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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that the motive on gift wrapping paper does not matter?

343 replies

Luxplus · 12/01/2020 15:38

Dd, 3 years old, was invited to a birthday party by a girl from nusery. All fine, responded she would like to come, asked for wishes and went with dd to get a gift from list. Thought I had frozen gift wrapping paper at home. Wanted to wrap this morning before party at 10am to realise that the only wrapping paper we had was Christmas inspired green with gold trees on so ofc wrapped the gift in that paper and took dd to party..
All went fine at the party, the birthday gift liked the gift and party was nice.
But just received a txt from the birthday girls mom where she is moaning about the paper and accusing me of regifting a Christmas gift that I clearly didn't even bother to rewrap.
I'm a bit gobsmacked by the txt.. I have a recipe that proves I bought it last weekend, but I really didnt anybody would care that much about the look of the wrapping paper?
AIBU?

OP posts:
Choccylips · 13/01/2020 21:28

Myself, my sister and my Mother would have been highly delighted if any one had given us a birthday present so close after Christmas even if it had been wrapped in news paper it would have been gratefully received.

Original poster
Luxplus · 13/01/2020 21:30

I genuinely thought it was always better with a wrapped present in "wrong" paper that not wrapped Blush

OP posts:
Newname1978 · 13/01/2020 21:31

I'm in shock that an adult would be offended by the type of wrapping paper a gift is in.
I have wrapped presents in whatever paper we have to hand. I didn't realise that this would even be noted because as far as I've ever seen the paper is just ripped off! I thought it was the gift people cared about not the paper. But some people here are actually agreeing with the CF mother.

dementedpixie · 13/01/2020 21:32

I would think you were a bit bonkers if you wrapped a present in newspaper

feetfreckles · 13/01/2020 21:33

I think, for slightly older children, they can get upset with a birthday very close to Christmas which can make their birthday feel not special , so in that case I would use anything but Christmas wrap

FarTooMuchWashing · 13/01/2020 21:45

I wrap kids’ presents in the pages from kids’ magazines (CBeebies, Thomas, Wildlife mags). One parents was seriously impressed I’d found octonauts wrapping paper, and was even more impressed when I admitted where I’d ‘bought it’. Since I started doing this I never run out of wrapping paper.
Ps I’m a June baby and my BIL wrapped my birthday present in Christmas wrapping paper this year - it was all he could find in his house. We all had a good giggle.

Mamalexi343 · 13/01/2020 21:48

My friend used to wrap up stuff in tin foil, you never knew if you were getting a present or leftover chicken! 😁

Wrapping paper is wrapping paper, kids don't even care what's on it.

HoldMyLobster · 13/01/2020 22:06

Yep. That's me convinced. I'm going to stuff my mum's Chanel No. 5 in a used Kettle Chip bag instead of insulting her with Christmas wrapping paper in January.

Grin

I have to say, I had never realised the giving of gifts in January was such a minefield. There was me thinking that me having gone out and bought a gift was enough, but apparently not.

windycuntryside · 13/01/2020 22:07

Cheeky people provide list for a kids birthday then have the audacity to complain about what it’s fucking wrapped in. Give her the receipt (Incase she wants to return it) —to disprove her regift theory— fuck me people have small problems.

Daisydrum · 13/01/2020 22:11

OP - Has the Mum replied to your message?

NeckPainChairSearch · 13/01/2020 22:13

I wrap kids’ presents in the pages from kids’ magazines (CBeebies, Thomas, Wildlife mags)

That's a really good idea.

Geauxtigers · 13/01/2020 22:20

Can't believe someone would actually message you about that!! OK maybe think it privately but seriously?! I haven't bought wrapping paper in about 5 years. It's usually not recyclable and I'm a bit of an eco enthusiast so everyone's gifts from me come wrapped in reused paper, I do usually try to match it to the occasion but I don't always have the exactly right thing. Sometimes I even wrap presents in the wrapping of our who gives a crap toilet paper 😂😂 Reduce, Reuse and Repurpose before you think if you can recycle it!

