To be anxious opening presents

[FullOnMonet]

I get really anxious opening Christmas (& birthday) presents in front of the gift giver just incase I don't like the gift & my reaction makes it obvious. Does anyone else feel like this? 🎅

Yes I really do. Even if I actually like the gift I feel like I have to show that I do so I feel like I’m pretending and they will know. It’s just all a bit stressful!

Yes! I thought it was just me. It makes me all flustered.

I'm glad it's not just me. My MIL is the worst. After you've opened her gifts she proceeds to ask you a gazillion times how much you like everything. There's only so many times you can say "oh wow I love it". Followed by texts after the occasion asking if you've used everything. It's so stressful.

This is why I have attempted to receive no presents for the past 25 years. It's just about working now. I have managed to make it so I will have nothing to open this Christmas and I am so much more relaxed as a result.

My friends in-laws make the entire family sit in a circle with gifts in front of them then one by one go round and they open them one at a time with everyone watching.

That’s my idea of hell!!

@ihopeyousteponalegopiece this is my in laws too. Hate it with a passion. Really wish we could not do presents!!

My partners mum has no clue on presents - even for her own children. But she's even worse for me. Every year I tell her she doesn't have to get me anything, but every year she does, and it's just crap! You know, like a necklace from the pound store, or a top that's totally not my style and wrong size. And it's not just one either, it's 5 or 6. So that's 6 times I have her watching me open the present and fake my excitement that's it's what I've always wanted!

I feel bad, because she's wasting her money.

Totally!

And the anxiety when the kids are opening presents in front of the giver......

Used to make me cringe in case they said they already had it or didn’t like it.

The little boy I looked after 20 years ago as a Nanny, actually put a present in the bin in front of his uncle who had just given it to him as he said he didn’t like it.

Time stood still for hours as no one knew what to say until I piped up with ‘shall I put the kettle on?’

😫😳😳😳😳😳

No. This has never been a concern to me. Has it ever actually happened to you?
ever opened one and not managed to hide your feelings?

I absolutely hate it!! And I hate people opening presents that I've given them in front of me as well!

No. This has never been a concern to me. Has it ever actually happened to you? ever opened one and not managed to hide your feelings?

Once I opened something when I had swapped gifts with someone. And I couldn’t hide my disappointment because I actually thought WTF?
Another time opening something I loved and thought I had enthusiastically given thanks for, gift giver spoke to me several times over the following year and mentioned how she thought I hadn’t liked it. Was I supposed to do a cart wheel? I had loved it and said so!

I hate being given gifts even 20 plus years after both of these events.

I always say 'is it to open now, or later?'

And pray it's the latter

I really used to be like this-However the more I have had to do it the more unbothered I am.
In fact it is my Partner now who is like this! He messes about for ages instead of opening pressies..Now our children want to open everything for us so this takes the pressure off a bit lol

I always try to not look dissapointed but one year my MIL did me a cheese hamper. Now, I like cheese but not enough to require a hamper full of it. She spent all day asking how much I liked it & then months after asking me "have you tried the one with apricots" " have you tried the smoked one" "have you tried the one with cranberries". Although she never said anything I'm not convinced I hid my frustration everytime she asked about the bloody cheese.

I tell my mum every year not to buy me chocolate & every year I get a giant tolberone, a box of Lindor, a box of Milk Tray & a tin of Roses. I try to look grateful but inside I'm just thinking what a waste of money.

Oh god I get this..even if I really love the present, my face tells a different story for some bloody reason! Then I get 'are you sure you like it?' 'I have the receipt if you want to take it back?!'

Doesn’t worry me really.
Last Christmas Day I opened a present from DM which was something I had given her (for DF to take to the charity shop). I was in tears of laughter. She saw the funny side and I think now it may become a tradition
DMIL (lovely but no sense of humour, even once explained) was

Calzone
I totally get that! Same parents in law that give me anxiety, I have double when it's the kids turn! It's normally some cheap shit, they already have it, or it's the size of a small horse! On the outside I'm saying 'oh look x that's lovely' when inwardly I'm thinking where the fuck is that going to go.

I hate it. My MIL has got me a scarf for the last 5 years despite me never wearing one. The kids clothes are always the wrong size so I then have the hassle of trying to swap them so she can see the kids wear them.

@EmilyR1984, My MIL is just like that, DH recently resorted to taking her round the house, pointing out all the stuff we have and all the space we lack and just spelling it out, "Stop buying us massive shit!"

That's so funny. Makes me feel better I'm not alone!

I'd recommend the tactic but it's too soon to tell. Lets see what avalanche of tat this Christmas brings....

Apart from the massive stuff, her gift giving is usually good for a laugh though. Last year she gave me a pair dodgy pink, fluffy slipper socks with 50p written on the tag in sharpie

I can beat that. Couple years back she gave me a lumber jack style shirt, 2 sizes too big, with shoulder pads. Fucking 80's style shoulder pads! I kid you not!

We now do a Secret Santa for the adults, much cheaper and you get something you want!