Ungrateful MIL - absolutely LIVID

[Lipbalmstrawberry]

It’s MIL’s birthday today and we went out for a meal at lunchtime. I gave her her gift which was a blouse from River Island and when she opened it she just was like “Eugh, I don’t think this will suit me. It probably won’t fit me either.” “Have you got the receipt? I’ll go in and change it when go into town on Friday. If not you can keep it I don’t like that.” all with a scowl on her face. I was completely aghast and fuming so I just lied and said I don’t have the receipt and put it back in my bag. Not a word of thanks! I felt even a bit humiliated to be honest.

The rest of the lunch was completely normal and she was talking to me as though nothing happened but inside I was absolutely seething and I still am to be honest. I wished I’d have told her to not be so rude! And she never even said thank you for the cake either!

WIBU to not bother with a cake and present next year? I’m thinking of not bothering after that reaction.

Absolutely pig ignorant and rude.

@FasterthanaButteredOtter

It's not my rule! I literally grew up knowing this and have never seen/ heard someone buying clothes for someone else except recently - also on MN

I don't dislike the idea, it's just not the done thing

Wow she was incredibly rude and showed zero class, no matter what the gift was it should be accepted with grace. Don’t bother again!!

Always risky with clothes buying. I'd always get a gift voucher so they can choose their own clothes or gift. She could have been more polite about it but at least she was honest!!

Would you rather she lied?! It is very bizarre behaviour to buy your MIL clothing. Especially from somewhere aimed at teens and early 20s like River Island

Such a Mumsnet thing to say 🙄

Fucking hell, these comments about how inappropriate a present it was. Had to double check it was a blouse not a dildo.

I have a friend who buys her work stuff from River Island. She's 61. And she looks great.

Oh my god does no one read the whole post? 🤦‍♀️
I think it was very thoughtful of you and your husband OP and she was incredibly rude. She should have been more gracious and still could have returned it later.

My DH buys for his side of the family, I keep to my own side as I know them all and their tastes better than DH. River Island is an odd one. I’m in my early 40’s and haven’t been in RI or bought from them in about 8 years.

She didn’t say thank you for the gift OR the cake

'Oh I'm sorry you don't like it MIL. The receipt's at home - here, give it back, I'm in town tomorrow so I'll return it'.

<return blouse. Buy gin/chocolates/novel. Never refer to blouse again or buy gift for MIL again>.

But yep, weird gift. I wouldn't want a DIL or, for that matter, a DC buying my clothes.

Seriously??? What the heck is your problem???

My opinion is MIL has a sharp tongue, I have been brought up to treat people with respect but once bitten forget it, how heartless to act out that way when she had received a thoughtful gift, I love fashion and I would of thought it as a lovely gift but if I really didn’t like it I would never say, why hurt someone’s feelings when they have gone to so much trouble, exchange it for something you want

This is the first thing that crossed my mind too.

Don’t bother getting her anything else & let your DH sort on his own in future. Very rude. There’s a way to say if something isn’t to your taste plus she already told you she wanted a blouse

Yikes! That’s a reach 😱

I’m 50 and I often buy stuff from RI 🤷‍♀️

Are you serious , you’re quite rude to.
i bought my mil when she was still with us a blouse from next i bought her loads of stuff like that and she was grateful and loved them and wore them . Also accusing someone of shoplifting when op clearly stated she lied about not having the receipt . This was not honesty this was plain rude behaviour

What’s wrong with that? Your partner should probably have paid really, but what’s wrong with MIL ordering a steak on her birthday?

Or giving any leftovers to her dog?

I hope there were better reasons for you to go nc or I feel a bit sorry for her 😕

Is she always this rude? If not, keep an eye on it. She may have a health problem.

If this is pretty normal and she’s just rude, don’t bother next time. Throw her an M&S voucher and be done with it.

Dear god, some of the replies on here! 🙈 Bizarre reactions to such blatant rudeness. Accusations of shoplifting? Craziness 😳

my goodness, some people on here are being as rude to you as your MIL was. A blouse could be a very thoughtful lovely present. Her reaction was off the scale rude. And you made her a cake! Gordon Bennet. Mind you, some people are very badly behaved on their birthdays they think it is their day and they can say what they like. But she shouldn't have embarrassed you. She was very silly because you won't treat her so well again. It happens in our family too - at the end of the day you just have to laugh about it. People can behave like children on their birthdays.

Lipbalmstrawberry
You sound a very kind thoughtful person, you absolutely did not deserve her outburst of such rudeness, I would too have been upset and livid all at the same time.
Next year just don't bother, I think in s couple of days time I would have to ring her and say 'sorry, you didn't like your present, but you really didn't have to do such a show of rudeness and ungreatfullness, it was all very hurtful towards us, but it's OK we will know not to bother again"

You don’t even know it was a hideous blouse , I actually cannot believe some people on here they’re so rude .