NC for this as I'm an avid poster on MN and not sure if I'll get roasted for this post.
I had some new neighbours move in next door August 2019. A husband and wife, both in their late 50s.
Last christmas eve (2019) the DW knocked on my door and handed me a christmas card, a bottle of pink gin, a tub of celebrations and 2 selection boxes for the DC. I said thank you and apologised for not getting them anything in return but was told they wanted nothing in return and told me to enjoy the gin and chocolates and wished me a merry Christmas (I did send them a thank you note just like I did with everyone else who gave us gifts which they greatly appreciated).
Christmas just been I came home to find a gift bag left in my porch from the lovely neighbours which contained, red wine, hot Chocolte stirrers, selection boxes for my 2 DC and a box of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat which were delicious by the way!
The neighbours have been very kind with me and the DC during the lockdowns last year, they gave us outdoor toys that belong to their grandchildren (they couldn't use as they couldn't visit) and always offered to pick essentials up from the shop for us, gave DC Easter eggs and sweets for DC on birthdays when they spotted banners and balloons on our front door. So, when I did my christmas shopping I purchased a M&S wine and chocolates hamper for them. A couple of days after I received their gift I took the hamper round and the DH answered the door. He was very grateful and told me how thoughtful I was, and how I made them feel welcomed and how lovely my DC were, he ended the speech by telling me to keep the hamper for myself to enjoy and to not waste my money on them. I insisted he should take the hamper to enjoy with his DW as thanks for being brilliant and thoughtful neighbours all year.
He became a little uncomfortable and explained neither he or his DW drink alcohol and as a type 1 diabetics he doesn't eat chocolate and his DW is vegan and also lactose intolerant so she can only eat certain chocolates. I apologised and said I had no idea and just assumed they ate chocolates and drunk alcohol because of the gifts I had received. He apologised profusely for the misunderstanding and explained the chocolates and alcohol I'd received the last 2 christmases were gifts given to the DW by children/parents and colleagues at the school she works at and because they couldn't consume them she handed them out to friends and neighbours to enjoy which is a lovely thing for her to do but I wish I had known so I could have purchased something appropriate for them. I ended up taking the hamper home.
I haven't really seen them all christmas apart from once or twice but a couple of nights ago the DW knocked on my door and said she wanted to apologise for rejecting my gift and that she had been too embarrassed to come round before now and if she had known I was going to buy them something then she would have explained.
AIBU to think she should have given some sort of explanation? I would have still viewed them as christmas gifts as they're still gifts and I wouldn't have been any less grateful especially that she thought of me and the DC when distributing them but it would have saved some embarrassment for both me and the neighbours?