too right I am, inlaw xmas present horror!

[chibi]

Grrrrrr....Every year I dread Christmas with the inlaws because of the crazy amount of crap the give us. I have had to put half their presents in a closet as there is no room for them anywhere else.

The presents are excessive, ill-conceived and for the most part, unwanted. Amongst other things, one of the presents for my 6 month old was a hot water bottle .

What the HELL am I meant to do with stuff like that? Or where do we put the 15 pairs of underwear/socks that my dh recieves twice a year (birthdays too natch). What on Earth do they think he does to socks + underwear to get through them so quickly?

I am now looking at a pile of gifts that go halfway up the tree, with a pile in the closet besides. It just looks obscene.

I end up giving most of it away and then I feel guilty. Yes, they love to give, yes they mean well, yes I am a big fricking grinch but I don't care. These presents don't feel given so much as inflicted.

Exactly Brazilianmum.

I must be one of the meanest Mums around - I have never bought anything gadgety for either of my kids - and never will. I simply hate to see kids glued to these little handheld electronic games, or walking around with earphones glued to their ears or comparing mobile phones.

My sister has always bought her 15yr old boy every latest electrical gadget - Ipods, PS2's, computers, MP3s, mobile phones etc - and he is one of the most big headed lads I know. Academically he is way behind - he can't read very well, his handwriting is appalling and he is so difficult to buy for because he has no hobbies.

Whilst I'm not religious it also worries me that kids don't know/forget what Christmas is all about - same applies to Easter when its a contest as to who gets the most eggs!

At the end of the day its not the kid's fault they become so obsessed with presents - what they get and how much it all costs - its us, the parents.

Wooooohooo MIL just called Dh and said she not buying presents this year.
Doesn't know what to get DS (obviously as not been to our house since he was 3 weeks old and he's now 13mths) so will give money.

Brazilian and Whispy - I agree with you. I think there is a serious problem when you ask a child about what they like to do when they aren't at school and their response is totally lacking in enthusiasm and something to do with TV or gaming. Children need hobbies. They need to use their brains. and they need to be active. It is the parents job to ensure that their child finds something that the child can be enthusiastic about that keeps their minds and bodies active. Tv's and game consoles and computers etc do nothing in favour of the child and their development what so ever. The adle the brain amd cause inactivity - Yes you can even play the wii lying down on the sofa, you just have to figure it out which takes all of five seconds - Tv's and console games are very good for the parents though! they get to plonk the child infront of one or the other and have a peaceful day to get on with their own life. It's sad but true.
I never had gadgets like that when I was a child (and there were some in existance then!) Sometimes my family would buy me something expensive but it would be something to do with my hobby and therefore an actual improvement to my quality of life