Christmas presents overload

[harlacem0507]

Just a light hearted topic more than anything but does anyone else have a family member (in my case MIL) that goes TOTALLY overboard with presents for the kids (and us) but it gets to the point every year when you kinda dread it? I know it comes from a very generous heart and she's a wonderful woman but she does have a shopping addiction (will buy new things then immediately throw them into a cupboard for years) she even told me she buys and gets a buzz and when they arrive she doesn't care for it anymore. Going off the beat and track here, but how do I advise her to not go overboard? I have asked and dropped hints in the past and it calmed down the last two years and has suddenly gone up again in volume! I think she saw my face when her and my FIL walked in on Christmas day with 7 large bags for life full of gifts and said 'well u might not get much next year as I might retire' but she's said this 3 years running. I have a 3 bed semi with very little storage and the sheer amount of things completely overwhelm me. Has anyone had this before? And have said something to that person that actually worked?

Yes. We were overwhelmed and now we are drowning in toys. I will be quietly removing some to the charity shop over the next few weeks as there's far too many for our kids to play with and there's no space in the house, it's stopping us from being able to clean and tidy.

Ah you literally could be me. My MIL is EXACTLY the same. It's mad. Solidarity.

Yes hit the nail on the head she most definitely has a shopping addiction, she told me she gets a buzz/thrill when purchasing but when it arrives she feels nothing and tosses it aside. She has designer clothes/handbags all with tags on its eye watering seeing how much she must have spent so she knows she has a problem, my OH feels it's a control thing as she has little control over bug things such as where they live and my FIL inheritance she wanted to put it towards buying their own home (they have rented for years) he flatly refuses says to keep it for a rainy day (complete other issue I won't go there) so I absolutely feel for her and it's very generous but it's just utterly overwhelming I hate clutter and too many things it makes my heart race! And I also feel terrible for donating stuff when I know she's spent good money on stuff as it's never cheap stuff she buys, but I might be taking a few toys over to hers this afternoon when we pop by!

I feel you and this in turn absolutely affects my mental health (hate to use that phrase I know it gets used a lot these days but there's no other way to explain how it affects me having so much stuff around me)

My (now ex) MIL is the same. So much random stuff. They were very comfortable for money and mine were the only grandchildren so they just bought and bought. I tried asking for season passes to nearby attraction - got those AND all the tat. I tried suggesting they do "something you want/need/wear/read" for the children to limit it to 4 things. They bought the 4 things AND all the tat.
So much of it was age inappropriate or just not of any interest to the kids. The DC would also get too overwhelmed by everything and basically ignore it all.
Her son and I then split up so all the tat now stays at his house.

This is a little off topic, but it sounds like your MIL might have a shopping addiction

Its literally in the OP

It's literally proven to raise our cortisol levels. Surrounded by clutter and an "invisible to do list". Obviously some level of chaos is normal with small children but it can just get to silly levels.
Id prefer to spend money on days out and experiences.

@CocoPlum
Argh. All the "tat". I feel you. Our relative who does this is such a nice person and also does get lovely stuff plus "all the tat" so it's hard to complain. Just have to feel zero guilt at taking it all to the charity shop!!!!

Yes MIL for past 30 years. She asks for a list, I requested 2 things. Which she bought me . … and another 9 things. Which as every year I have given to charity shops or given away as not to my taste. I kept and am using 1 out of the other 9 things. It seems ungrateful but that is around 250 items over the years of unwanted and unneeded gifts. It doesn’t matter what I say or do I just get bought stuff. It’s so wasteful.