To get upset about Xmas gift?

[MooPoo23]

Hi,

I was just wondering if I could have your opinion.

I don’t have much money this year (I left a dv relationship last year and still haven’t recovered financially) and thought it would be nice to “do up” my daughters room as an Xmas gift.

I mentioned it to someone at my local play centre (we were all taking Xmas) and she laughed it off and said “tbf that’s a bit of a shit gift”.

I laughed and said “yeah, it was just an idea” but I actually felt quite sad about it.

Am I bu to be upset or would it be ok to do this? I really don’t have much to give, I have about 6-7 gifts for my dd (she’s 6 and will be getting things from her dad and his family).

All I’ll be doing is paining it pink, putting a rug, some fairy lights, a few wooden plaques with quotes on them, some new bedding and a few cushions. It’s not much but it’s the best I can do right now.

I honestly feel like a shit mum, but I’m trying my hardest and I do work but only part time.

Thank you for reading my message x

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

That's a lovely idea OP, and sounds perfect. When we moved to our new house, the first two rooms that got straight were the DCs bedrooms, so they had 'their' space. It really did make them feel this is their home.

The person who sneered at you is a twat.

[curlykaren]

Honestly, your six year old will love it.

[Lanurk]

Hi op, she’ll love it. 100%. Try posting to your local free cycle page for paint, I got gloss and a bucket if magnolia off my local one when I was in a similar situation.
I’ve sent you a pm with a wee question.

[DarkLikeVader]

She will love it OP. I’ve done the same for my DD for a birthday as it costs a lot to redo a room! I just wrapped up some matching pyjamas so she had something to unwrap and she was over the moon x

[katseyes7]

She'll be thrilled with it. Little girls love their 'own' room and l promise you, she will be over the moon. As someone else has said, it's a 24/7 present, and she'll feel very grown up.
You're a lovely mum and she's very lucky to have you.
Well done on escaping the DV situation. l've been there and it takes guts and courage to do that. l hope you and your little girl have a wonderful Christmas. lt's not about money or things. lt's about being loved, safe, and happy. x

[Dontfuckingsaycheese]

Like a PP my sister and I around that age got duvets and duvet covers (when they were coming in in the late 70s) We were so excited! We got Razamataz covers - anyone remember them? The sepia coloured wanted posters of child gangsters. 😉 We loved them - I still have the cover!!

Op I think it's a lovely thing to do.

[stupidtabloidheadlines]

Sounds like a bloody awesome thing to me! Wish someone would do up my room for Xmas! :)

[RainbowMum11]

I think it's a great idea!!
One year, my friends kids both needed new car seats, so that was their main Christmas present - they spent all Christmas Day sitting in them and were delighted!!
It's not cheap to redecorate so why shouldn't it be a present?

[PomPomtheGreat]

We did this for Christmas when my daughter was four and a half, and she still talks about it at the grand old age of twenty-three. I was very excited to find a tin of magnetic paint and painted it on a square of wall before papering over it. That way she had her own magnetic 'cork' board for her alphabet magnets.

It's a lovely idea and has lots of ongoing value, unlike cheap plastic crap. Try Gumtree and FreeCycle for extra bits.

Have a lovely Christmas, and enjoy being away from the abusive relationship.

[Grandmi]

Moo poo ..your idea for Christmas present for your daughter is amazing and shows imagination and thought!! I hope you both have a lovely Christmas.Xxx

[Dontfuckingsaycheese]

Like this!

[Tattooedmama]

She will love it whst a nice idea, honestly dont feel that way

And if your on facebook, look on the extreme bargaining group - hundreds have people have done their houses up with sample wallpaper as a feature wall, all you have to do is buy the paste and go b&q, homebase wilko etc for the sample paper... i cant wait to move so i can try it... here is an example as i didnt want to pinch a pic of someones off the group.
I hope the pic has attached

[Equalfairy]

Don’t listen to the ignorant fool who has bought into consumerist bollocks.
Do as you have planned.
Tell your daughter Santa’s elves have been in to do it for her as a treat.
Then I agree with other posters hold back some of the decor for her room - bedding/pictures/fairy lights and wrap it up for Christmas Day.

