Unwanted gift etiquette and the giant dinosaur

[LavenderSweetPea]

So basically, in the mail yesterday we received a 6ft inflatable, light up Christmas dinosaur from MIL.

DH and I both agree we really really don't like it - it's very much not our style (or the style of the people in our neighbourhood either judging by last years christmas decorations). It's an outdoor thing so the only place it could go would be directly outside the front of the house.

Usually, when getting a gift you don't like, obviously you smile, say thank you, pretend you do like it but then either put it away and dont use it or donate/regift it if appropriate. Unfortunately we aren't going to be able to do that because we've already got a text asking to see a picture of it up (it's not even December so I figure we've got at least a few days to kick that can down the road) and MIL lives locally so comes round to us all the time so will know if we don't have it up throughout December. She's also spending Christmas with us and staying for 5 days so I don't see the normal 'we love it' and then putting it away forever is going to work here.

We don't want to offend, but at the same time I really don't want a 6ft inflatable dinosaur outside my house from now until NY, environmentally it seems incredibly wasteful to accept a giant plastic gift that's ultimately going to landfill. Added to that I'm 7 months pregnant and cba with additional christmas decs to take down right before my due date.

I have said DH needs to politely speak to MIL and explain that it was kind of her to think of us, but unfortuantely it's really not our sort of thing and can we take it back to the store for her and get her her money back for it (she's not awash with cash so I really don't want her to waste her money on this). DH said we should put it up, send her a picture and that claim a few days later that high winds etc damaged it and take it down, but I feel that she might buy us another or insist we return it for a replacement if it's not withstood normal weather conditions, plus I'm a terrible liar!

What do you all think? (ps. Yes I know this is ridiculous)

I'll come up with a response when I've finished searching out this delight......it's clear to me your mil has impeccable taste. She's an inspirational woman. 👏 🤣🤣🤣

This ^^, what hideous tat.

“Oh no, we left it outside for five minutes and somebody stole it!”

It it’s the ones what you plug into a socket I’d put it up take a picture then turn it off and only turn it back on again when she’s there for chirsrmas but just of a night, I’ve got a Santa inflatable that only gets turned between 3-6 so the children can see it when they get home then it gets turned off again.

Would that be so terrible?

Does anyone else see these threads at Christmas and get the vague thought it's secretly a marketing ploy to shift stock?
I am very glad my MIL restrains her taste to things that fit in an envelope!

Oh come on OP: it’s awesome! I can understand pre-DCs you might not have your head round it but believe me in a year or 3 it will be the highlight of every Christmas getting that out. Children LOVE that stuff at Christmas. There will be little excited jumps on the spot as it inflates, friends from nursery coming to see it. Just wait till you start getting the homemade decorations from nursery that you have to position pride of place: your sense of resistance to all things loudly Christmas does get kind of muted. I can see you might want one last “ sophisticated Christmas “ so why not explain that to MIL, that you are feeling a bit exhausted, baby will arrive around the time you have to pack it away so you are going to keep it until you have DC to fully appreciate. If you still feel anti inflatable dinosaurs it can have a little accident with DC and a toy with a poky bit on it. But I seriously think you will find yourself in a different mindset by then.

I love this! Can you take a deep breath put it up and invite neighbours to a meet and greet the dinosaur with photo opportunities for a charitable donation to a local good cause? To be honest the more incongruous it looks in its surroundings the funnier this is. It has the potential to bring a lot of joy to many. My local Homebase has them in stock so I’m heading out to get one…

@Lucytheloose yes that would be "so terrible" because if purposely damaged it would have to be thrown away. What a waste.

Be honest and, through DH, see if your MIL can take it back.
Or
Be honest and tell MIL that it is not your thing but the baby might like it when they are three and that you will store it away safely until then or lend it to a friend with kids..
Or
Resort to second suggestion if MIL can not return the dinosaur.

I had an inflatable Christmas decoration, it only stays inflated when it's running, and deflates immediately when turned off. Added to which the fan which keeps it inflated is very noisy.

Could you not say you're only running it for small amounts of time because of cost of electricity, and/or noise? Either that, or sadly it "won't stay inflated" (reason unknown) but you'll "have a look at it" when you have time? (ie, never?)

Also, to be honest it might not be your cup of tea but my inflatable went down really well with the kids and although it's definitely not chic or cool, somehow the cheesy factor was retro cool and everyone wanted one so keeping it to run it for an hour or two here and there might not be the worst thing in the world.

And YY to a previous poster who said it's the sort of thing kids love and remember, and the more incongruous the setting, the funnier it is. Maybe embrace it, actually, in a funny kind of way than a serious choice.

Go on, get the dinosaur out!!!

This is a simple calculation: will her joy at seeing it in place outweigh your displeasure? If so, get it up, she sounds like a lovely woman and clearly excited to be spending Christmas with everyone together. If not, then tell her you don’t have room/don’t have a suitable plug socket and go with her to Homebase and choose something more suitable. Xmas coffee together on the way home. Easy!

In addition to it not being your taste, you can also say you do not have an external plug socket so you won’t be able to put it up.

Oh stop being a snob, put it up and enjoy it, make the neighbours talk.

@OhNoOhNo it was my idea actually! MIL doesn't have space at hers to host everyone and usually we go further afield to other family members but I didn't fancy being far away from my hospital just incase baby makes an early appearance (unlikely with a first, but you never know!)

I'm lucky DH is a good cook and everyone always pitches in when they stay (even before I was pregnant) so I'm not worried, in fact I'm very much looking forward to it 😁

Fast forward two years and you’ll be posting on here : “ heavily pregnant and exhausted from traipsing round the shops trying to find dinosaur-mad DC an inflatable one for Christmas. Pleeeeease help!”

I have a three year old and still have no desire to have plastic inflatables in my front garden. Said three year old is more interested in lights anyway and would rather have a light up reindeer if given the choice 😅

🙄

Cheers for that- will make my 9 year olds Christmas. I’m going to put it up in the living room for when he gets up on Christmas morning 😃

Ask her if you can put it up at hers as the neighbours complain about this sort of thing and have been know to damage them in the middle if the night. If not can she get her money back as you would hate to see it damaged. If she doesn't agree take a photo if it up then a couple of nights later it somehow gets burst. You did warn her.

@Torganer Do you need an external plug socket? Legitimately I don't have one. I thought the cable would be super thin and you just popped the cable through your front room window and hoped it would still close?

@Calliopespa not a chance. Not that it won't happen but i'll be FAR too embarassed now to ask for help finding an inflatable dinosaur after starting this thread 😂you are making me wonder though if we should keep it for future years. I'd put it up in the future if it would bring DC the Christmas joy.

Get DH to say 'Mum, I know I used to love dinosaurs, but I don't want that up in the front garden. It's not the neighbourhood for it. Do you mind if we exchange it for a door wreath we like?'

@Conkersinautumn I know, I should have posted an affiliate link or something and made myself some cash 😂nevermind. I promise I don't work either for homebase, or the inflatable dinosaur council 😎