Just need a bit of advice really.
My husband is one of 6 children, all of those siblings have at least one child each. I have always gifted those children birthday, Easter and Xmas. I get a thank you from some of them, others not. Also one of his siblings I see probably once every other year due to location, but I always include her children as wouldn’t want them to have to miss out.
I was flabbergasted a few years ago when we got married that all his family came to wedding but not one single one of them so much as gave us a card.
I had my first baby in May. I had just one gift from my husband’s side, which was from one of his sisters. Again no cards and no gifts from anyone else.
My baby was christened not long ago, and once again the whole family came but no cards, no gifts. Even my friends who were unable to make the event had organised for a gift to be sent through the post, really thoughtful items as well. (I had been asked by my husband’s brother whether alcohol was allowed at the christening - I had said no as it was afternoon tea I had worked hard to prepare, and didn’t want my son’s christening to be an excuse for the family to have a piss up. When the day arrived he completely ignored my wishes and brought alcohol anyway, the whole of my husband’s dysfunctional family sat around one table drinking all afternoon. It upset me that they made sure they brought cans of drink but didn’t bother to come with a gift).
I am now starting to think about Xmas and am really minded not to bother even buying for their kids anymore as clearly they couldn’t be bothered with mine, and I highly anticipate they will not be bothering to gift my son this Xmas as they don’t seem to understand the concept of buying. The issue I have is I feel bad as it’s the children who won’t get their gift and I feel as though they’re on the receiving end of my annoyance. My little boy is too old to understand this year but when he’s old enough to grasp Xmas, I’m not happy for him to give to his cousins but get nothing back.
To date, I have said nothing. I have said about it to my husband but he simply says ‘they’re just like that’. I just find it so odd that even his parents, my son’s grandparents, would arrive with nothing for his christening and our wedding day (which they contributed to in no way at all financially or other).
Do you think I should just not bother to get their kids this year? Or buy as normal and then next year say we are not in a position to buy children anymore being as we have our own child to cater for.
I find it all very awkward if I’m honest.