Flamingle18 · 13/01/2020 22:25

I don't think anything you do would please someone like this!
I have a twin brother and as a child regularly got my gift wrapped in the same boyish wrapping paper as him or we got a joint card but we were just grateful to have gotten something!
My dps birthday is Christmas eve. I ran out of christmas wrapping paper for his last 2 Christmas presents and didn't want to buy a whole roll and the rest get wasted so I used left over birthday paper and wrote Jesus under "happy birthday " 😁

Kn0ckOnTheDoor · 13/01/2020 22:33

i would just send a photo of the receipt with this spongebob meme and leave it at that. shes wrong with her assumption and i would let the receipt speak for itself. and i wouldnt ask if she wants to see it because of course she doesnt, it would prove her wrong.

AIBU to think that the motive on gift wrapping paper does not matter?
theoriginalmadambee · 13/01/2020 22:34

@Geauxtigers I even wrap presents in the wrapping of our who gives a crap toilet paper 😂😂 Reduce, Reuse and Repurpose

I really hope your mantra didn't include used toilet paper for the gift wrapping 🤣.

ChipsRoastOrBoiled · 13/01/2020 22:40

So this mother sent out a gift list? And also had the cheek to moan about the wrapping paper?
What a cheek. I'd probably reply along the lines of 'do you realise how nasty that text shows you to be' and then block her.
Its wrapping paper that barely gets looked at before being ripped off and chucked on the floor!
She's a sad cow as well as a cheeky one.

iolaus · 13/01/2020 22:44

I suspect if this was a child with a July birthday the mother wouldn't have been bothered.

When your birthday is close to christmas you do get the two being merged together

If it was plainish paper but say red with stars - so xmas themed but not overtly xmas I may have used it - if it had santa or merry christmas over it then I wouldn't have at all

allthesharks · 13/01/2020 22:52

I've just remembered that my DD saw some rolls of wrapping paper at my parents' house last week and said "I'd like my birthday presents wrapped in that one" and pointed to one that said "Christmas Wishes". I said "that's Christmas wrapping paper" and she read it, said "oh yeah. But I still want it". Her birthday is this month.

CilantroChili · 13/01/2020 22:55

Our Christmas presents this year were wrapped in newspaper with a holly leaf or two taped on
I’m not a full on Greta by any means but I (and our children) liked this a lot
Now thinking about birthday solutions

74NewStreet · 13/01/2020 22:57

What do all you people who’d be aghast at receiving a gift wrapped in the wrong paper actually do with the wrapping paper?
Do you wallpaper your house with it?
If you simply rip it off and bin it like the rest of us - what does it bloody matter?

Jamiefraserskilt · 13/01/2020 23:03

The kid didn't have an issue. The mum did.
Just text back,.....

Wow. It is usual to thank the gift giver not attack them for their choice of wrapping paper. For your information, I ran out of wrapping paper and had to use what was at hand which was winter themed. I have the receipt for the gift if you want it? However, as your dc seemed to like what they received, it would appear that only the design on the paper they ripped off that caused your reaction. I will put your outburst down to you having a challenging day running what was, an excellent party for your child.

Sunflower20 · 13/01/2020 23:12

Total CF. Send her the receipt and make her cringe.

Ishotmrburns · 13/01/2020 23:15

I would text back a picture of the receipt, showing the post Christmas date, with no other words.

She is a cheeky bitch and wouldn't bother with her again, if you can help it.

NeckPainChairSearch · 13/01/2020 23:16

Our Christmas presents this year were wrapped in newspaper with a holly leaf or two taped on

That's great! So much wrapping paper can't be recycled, that people buying more of the stuff to get the right picture on it is madness.

I use brown parcel paper now, which the DC potato print sometimes, or decorate with odds and ends - cinnamon sticks and candy canes at Christmas - and colored string etc. A friend wraps with fabric and ribbons, which looks so lovely.

There are so many options, instead of buying more and more and MORE stuff.

GlomOfNit · 13/01/2020 23:18

A family member with a birthday within the 12 days of Christmas this year got his gifts wrapped in Christmas kraft (brown) paper, turned inside-out and decorated by DS. For economic/ecological reasons. Did he give a shiny shit? He did not. He grew up with birthday presents given in Christmas paper, always.

Your acquaintance is being breathtakingly rude and entitled. And I doubt her 3 yo cares about the paper at this age but if her mother continues to teach her to sweat the small stuff (and be insufferably ungrateful and brattish) she will soon. Sad