[wintersweet1977]

A shit gift? Or a thoughtful time consuming gift? I vote for thoughtful and time consuming!

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

If you're thinking of painting try Community Repaint, they take donated paint, check it's suitable for re-using and re-sell it really cheaply. They usually have loads of colours, so could be worth a look. Might enable you do to a bit more for less.

[wibdib]

OP have a look at your local facebook selling groups and indeed just the local facebook pages and even ones for parents of your dd's school - our local ones often have things like this going for peanuts when people want to get rid of stuff easily to save themselves a trip to the dump when what they have is too good to throw away but they don't know anyone that wants it... and there will be people out there who are contemplating upgrding their 10-14 yr old's room to make it more grown up and will have a load of perfect bits and bobs they are trying to get rid of as they want to move up an age group.

One thing that you might be able to do easily is to get some dark paint - a tester pot size - and paint a patch on her wall so that it turns it into a blackboard (or dark purple board or dark green board or what you think she would like) - she can write reminders to herself, draw pictures, you can leave messages for each other... add a box of white chalk and a box of coloured chalk and it's a really cheap 'thing' for her room that she will be able to play on and do stuff with.

Also where I live locally there's a thing called a scrap store which takes things that some companies need to throw away and dispose of and they sell them as craft items/things that are useful for other people and they are crazy cheap. So things like round wooden discs that cost £3 in Hobbycraft each they sell at 8 for a pound - or massive rolls of paper that are 100-200ft long are £3 rather than £5 for 20 feet in the local toy store. There are often toys, decorations from shop displays, cheap paint and fabric, all sorts of stuff that has been rescued to be reused or recycled into other things. There are versions of these shops all over the country that might be able to find things that would work for your dd's room for pennies rather than pounds.

Good luck, have fun and I'm sure your dd will love her new room.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Oh and we bought DD a really cheap Ikea cushion for her birthday one year and it's still her most favourite gift!! Definitely keep some things back for more Christmas Day surprises.

[ItsAlmostXmas]

My parents did this for me when I was a similar age and I loved it! I think what you have planned sounds very pretty and will make her feel really special

[MistyCloud]

@MooPoo23

Agree with everyone else. It sounds like a lovely idea!

Ignore that nasty moo, and keep on being a fab mum!!

[Ninjacat007]

Why has Christmas become so much about material things and money?
Your time and effort decorating her room for her is a fantastic gift and one I’m sure will stay with her forever.
You are obviously a fantastic mum, have a lovely Christmas.

[LEELULUMPKIN]

I 49 now and can still remember the thrill I used to get when my wonderful late DM used to decorate my room for me.

I wish she were still here to do it as I am rubbish at decorating.

Ignore the nasty cow and do it OP. I can't remember many of the gifts I got as a kid but I remember VIVIDLY when I had a newly decorated room. It felt so special and all mine.

Have a great Christmas x

[saraclara]

I love the idea of covering the doorway with wrapping paper!

[BlueDinosaur]

That's a lovely thoughtful present, it's actually nicer than spending 20 min on Amazon going click click click. My little girl is a couple of years younger but she'd love that, we've been telling her we'd decorate her room for months now (her brother moved into her old room), she's so excited.

Fab present anyway, great idea. Ignore the other persons comments.

[ohtheholidays]

My parents did the same when I was 11 and it was by far the best gift I have ever been given by anyone and I'm 44 now so over the years I've had loads of presents.

The women you mentioned it to was being an Arsehole so take no notice of her!

[KurriKurri]

My DD asked to have her room decorated as her birthday present one year - surroundings are vrey important to children and having their own special place where they can play and relax.
And it's such a nice gift because it requires thought and effort from you - you are doing something especially for her to make her environment lovely.
And as someone said - keep an eye out on local Fb selling pages - you may well be able to pick up bits and pieces like light shades, mirror, etc for very little money.