Does your MIL do this?

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So, if there’s been a recent event where cards have been exchanged, birthday Christmas, and most recently Valentine’s Day, MIL reads the cards that are on the window sill. She does it every time, commenting on the writing, what is written. For some reason it has always annoyed me.

YABU she can look if she wants
YANBU she’s a nosy cow!

Oh! I look at cards in my sons' houses. I don't comment on the writing though. Does that make me a bad person? And why is the question only aimed at Mothers in law?!

Cos my father in law doesn’t look at the cards….

There's been a few threads like this and it seems to be pretty evenly split.

Personally, I don't mind because if there was anything written in the cards that I didn't want others to see, I wouldn't put them on display.

Isn’t that why you display cards? For them to be read?

I think it’s rude, especially valentines ones and often keep them in our room for this reason

I think it’s weird to read someone else’s cards.

Mine doesn't, but I'd be happy for her to, I agree if there's anything in them you don't want seen, don't display them in an area open to visitors

I thought that was the point of displaying them....so other people could have a look at them 🤷

I'm with you, OP. Fine to admire the cards on display, quite rude to pick them up and read them. Unless asking if it's OK before doing so, of course.

You've reminded me to remove the v vulgar valentines card DH gave me from view

I always read cards at families houses, I didn't think it was a thing. I assumed it showed I was interested, which I am.

My Dad does it and he reads things on the notice board and any paperwork you've left out. It's annoying, I think it's a reflex with him rather than nosiness, he's a bit of a compulsive reader.

Yes mine does!

I think it is rude.

My mum did this until she read a rude joke poem I had written to DH in a valentine's card that was in our bedroom. She was crimson. Hasn't done it since

Ha my mum did this once. It was a valentines card from me to my husband.
She read it and then GOT ANGRY AND OFFENDED ABOUT WHAT ID WRITTEN!!
Ffs why was she even reading a valentines card clearly addressed to my husband??

I just think it’s a bit rude. She used to glance at letters also from hospital, you know back in the days when letters were more a thing. We learnt to put those away!

I absolutely hate this. Drives me mad. My MIL is the only one who does it and she also comments on what written eg questions ‘in’ jokes, no matter who the card is from. I find it really intrusive.

Ive actually stopped displaying them for this reason. Last time she visited she was annoyed that we didn’t have any cards on display (namely hers).

Mine does, I find it rude. She also asks "who is ...?" If she doesn't know them.
Erm, nobody you know! It's not your bloody card!

I agree OP. I dislike it and actually find it quite invasive the couple of times it's happened. I put cards up to be admired because they're nice, not for public reading. If I wanted anyone to read the contents, I'd take it down and say "read this". It's just not something I'd ever think of doing in someone else's house!

If they are displayed surely they are for people to look at. If they are private isn't it better to keep them somewhere private

This has also reminded me that when it’s the kids birthdays, if she feels my parents cards are more on display, she moves her cards to a more prominent position when she puts them back!

Think we’ve got the same MIL.

My parents gave us a fake gift of a cheque for our wedding (money was transferred so it was just a way of us opening the gift).

because it was fake, I’d tidied some torn bits of envelope into the cheque envelope.
MIL dropped our dog off from dog sitting and when I returned home, the bits of torn paper were all over the floor. She’d obviously took the cheque out and looked at it.

A week later, we got an identical ‘gift’ towards our honeymoon 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I think that’s it for me also, I’d never dream of doing it elsewhere!

Oh, I think some cards are private eg anniversary cards, Valentine’s, and birthday cards between dh and myself. So I wouldn't like someone reading them. I wouldn't read someone's cards either, they're not for me, so wouldn't feel right.