Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

If you knew your son had bought you an unsuitable gift for Christmas would you say something?

57 replies

polarbebe · 26/11/2025 21:57

I have just been put on a medication which means I can no longer drink.
He’s bought me a bottle of wine for Christmas.
I don’t want to offend him but he could give it to someone else as it would be wasted on me and I’d feel guilty just giving it away when it could make a nice present for someone else and save him money.
Or do I not say anything and just accept it and say thank you.
I only know because he mentioned what he’d bought to my husband and he mentioned it to me because of the new medication. I don’t know why he didn’t say something to him at the time but now I know I feel I should tell him shouldn’t I?
Obviously he needs to know for future reference.

OP posts:

CiderWithRosie1972 · 27/11/2025 13:16

Needmorelego · 27/11/2025 10:31

If he isn't told he could end up buying a bottle of wine every year.
So for every year for the rest of your life you are happy to not actually get a gift from your son that you can use?
He could be wasting his money every year.
If I was the son I would want to give my own mother a gift she can actually use.
I would actually be quite angry if in years to come I discovered the wine I had been buying every year was unusable. I'd think "ffs why didn't you say something".

Show quote history

Ah! I misread the OP. The new med is ongoing so yes, tell him!

Mumtobabyhavoc · 27/11/2025 20:44

TheApocalypticiansApprentice · 27/11/2025 10:13

But your suggestion, @Needmorelego, would negate the years of past wine gifts and mortify the friends. It’s better if @Lilyhatesjaz gives the impression that the wine embargo is new.

I do wonder if people actually like their friends, sometimes, though. If I give wine it will be something very carefully chosen and costly intended as a proper treat. I’d be a bit put out to find that my ‘friends’ had been allowing me to waste money and time across years …

True, but you'd likely know if your friends drank wine, or not. I'm sure their drinking habits would be apparent at meet-ups over the years.

BadgernTheGarden · 27/11/2025 20:48

Just accept it and served to your guests at Christmas, you don't have to drink it.

Needmorelego · 27/11/2025 20:50

BadgernTheGarden · 27/11/2025 20:48

Just accept it and served to your guests at Christmas, you don't have to drink it.

This is her present from her son.
Presumably he will be the guest at Christmas 🤷
This isn't a "bring something to add to Christmas dinner" but her actual Christmas gift.

Needmorelego · 27/11/2025 20:52

Mumtobabyhavoc · 27/11/2025 20:44

True, but you'd likely know if your friends drank wine, or not. I'm sure their drinking habits would be apparent at meet-ups over the years.

Show quote history

I don't understand why nothing was said the first time.
"Thanks for the gift. Lovely to think of us. Unfortunately we don't drink red wine."
🤔

Mumtobabyhavoc · 27/11/2025 21:38

Needmorelego · 27/11/2025 20:52

I don't understand why nothing was said the first time.
"Thanks for the gift. Lovely to think of us. Unfortunately we don't drink red wine."
🤔

Show quote history

I wouldn't as a one-off.
However, they have been making lovely bolognaise. 😋

FairKoala · 29/12/2025 08:53

I am the go to person when someone is gifting alcohol or cugarettes

Do I drink alcohol?

Do I smoke?

Even Secret Santa every year I did it I got a bottle of wine.

In the end I said no to Secret Santa I might sound like a grinch but it just gave me the rage.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread