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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband opening kids Christmas present early

66 replies

confusedwife84 · 02/10/2017 17:37

We have bought my husbands daughter a new games console for Christmas and he is determined to open it now to play it and “make sure it works” Hmm but really he just wants to play it. I have told him how silly this is and how unfair it is on his daughter to not get the first play on her new toys but he sees nothing wrong with it. AIBU or is it ok for him to do this?

OP posts:
ILoveMillhousesDad · 02/10/2017 17:55

Serves you right for buying it so early!'

Not sure who is sounding more immature, OP's DH, or you.

Anecdoche · 02/10/2017 17:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DamnDeDoubtanceIsSpartacus · 02/10/2017 17:56

Any more than just a check is a twatty thing to do, is he normally selfish or just over his daughters gifts?

silkpyjamasallday · 02/10/2017 18:04

SO pretend to cave, do that tonight, then YOU pack it up and walk round to someone else's house with it to get it out of his way.

I think @becotide has the best plan of action. Your DP does need to check its working, but that is all, he shouldn't be playing with it, because as a pp said you can bet it won't just be one go. If he wants one he can get himself one for Christmas or get something else for dd, it's not fair to pass it off as a gift to his dd if he is going to be the one playing on it the majority of the time.

Gemini69 · 02/10/2017 18:06

he is a DICK.... stealing a childs Christmas Present.. because that's what he's doing OP... Flowers

confusedwife84 · 02/10/2017 18:06

Yea think I’ll do that! You know, he is so not selfish at all normally, the opposite actually. It’s a SNES, so it’s vintage and he remembers all the games the first time round and must want to relive it all Confused

OP posts:
Starlight2345 · 02/10/2017 18:07

I would check it is working ..I did when I bought my DS a games console for Christmas..Nothing worse than Christmas day main present is not working....However agree he doesn't need a gaming session to know that.

TheHungryDonkey · 02/10/2017 18:09

Yeah that's fine. As longs as she gets to open his presents and play with them before he does.

Ohwell14 · 02/10/2017 18:11

I know someone who did this, made out like she was amazing for buying her son a laptop to anyone who would listen and then decided to use it herself for weeks before christmas. Broke it and her son ended up with no main gift on the day.
If it's just a test play then I wouldn't mind but if he plans on keeping it out for a long time then I would have a problem with it. You only get 30 days to get a refund so it does make sense to make sure everything works.

Gemini69 · 02/10/2017 18:13

I honestly think that this...TESTING IT Hmm is crap.. it bollocks.. he should have just bought the bloody thing for himself... it's so selfish... Hmm

HeebieJeebies456 · 02/10/2017 18:16

He's a mean, selfish nobber if he does that to his own child.

If he does it, please make sure you open and use one of his xmas presents secretly behind his back before giving it to him.....just make sure he can tell it's been used.

strongasmeringue · 02/10/2017 18:17

He's been an arse about it even if it is a good idea to check things are fine with it but really, a brand new expensive item isn't going to be faulty.

Glumglowworm · 02/10/2017 18:21

It's sensible to make sure it works and download the updates

He's being childish and unfair if he just wants to have a play

ShirleyAmSerious · 02/10/2017 18:26

Vintage SNES (brilliant gift!) will need a quick check but that's all.

Wouldn't he rather share his joy WITH her on Christmas? Relive his childhood as she plays?

Foxysoxy01 · 02/10/2017 18:29

That's very mean and selfish of your DH and not at all funny Angry

Please don't let him, it's not his to play with!
As he isn't a child he needs some to show some self restraint.

DoubleDinghyRapids · 02/10/2017 18:33

I’d check it yourself to make sure working etc and then put away somewhere safe for her to open. It’ll be all the more special If he waits until she opens, then he gets to share the excitement and reminisce with her and play together. They’ll both be starting fresh too and your dh wont have advantage of having practiced on games in the run up and kicking her arse at MARIO kart for eg.

I’m a gamer myself as is dd, we bought her a gaming pc last year and while I’d have loved to have a play in the months leading up to xmas, I set it up, installed updates and games and then left it knowing that I’d get to play with dd on Christmas Day. Same with various consoles she’s had over the years. As it’s a SNES, you won’t have updates and shit as it’s not online, so it Doesn’t need more than ten mins to check it’s working.

If you’d bought her some posh shoes and you planned on wearing them for the day to make sure they won’t drop to bits after a mile of walking you’d be told yabu, there’s cgecking stuff is all there and working, totally fine, and then there’s opening and using someone’s else’s gift for the day, be it wearing their clothes for the day, wearing their shoes for a walk, opening a bottle of perfume to make sure pump works etc, it’s something most people wouldn’t do as its a bit cheeky imo.

pigeondujour · 02/10/2017 18:33

Knew it would be the SNES. I can't believe someone would want to do that to their kid.

Motoko · 02/10/2017 18:34

If it's a vintage SNES, there won't be any updates to download, but it should be checked to make sure it works. Checking it works, doesn't mean playing on it though, so make sure you're there when he checks it!

ILoveMillhousesDad · 02/10/2017 18:34

We have bought dd a classic mini snes.

I truly cannot WAIT to have a go of all the old games. Donkey Kong in particular Grin

But I want to see dd play it first and play it WITH her.

I wouldn't want her to turn it on and be able to tell someone's already had a go.

Surely it will take a bit of the shine off.

JemimaLovesHamble · 02/10/2017 18:36

Did she actually ask for it, or is it a "supposedly for her but really for him" present?

becotide · 02/10/2017 19:30

That doesn's sound like somethin a 10 year old girl would ask for, TBH, did she really ask for it, or did her dad tell her how amazing and brilliant and fantastic it was, and how they could play together, and she thought "Hey, dad will play with me if I ask for this!" ?

Just wondering, as a former 12 year old girl who got a Warhammer 40000 boardgame for Christmas one year. Hmm

pigeondujour · 02/10/2017 20:00

To be fair, there will be loads of kids getting them for Christmas this year very few of whom will have asked for them of their own volition. But they're ridiculously fun and accessible.

Gemini69 · 02/10/2017 22:40

To be fair, there will be loads of kids getting them for Christmas this year very few of whom will have asked for them of their own volition. But they're ridiculously fun and accessible.

I'm confused Confused how does that help with OP's DH using the game for himself ?

pigeondujour · 03/10/2017 07:23

It doesn't. I was responding to the pp who was asking whether that was really a present for a 10 year old girl.

Alicetherabbit · 03/10/2017 07:30

If he's doing the updates it's far to early, they'll be more nearer to Christmas. Why not unpack and set up few days before. Wrap up the empty box for her bed and put a note inside that it's all set up downstairs to play? You say husbands daughter does she not live with you BTW?

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