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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DP wrapping presents

24 replies

Sarahandduck18 · 25/12/2018 01:12

I’d done some wrapping earlier so it was DP’s turn to do some.

He hates doing it, complains that he’s no good at it.

I said he could always watch a YouTube video or read online how it’s done.

He’s had all year to organise/practice!

So he’s sat on the floor at midnight finishing off the last few things (he’d forgotten) and I suggested putting the sellotape along the crease line rather than across it so it’s less likely to accidentally rip apart before opening. He has a strop and motions the present towards me saying you do it then. I ignore this, aghast. He then continues, wrapping in the most haphazard way possible- crushing the ends up like a toddler would try to do it! The presents look a complete mess and it is obvious no care at all has been put into making them not look like junk!

AIBU to think this is totally off behaviour?

OP posts:

PhaedrasChocolate · 25/12/2018 01:16

Well in itself, I wouldn't care that much, but I'm crap at wrapping. Mostly because I don't care that much

However, if it's representative of a general attitude, then no. I wouldn't put up with it.

Normalnorman · 25/12/2018 01:18

If he's making that much a shit job wrap them yourself.

Not being arsy I just think if you have a particular way or preference for wrapping and he's crap what's the point in him wasting time and paper and both of you getting annoyed and bickering over it in the early hours of Christmas Day.

It's wrapping it's not the end of the world. Besides if I were being badgered and criticised and picked up about my shit wrapping (I'm shit) I'd probably just slide the lot over to you and head off to bed.

MixedMaritalArts · 25/12/2018 01:23

Does anyone fall for the ‘incompetence’ defence/approach anymore ? Walk away and let him crack on with it.

OyOy · 25/12/2018 01:23

If he's making that much a shit job wrap them yourself

This is exactly why he's make such a shit job of it.

But it's not cool to be backseat wrapping.

Just go to bed and leave him to it.

JellySlice · 25/12/2018 01:26

If it's that important to you then do it yourself. Otherwise back off and leave him to get on with it.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 25/12/2018 01:28

We have an agreement that I wrap the presents (apart from my own) and he keeps me supplied with cups of tea, and does all the fetching and carrying of presents, sticking tags on etc. I find it quite therapeutic in a way.

DS wrapped some presents yesterday for his nephew and was moaning that they looked crap. They looked fine to me, and I am a perfectionist who goes all out with ribbons, bells and tissue paper linings.

VimFuego101 · 25/12/2018 01:32

It's not acceptable to do a shit job of something so that the other person has no choice but to do it all if they want it done properly.

AlexaShutUp · 25/12/2018 01:36

My DH is shit at wrapping but I just let him get on with it. Tbh, he didn't grow up celebrating Christmas and wouldn't bother now if it wasn't for me, so I'm just grateful that he offers to help at all!

Aridane · 25/12/2018 01:42

So his wrapping skills are substandard - so what?!?

Topseyt · 25/12/2018 01:45

Not something I would really be bothered about. Back off and leave him to get on with it.

I do most of our wrapping, though DH does do some. Neither of us are particularly bothered how neatly or otherwise the other does it. Just that it gets done.

MyKingdomForBrie · 25/12/2018 01:48

What were you aghast at?

MysweetAudrina · 25/12/2018 01:48

I had to ask dh to repackage the stockings as I had too many items leftover and he is better at packing than me. I am left handed and my fine motor skills are a bit lacking although this year I bought those bags that you tie with a bow that look like wrapping paper made the whole ordeal much easier.

Normalnorman · 25/12/2018 01:49

We have a steady delivery of packages and presents from late October onwards and just wrap them a few at a time so there's never a huge pile of stuff to do on Christmas Eve.

Make a plan of attack for next year but rules and agreements about wrapping presents sounds too full-on for my liking. Give him a break and agree to a different deal instead of getting annoyed about wrapping.

jessstan2 · 25/12/2018 01:54

Is this the first of the Christmas rows? :-)

My husband is very good at wrapping, extremely neat. Goodness only knows why. I'm quite good but not a patch on him, precision is the word for his wrapping skill including awkward shaped things.

I daresay we can find something else to row about.

Original poster

Sarahandduck18 · 25/12/2018 02:02

He agreed after last Christmas to have it all done by the end of November this year.

OP posts:

Rememberallball · 25/12/2018 06:01

At least he has wrapped things, even if badly!! My DH has opted out of wrapping 90% of my presents including my main gift!! He also announced that the stocking is the wrapping for those gifts so hasn’t bothered wrapping them in paper either!!

I, on the other hand, have wrapped everything for my family that we swap gifts with (DSis, BiL and 3 DN’s) his DD & her flat mate, his parents and sister, his DS, partner and both DGC not to mention his stocking gifts and all other presents - though his main present is a holiday so there’s nothing to wrap for that!!

Bibijayne · 25/12/2018 06:55

I'm terrible at wrapping. DH and SIL have done it all this year. Though I'm BFing a 4month old.

I think the - get ready for Nov and backseat wrapping at U and annoying. But then so is his leaving it the last minute.

Perhaps you need to be more relaxed and he needs to be less slapdash and lazy.

Catmum26 · 25/12/2018 06:58

my husband was sat upstairs for 2 hours wrapping the presents for his mum and brother, there was only about 8 in total. when i went into the spare room before bed he had wrapped 3 presents and left the rest as he ‘forgot’ no idea why it took so long to wrap 3 presents because they look like a 2 year old did it

emzw12 · 25/12/2018 07:31

Who cares! It gets ripped off anyway! Nothing worse than someone standing over you "watching"! Leave him to it! My hubby is crap at wrapping, present buying etc but I just leave him to it! He's better at plenty of other things that I can't do well. Imagine if I had a go at something DIY related and he stood over me telling me I was shit at it! I'd hardly be up for doing it again next year! Give the fella a break!

LannieDuck · 25/12/2018 08:46

Why did you feel the need to criticize how he was wrapping? The way he was doing the sellotape wasn't perfect, but it was ok.

He obviously needs more practice at wrapping during the year...

Santaclarita · 25/12/2018 09:04

To be honest I don't get how people find wrapping difficult. It's wrapping paper around something and sellotaping it, it's not rocket science. It's an excuse to get out of it, not an actual reason. Doesn't have to be very neat or have bows wrapped around it.

GreyGardens88 · 25/12/2018 09:06

Backseat wrapping lol

tempname111 · 25/12/2018 09:27

Sounds awful. I am shit at wrapping and would bloody hate someone telling me I was doing it "wrong"

It's not a huge deal

Adversecamber22 · 25/12/2018 09:59

We always wrap late, DH wraps his quite beautifully in paper and I put all mine in very pretty gift bags.

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