How can I thank my parents for paying for our honeymoon

[djlon]

They have said, they don’t want any thanks or anything in return, they just want me (and us) to be happy and have fun. They are mortgage free and comfortable and have worked hard to be where they are today, I know they wouldn’t be offering if they couldn’t afford it. They have just shrugged and said don’t be daft, it’s what we’ll do when we have kids and the cycle continues etc. The holiday we are looking at booking is just under £4k, which is very luxury for us and never something we would normally splash out on. How can I best say thank you?

I understand 4k might not seem a lot to some people, possibly including them, but it is exceptional amounts to us and I don’t know how best I can thank them for this. I feel very lucky and want to show them we are really grateful. What would be a good present or token of appreciation?

This!

And... Even if some parts of the holiday are less than perfect don't say anything negative about it.

This is underrated as a general point. I made a huge amount of effort organising part of my friend's hen do, and she moaned about it a lot. The things that made it less good were completely beyond my control and frankly she was a twat for saying so (possibly related to being a sore loser, because the other two groups had a great time!).

My dd sent us a thank you postcard with a photo of them as the picture and similar of our dgc when he was born.
My best gifts from the dc are cards, letters, communication in general.

They've told you what they want, the best gift would be to know you had had a fabulous time. I'd not be happy if you were then spending energy and money on something to say thank you. A nice gesture would be to have them over for an evening when you get back to share photos and stories of what an amazing time you had. Don't mention any bad bits. A trinket from the destination if you must but as pp's have said an postcard would be lovely too.

Name your first baby after them!

They don't want stuff. If anything it will be time or memories. Give them a framed photo of you both on holiday.

Payback comes when they are much older, and need you.

Yes, this, plus card and flowers. They don’t want you to be fretting about what to bring them back.

If the honeymoon is to somewhere where you can buy a hand crafted card perhaps with a drawing of the place, then that would be nice.

Buy them their wedding outfits? Something they can wear to wedding such as earrings? I bought my dad a fancy pen he always wanted and used it to sign the register (my something borrowed too)

Aww I wish I could have afforded to do that - dd1 is on a delayed honeymoon atm which cost £8k - but they've paid for it themselves. I wouldn't have expected anything if I had paid.

Enjoy your honeymoon.
Come back pregnant.
They'll be delighted.

How do you know that? Why would you assume they want newly weds to be starting a family on day one?

Unless you think they are expecting some kind of physical thank you gift id go with the majority, words, written or spoken and a photo of you enjoying yourselves

I totally agree with PPs that your DPs won't want a 'gift' to say thank you. A lovely, hand written card and an invite to dinner (at your home) would be appreciated... together with the framed photograph. My own DPs are incredibly generous but they actually get mildly annoyed at being given presents, flowers, plants for the garden etc .. they can buy anything they want and don't need any more 'stuff' in their lives ... it just becomes a problem having to deal with it. They quite like a 'charity' gift but I know not everyone likes those. What they want is 'time' .. for family to spend time with them.

Definitely a hand written ‘card’; my new daughter in law is very thoughtful like this and DS is following her lead. Definitely no meals out or flowers needed, and a spa would be my worst nightmare. We didn’t pay for DS and DDiL’s honeymoon but we were excited to receive photos when they had a signal and to
know they were having a great time. We are getting together for a bbq and to hear all about it.

The greatest gift you can give them is your time. Invite them to your home for lunch or dinner. Or arrange a day out, picnic in the park or a walk in the woods. That is what I want from my adult DC. To spend time with them. To carry on "making memories" (sorry, I hate the term but you know what I mean)

I'd send a postcard with a lovely message on it and thank them in person. I'd then have them around for dinner when you get back and show them photos from the honeymoon.

The most valuable thing you'll ever give your parents is time.

Grandchildren 😜

Love this idea.

Or even one of those printed photo books of yhe wedding and some honeymoon snaps with measles printed inside.

The last page could have a picture of you both on honeymoon with a massage like "thankyou for making this happen"

I agree with being grateful and telling them you had a great time, a photo, and (only) if you are planning/hoping to have kids - a honeymoon baby is also a lovely thing…

Accept graciously,

Really enjoy yourselves

Make a photo book of your honeymoon on return so they can see what a lovely time you had.

Do not ever get caught up in feelings of ‘giving them grandchildren’. I would be alarmed if my young adult Dc felt like this. A decision to be a parent should not involve pleasing anyone else, nor as a result of feeling swept away by romance etc. if it is anyone’s thought out plan: fine.

I'd repay them by spending time with them. Take them out for a meal, theatre, day trip, anywhere else they'd like.

Hearing about other people's holidays is incredibly boring and wtf at the pps saying HAVE A BABY!! Never mind enjoying a while of just being married, no jump on the baby train immediately your parents will be delighted knowing you spent your honeymoon shagging away. Yall are confusing

Keep sucking that joy.

My cousin and her dh went for a 2 night break to a lovely hotel. They had a dinner in the hotel's Michelin starred restaurant on one of the nights away.
When they went to pay, prior to their departure, they were told that it was paid for. Paid for by their daughter and son in law to thank them for contributing paying for most of to the costs of their wedding.
I thought that was lovely.

Yeah, right, not having a baby 10 minutes after getting married is really putting a downer on life

Fine if that's what you want but odd to automatically assume in the 21st century that a parent would be delighted for their child to be having a honeymoon baby.

I can't emphasise how important choosing to spend 'quality time' with people is ... I visit an elderly neighbour and her DS frequently sends her extravagant bouquets ... she really doesn't want or need them (she is a competent gardener with her own garden full of beautiful home grown flowers). She just wishes he would visit for an afternoon .. doesn't have to be for very long. He probably eases his conscience by thinking 'I send my mum £50 worth of flowers every month - she knows I love her'. There are no practical reasons why he can't visit.

It is very easy (if you an afford it) to equate giving 'presents' with caring for someone & showing them you love them .. it's not the same.