To ask for better quality gifts.. but less of them

[tententwenty]

I know this sounds awfully ungrateful, but I live in a small flat. I have the vast majority of things that I need materially, and hate waste.

Every year my parents will buy me lots and lots of birthday presents. A £30 jumper from M&S. 4 Tshirts for £12 from Sainsbury. A waterbottle. Boring toiletries. The list goes on..

Without meaning to sound ungrateful, does anyone else prefer fewer things but of better quality?

I would much rather a nice pair of earrings, equivalent in cost to all the bits and bobs. Or a high quality British woollen jumper. A few bottles of nice wine.

The thing is, I don't need cheapo everyday things, I can buy them myself, plus I already have plenty. I'd much rather have one or two things that are really nice and would last. Something that I probably wouldn't buy for myself or something I would treat myself to.

I’m a mum who does this!
I know you are all grown up, but in your mums head you are still that 5 year old who look all excited when she saw the pile of gifts Santa had left. Now the mortgage is paid off and you have left home I still want to spoil you with a pile of gifts. Unfortunately I have spent 40+ years counting every penny so I cannot bring myself to spend £120 on a jumper when you can get a perfectly acceptable one for £30.
However if this is you N, I will try harder in future .

I have got to the stage where I just consider that my unwanted gifts are part of my charity contribution for the year.

Brand new, nice condition stuff for the charity to sell or use (women's refuge for the t shirts?). I don't have to live with the stuff. Win win.

Every year, without fail, I get piles of pyjamas. I don’t wear pyjamas. I’d rather have a nice pair of slippers.
Too much stuff is a burden.

YABU for using 'less' instead of 'fewer'.

Grrrr.

I know you are all grown up, but in your mums head you are still that 5 year old who look all excited when she saw the pile of gifts Santa had left. Now the mortgage is paid off and you have left home I still want to spoil you with a pile of gifts. Unfortunately I have spent 40+ years counting every penny so I cannot bring myself to spend £120 on a jumper when you can get a perfectly acceptable one for £30.

This made me smile, FairyLiz.