to invent delayed-gift-acceptance- syndrome

[Greenshoots1]

I don't know if this syndrome exists, but if it does I think I've had it in the past and recognise the feelings of some people posting today.

Is it possible for someone to be a bit too conservative ( if that is the right word) to enjoy a sudden change in the range of possessions they own?

I'm a bit more laid back now, but when I was younger I never seemed to like being given new things as presents, and even some of my most treasured possessions it took me a little while to become familiar with them and enjoy owning them.

Just me? Or does anyone else know what I'm talking about??

Definitely a fairy phenomenon!! I love that!!

oops!

I'm stealing that one ....it's a fairy phenomenon!

Ds1 was like this when younger, he would often not play with Christmas or birthday presents for many months even a year, particularly things he hadn't asked for. I always thought it was because he needed to get used to them . Seemed to have grown out of it by about 10.

well, thought I was inventing a syndrome, but I have actually invented a phenomenon.......!

A green fairy phenomenon!!

Don't forget your roots!!

I'm with it gadgets. It takes me months to even approach them.

A new phone? Upgrade? I resist till I'm wrestled to ground, my trusty phone wrestled from grasp and new one put in my hands.
I spend months complaining about it.

I'm with you, I'm terrible with receiving something new. It may take a few days for my head to accept it in my life. It may later become my favourite thing but on receipt I need to put it to one side, it means I sometimes miss giving the enthusiastic response something deserves sadly.

Sounds like me..not autistic but very non materialistic.

And new gadgets..just got a new sound system for thekitchen and I am already thinking of all the reasons I should keep the old one!!

Gift giving and receiving is a social minefield!

I often dislike receiving gifts, even from close friends and family, it makes me feel guilty and confused about appropriate reciprocation.

I dislike the DC receiving gifts for similar reasons. Eg today they received various gifts from my aunts and uncles who we never see, and a kind neighbour who has DC for whom we hadn’t bought gifts.

Like most people I don’t enjoy receiving gifts I dislike or won’t use, again because of the social awkwardness of it.

If I like a gift I like I usually like it immediately though!

In my case I think it could partly be down to a large and dysfunctional extended family: as DC my siblings and I were given gifts and cash at christmas by numerous extended family members living far away we were aware our parents had difficult relationships with, and would be made to personally phone them up to say thank you, when we almost never spoke to them otherwise.

My siblings feel similarly about gifts: we don’t exchange gifts except for DC and always consult each other on what to give our respective DC.

I'm like this. I don't really like buying myself new things either.

I do it with everything, put off buying new glasses, getting hair cuts etc. I just don't like change.

*@You wereright *

Totally get This!

And no one, for the record, has suggested I'm autistic just because it takes me time to come around to new things!

I have a number of items that are somewhat tacky or random or otherwise not to my usual taste, that have become unbearably precious since most of my family have now passed on. There's an old pink flower candle that is def past its best days that I refuse to relinquish because of its significance. At the time my and my mum giggled at how wrong they had got me!

I also have a habit of buying clothes, bringing them home, deciding that they are hideous, popping them in the cupboard for 9-12 months, then realising they are wonderful and wearing them constantly.
Who knows what goes on in my head some days.

Best present I had was my kindle paperwhite. I felt at the time as I already had a kindle. Absolutely best present ever hoping my new fitbit will be the same

Dh can't really cope with new things. Has to let clothes sit in his wardrobe for 6 months minimum.
He's nt .

I’m the same OP, it takes me a few days at least to enjoy new belongings. Even things I’ve asked for and know I want.

I totally get this. I remember very clearly being only 5 and at the start of one term everyone coming up to the front of the classroom to get a new pencil and dropping their old one in a big box.

I was hugely upset and couldn't stop crying. I didn't need a new pencil. My old was plenty long enough and it was mine and I liked it. Teacher in some exasperation told me I was being silly but to keep the old one if I was that bothered.

I still hate presents altogether and would rather have none but don't have quite such an extreme reaction as I did!

Glad I’m not the only one, it takes me at least six months to unwrap presents. In fact I’ve not opened any yet. I can only cope with one pressie at a time. Takes me ages to listen to a new album. Again I only listen to one track at a time.

DH feels an emotional attachment to possessions. If he got a new shirt he has to have it hanging on the front of the wardrobe for a few weeks before he can wear it. He has spoken of feeling bad for the other old shirts.

He also has trouble throwing away the old ones, even an ordinary work shirt that has become torn and frayed will be kept for a good couple of years in the wardrobe before it can be thrown out. And even then it is traumatic for him.

I have no such issues. I love new things. Immediately.

My teenage daughter is like this. Inspects her presents almost with suspicion, lines them up, says almost nothing. Has been like this since she was tiny. I find it frustrating as I want her to feel pleased but I try not to show my disappointment.
She is a perfectionist.

Her brother rips open gifts and shrieks with joy and excitement, he adores celebrations and festivities.

I'm not crazy about presents. Mostly I just feel bad they've spent their money on me and I probably won't use it as I have v little use for material possessions.

Four paragraphs and someone reads that and concludes the OP is autistic. Okay
I'm guessing because those of us who are autistic recognise this behaviour. And if we've not seen it in other non-autistic people then we assume it's more an autistic thing.
I struggled yesterday - I'd put 2 jigsaws on my "list" (it only had 2 jigsaws on it and nothing else). I opened a present and found it was a jigsaw but a different one (also got the 2 I had asked for afterwards) - I had to remember to try and be enthusiastic even though I was doing "this wasn't on my list, it's a surprise, I'm not ready for this......" I'm not completely convinced I succeeded.

I quite understand- I usually just get stuck in but sometimes it takes a while - Dad gave me a food processor (unrequested) a few months back and I still haven’t used it - mostly as I don’t quite know what to do with it!!