We all gather at in laws, sil walks in with a bag of gifts and my 5 year old says sweetly, 'oh presents, is there one for me'.. She says, "No, it got sent to the wrong place". So gifts start being handed round and sil cleverly hands five year old present her parents brought for my dd..
Then 5 year old was told she can share A book given to the older child that won't be appropriate! And the older child had anyway, it was a duplicate.
Mumsnet doesn't like it when you mention such people have money, cue loads of posts she's allowed to spend her money on what she wants. I feel it's relevant though, because earning a lot of money, having no dc etc being very financially secure, spending thousands on hobbies really does mean such people have to freedom others don't.
I'm actually not present mad, but it really annoys me. Dd5 has never had a birthday gift or card from this aunt, I think she gave her one cheap book last year after Xmas and a reduced book a few weeks ago.
Mil however was scathing about a gift my sister sent to dd once from New Zealand that was the wrong size! My sister has lots of issues and little money and sends little bits. She had time to comment on my sisters gifts and in fact other gifts my family have given to dh... And yet seems oblivious to her own daughters gifting. To make matters worse fil blows a trumpet for sil when she gets older dd something as though it's an incredible act of achievement! I think at five she can just about get away with it, passing off her parents gifts to the children as her own but not as dd gets older.
If was going to see two small dc over Xmas and a gift went elsewhere I would rather grab something small, even a child's magazine and some sweets than turn up empty handed. If I could afford it.