough o know what's going on.

Yabu. But you get that now.

Assuming mil lives with you as opposed to you living with her, I think you need to sort out why you feel the way you do. If you are going to be living together for a long time it's going to be difficult, if you get annoyed about things like this.