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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off *again* about my Christmas presents?

67 replies

WitchWay · 24/12/2015 23:05

We have just had a big boozy blowout roast dinner, in advance of DH's working on-call all Christmas. He & DS have been skiing for a week & returned this lunchtime. He has been twittering on about having to wrap my presents but he wanted to watch Top Gear (repeats) first & oh dear me now you're saying it's dinnertime (making it my fault, clearly), & now he's dozing as quite pissed.

I'm going to get things shoved into recycled gift bags again aren't I?

He buys lovely presents mostly, but the lack of organisation about actually making them into gifts that can be given to me pisses me off. He never wraps anything till Christmas Eve at the earliest - one year we went to my DPs & he was wrapping my stuff on Christmas morning, about ten minutes before we exchanged presents.

And I've had to do all the bloody washing up as per bloody usual.

OP posts:
boodles · 24/12/2015 23:10

At least he got you a gift and, as you said, they are usually nice.

Original poster
WitchWay · 24/12/2015 23:12

yeah I know Sad could be worse

OP posts:
Rosa · 24/12/2015 23:12

We have just filled the stockings and as per usual mine has next to nothing so I have added extra chocolate and 5 oranges !!...note to self buy own stuff - I think I said that last year. Oh wellbe thankful is what I keep telling myself- Happy Christmas.

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 24/12/2015 23:15

DP's wrapping mine now with DS.

I'd be fine having them in HMV bags/Amazon boxes as he really struggles wrapping presents but he's insistent that they're wrapped in pretty paper.

Llouh · 24/12/2015 23:18

My DP finally decided to wrap my presents this evening.

He comes downstairs 2 hours later looking massively pleased with himself and one gift wrapped up with ribbon etc. The bedroom is a tip, I have no idea how he's taken so long.

I'd rather he shoved it in a bag haha.

Stylingwax · 24/12/2015 23:21

DP bought me a present this morning. With my card. But then he's just admitted he's a compulsive gambler and has spent thousands in the bookies this year, so as of last week I control all funds and his wages come to me. So fair enough really.

Moonax · 24/12/2015 23:22

DS and DH just had some bonding time over present wrapping. Both emerged looking smug after two hours being manly with sellotape and paper. They both treat it as a kind of extreme sport. The room looks like a bombsite.

DameMargaretofChalfont · 24/12/2015 23:22

Wake the whole household tomorrow at 8.30am and declare:-

"Present opening will start in 30 minutes. You have until then for last minute gift wrapping and zhooshing"

Sorted.

Whataboutreindeer · 24/12/2015 23:24

I have to be specific about expectations, stocking is £25 max spend with minimum of six items. He can work to that. He's wrapping mine now. I don't even know if we have enough paper left. Never mind! It's all a of the giving. And the booze.

Original poster
WitchWay · 24/12/2015 23:24

What annoys me is that he wraps presents beautifully if he has to & has the time for other people but mine usually end up shoved into last year's bags. Humph!

OP posts:
Redtinsel · 24/12/2015 23:31

My ex used to get his mum to wrap mine.
My DCs wrapped all the family ones today. They look terrible and used most of the paper but I'm going to make sure I havent raised a couple of lazy arses who 'can't wrap' presents.

80sMum · 24/12/2015 23:44

Conversation between me and DH a couple of hours ago.
DH "You haven't bought me a present or anything, have you?"
Me: "Certainly not! Why? I hope you haven't bought me anything."
DH: "I haven't."
Me:"Thank god for that!"

LizKeen · 24/12/2015 23:44

I feel bad about DHs present. He wrapped all of mine and they have been under the tree for a week. His is still not wrapped and we now have no paper left. Blush

He doesn't actually care though, if he did care I would have made a bigger effort.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 24/12/2015 23:48

Wow. Serious non issue. Merry Christmas!

GaryGilmoresEyes · 24/12/2015 23:50

At least you have a present...
Some people(me) won't.
not jealous at all

CallMeExhausted · 24/12/2015 23:53

Happy Christmas to you. I sat and watched the husband and children open all the gifts I bought and wrapped while there was exactly nothing for me.

Same as every fucking year.

Floralnomad · 25/12/2015 00:03

80sMum , we had that conversation about 2 days ago !

TheHouseOnTheLane · 25/12/2015 06:11

I have to say YABU. I didn't get anything at all. Apart from the gifts my DC made me, I had not one gift. This is because DH and I just couldn't manage it...financially. We had nothing left after getting the DC's gifts and the food.

So...if I had a gift in a recycled bag, I'd be thrilled.

We3KingyOfOblomovAre · 25/12/2015 06:21

I buy Dh 2 huge toblerones and he buys me a box of maltesers. I'm happy if I just have 1 thing to unwrap. Everyone should have at least 1 present to unwrap.

VashtaNerada · 25/12/2015 06:27

I think it depends on the expectations within the family. Absolutely fine for people who aren't that bothered about presents, wrapping etc (& agree that in advance) but what annoys me about DH is that he insists on doing lavish gifts but then never quite follows through. One year he bought me nothing at all (following a precedent of well over a decade where we most definitely do gifts on Christmas Day). He insisted on buying grown-up stockings a few years ago which I thought was a massive faff but agreed to go along with, but every year he forgets (despite multiple reminders).
Agree with posters who say it's not the biggest issue in the world, but still annoying!

allnewredfairy · 25/12/2015 06:53

My bugbear is that DS and DH come looking for my wrapping paper to wrap my presents because they can be arsed to buy their own.

diddl · 25/12/2015 06:54

Isn't there still time to wrap this morning?

Tbh just in a gift bag wouldn't bother me, but I think if you do like your present(s) to be wrapped, it's not that much to ask!

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 25/12/2015 07:00

Dd was very enterprising and set up a business selling her wrapping service within the house. Dh was her best customer! At 5p a present I just wish she had set it up a week ago when I wrapped most of the other presents!

SocksRock · 25/12/2015 07:00

I got fed up of terrible presents, so this year I emailed DH a link to a subscription box that I wanted - so it will last a whole year. He went online last night, even though I sent him the link a month ago, and surprise surprise they are sold out for next years boxes.

Also, I sent him out for more wrapping paper yesterday. He came home with red wallpaper as apparently it was on offer. So half our presents are wrapped in fucking wallpaper.

Still love him, the big lump.

PrincessHairyMclary · 25/12/2015 07:06

Ah LTB at least then you'll get what you want and you can train the DC to wrap it.

I buy stuff I want during the year books, perfume, clothes etc put them away then the Elf delivers it to DD with wrapping equipment and I get a nice quiet afternoon, DD thinks she's got me loads of presents and proudly hands them out Christmas morning.