To feel a bit pissed off at being given concert tickets?

[Zoeylee]

I know it sounds mad, and I hate myself for thinking this. However, my brother and SIL have given me concert tickets for my birthday, (2 tickets actually, so me and DH can go.) It's for someone I do like (and have done for years.)

Problem is, we are very rural. We are literally 45 to 50 minutes drive from a train station, and the city where the concert is, is another HOUR and a QUARTER journey on the train. (Including having to change trains half way.)

So we are talking about starting out a MINIMUM of 3 hours before the concert starts, as it says on the tickets that the doors open at 6.00pm and it's advisable to get there early. The concert starts with a support act at 7pm... To enable ourselves to get the last train back would involve leaving the concert at 9pm. The main act will probably only just be starting then.

Either that or we stay in a travelodge or premier inn. I have already looked at the date, and because it's a Friday, the cheapest room is £85! This would be on top of the train fares that will cost £70 for the two! So with food and extra bits and bobs, we could be looking at £200.

Driving would be a PITA too, as that would take the best part of two and a half to three hours (five to six hour round-trip,) and would be a ballache, with driving in and around a major city, and car parking and suchlike.

WIBU to sell the tickets on and buy something else? Should I pretend we went to the concert and fake a few photos? Or should I be honest? I feel like such a cow, but these 'free tickets' are going to end up costing us a bleeding fortune! And the thought of all the hassle involved in travelling to this concert, and back (even though I like the act,) is giving me a headache. My brother and SIL meant well, but I don't think they thought it through.

You sound very miserable and ungrateful. It’s a one off, just drive.

Would people read my posts properly please? I said I don't want to go, and how should I deal with it? It's going to be a 5 to 6 hour round trip (as we live VERY very rural!) and is going to cost us £200 for train fares and hotels and food etc, to stay in a city we don't even want to visit, to see an act for an HOUR.

We didn't ask for the tickets, we would not have bought them, and I just wondered whether to tell my brother and SIL the truth, or whether I should pretend I went and fake some photos, so as not to hurt their feelings?

And to the goaders; please shove your 'you sound negative' shit where the sun don't shine!

Personally I'd drive. A long journey isn't so bad when you have company. Just allow plenty of time and take food with you, or plan where to eat when you've arrived.

If you don't think its worth the hassle I think I'd be honest - may be see first if he knows anyone who would want them. Say you've looked into the options for getting there and you can't make it work.

I do think yabu to be pissed off. They clearly have tried to pick something you might enjoy albeit, possibly didn't think the logistics through. You can be disappointed that it won't work for you (although I would go and make a day of it) but being pissed off is a bit much tbh. They haven't gone out of their way to give you a shit present.

I used to stay rurally as so I appreciate the pain of being in the back arse of nowhere which is why I'm now half an hour from our nearest city

I would look at this...

Drive to station
Train
Something nice to eat (doesn't have to be expensive)
Concert
Air BNB
Leisurely brunch
Free museum/wander around
Train
Drive home

It doesn't have to be expensive if you book early/seek out some deals. Look on Groupon and Air BNB.

You sound a bit bah humbug to be honest. What else are you going to do that weekend?

How is it a nice gift to give someone something they'd have to spend a lot of time and money to use?

Can you go in the cheapest way possible (bus?)

Can you just go home (even if halfway through) or after however long, so you can make it back home again that same night?

It is a thoughtful gift really, a nice present (IMO).

Tough call, in your shoes I'd try to make it work somehow. but obviously. you don't have to!

Id probably give them back and say you appreciate the gesture but aren't able to use them. Gives them a chance to try and flog them and get some money back or make arrangements to use them themselves.

Gifts should not incurr costs to the recipients in order to use them.

Oh no, not another HOUR! Don't you ever make an effort for something special?
Just stay in and watch eastenders if you can't be bothered. Selling the tickets is mean, give them back.

Just read your last post.

Tell the gift giver to stick their tickets where the sun doesn't shine? It sounds like you wouldn't have a problem saying that!

The truth is always preferable to a lie in these sorts of situations, as it would be so easy to get caught out in a lie and cause tonnes more aggro as a result.

I wonder if you are a neighbour of mine? (only joking really) as I too am about the same distance from a mainline railway and it's a pain to get anywhere. We don't get out much either :)

Yanbu.

Yes it's a lovely gift but the giver hasn't really thought it through. Theatre tokens or sone cash with 'Treat yourself or spend on a special night out!' in a card is more thoughtful. Alternatively, the giver could just ask if concert tickets would be welcome.

Have you looked to see if National Express are doing a coach from somewhere near you? We discovered them by complete accident after booking to see Coldplay at Wembley and needing to be back that night, it took around 3 hours each way, cost £30 each and took all the stress out of travelling.
We went to see Muse once at the O2 and had to drive due to a family funeral the next day - it took 6 hours to get there and 4.5 hours home, we both said never again!!

Who’s it for and where? Maybe someone here can buy them

Hmm concerts normally finish around 11.00~12.00pm.
3 hours drive would be arriving back home at best at 3.00am.

Not quite the same ball park than the 1.00am people seem to ne thinking about.
And there is the issue of whether it's actually safe to drive 3 hours (on small cintry roads?) at that time of the night and with that level of tiredness. It's not quite the same than 1h15 during the day to go to work!!

I agree with a PP, I would look at air B&B for accommodation and then decide.
If you still can't find anything that you can afford, then you can't.
I would tell your dbro and SIL about it and ask them what they want to do with the tickets. Shall you keep them and sell them or shall you give them back to them?

In some ways, they gave you the tickets and really that's up to you to decide what you want to do with them. Just like you can decide to seek a present on eBay or regift/give to a charity shop. I don't see the difference so if this is how you see presents, this would be a way to deal with it too.

I'd be honest, op. Give the tickets back. They should be able to sell them.

Then they could report on it for you and you could pretend you went!

I get it - I'd talk to them and see if they can use the ticket or sell it on - such a shame but it sounds like way too much hassle

And btw YANBU.
A present is normally something that the receiver will enjoy.
Yes on the surface, it looks like it and I assume, this was an expensive enough present too. However, they also clearly didn't think very far and gave you a poisoned gift, one that would cost you a lot of money to be able to use it. Money you cannot and do not want to use for that.

Tell us what they are and where and you never know, one of us could take them off your hands. I want first dibs on Squeeze at the Royal Albert Hall btw 😄

Are you actually an adult OP?

It's easy - you give the tickets back and tell them never to buy you a gift again, then you will really have something to be pissed off about

X posts squeegle!

I live in a city now and Most big concerts finish at 10.30-11pm so people can get public transport home.

Btw why is it that most posters are saying you should give th wtickets back to them?
Would anyone give back any other presents because you don't like it? Or would it be considered as being rude to do so? To state so clearly that the choice of gift was poor, you don't enjoy it, don't want it?
I thought you were suppose to accept any gift with grace and not make a fuss even when it's hideous so why should the OP do exactly that in this case??

It was thoughtless of your relatives to give you tickets for a concert that is so difficult for you to get to. I don't think you should pretend you went. If they find out they'd be furious. I think you should say you sold the tickets as sadly you thought about it and just couldn't go in the end. I don't normally agree with selling gifts but it's going to be a huge inconvenience to go to the concert.