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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it bad form to bitch about Christmas presents?

157 replies

WinkyWinkola · 01/01/2009 12:50

Only my brother and his wife got all the DCs in the family one of these each for Christmas. Pink versions for the girls.

I was annoyed as they showed such little thought for the individuals, their ages etc. They've got pots of money too so it's not like they couldn't afford a nice book or something.

Imagine DS's face when he opened a freaking blanket up. MIL has one very similar for her dog.

I don't care how much a gift costs but don't get crap like this, please. It just shows you don't actually give a shit.

AIBU?

OP posts:
LadyLauraStandish · 01/01/2009 12:52

Yeah, okay, it's pretty crap to buy every child a blanket.

Coldtits · 01/01/2009 12:53

So instead of having a functional, washable, foldable, storable, small present, they should have received something the children would thrill over for 3.5 seconds then discard in favour of everything else?

I think if you are on a budget, practical is the way forward.

ForeverOptimistic · 01/01/2009 12:53

I think they are quite nice.

Ronaldinhio · 01/01/2009 12:53

yanbu

however my db is visiting us and his ds has a fleecy blanket with him that has been THE object of Christmas desire for my dd

perhaps ther dc loved them bizarrley

(unlikely I know but nowt strange as kids/people)

Trying to remain full of Christmas charity

bigTillyMint · 01/01/2009 12:54

DC's got fleecey blankets from MIL a couple of years ago, and DS got another this year
They LOVE them.

And they are useful

But they did give them other presents too.

SoupDragon · 01/01/2009 12:54

I don't know if you're unreasonable but you're bloody ungrateful. At least they did buy a gift.

SalLikesCoffee · 01/01/2009 12:54

Yes it is bad form, sorry. I also think that, if you made it obvious that you thought it was a stupid present, it sets a bad example to your children.

It's a gift, not an entitlement imo.

Original poster
WinkyWinkola · 01/01/2009 12:56

And no, the DCs weren't thrilled with blankets. I buy blankets, sheets etc as a staple of our household requirements.

They are loaded, not on a budget. And they didn't buy other gifts.

I think it's very lame personally.

OP posts:
IAmTheNewQueenOfMN · 01/01/2009 12:56

it is a gift
YABU

it is a very nice blanket and very useful item to have in the house

what would you have preferred?

wheresthehamster · 01/01/2009 12:57

Sometimes it's hard to think of something for half a dozen children of differing ages who probably have everything already.
(Says she who has given fleeces as presents in the past )

mumeeee · 01/01/2009 12:57

YABU. The children in my family would love those.

faeriemoo · 01/01/2009 12:59

It's frustrating to receive something that leaves you WTF-ing about how you are going to incorporate it into everyday/week/month use, but it was quite a thoughtful present. After all, how many threads do message boards like this get about people giving their kids more and more plastic tat, or books and toys below/above their comprehension?

My grandparents bought everyone electric toothbrushes this year - my parents, my brothers, my husband, me, my eldest daughter and my two year old niece. The only one who didn't get was my seven month old baby LOL. Whilst we had a laugh at the unlikeliness of the gift, it was pretty damn practical!

SoupDragon · 01/01/2009 13:00

OK, you are being very unreasonable because clearly you are p*ssed off that they didn't spend enough money on your children. You keep mentioning that they are "loaded".

Get over yourself.

grumpalina · 01/01/2009 13:00

YABU. My DSs got fleecy blankets (admittedly one was Dr Who and the other Ben 10. They absolutely love them. They particulary like the fact they can come down early at the weekend,put the tv on and snuggle under their blankets.

I think it's a bit unreasonable to say no thought has gone into it and tbh it's not easy to buy for other peoples children. I don't have a clue about girls (have two boys) and tend to buy T-shirts from Next for party presents rather than some palstic tat that will be disgarded and take up more space.

bigTillyMint · 01/01/2009 13:00

Faeriemoo, electric toothbrushes are a great pressie - at least you can use them, rather than great piles of plastic crap that breaks/leaves nothing to the imagination.

faeriemoo · 01/01/2009 13:01

WW - in both your posts on this thread, you've mentioned that they are not short of a quid or two.

Why don't you give them the blankets back and ask them for the cash instead??

WTF! It was a gift Does it matter how much money they cost? I didn't think you were being unreasonable with your first post, but I do now.

Original poster
WinkyWinkola · 01/01/2009 13:01

I've got fifty blankets! So have the rest of my brothers. We've got small children so blankets are a prerequisite to us all in every day life.

It was clearly a case of not being at all bothered about thinking what each child might like according to their age and interests.

Still, you can't force people to be interested in their relatives, can you?

OP posts:
Original poster
WinkyWinkola · 01/01/2009 13:02

I said this in my first post - I don't care how much a gift costs but don't get crap like this, please.

OP posts:
faeriemoo · 01/01/2009 13:03

If you have too many blankets, I'm sure a local homeless hostel or woman's hostel will be more than grateful for the donation.

oxocube · 01/01/2009 13:03

There are loads of charities that would love those blankets. Give them away if you don't want them (I think they're quite nice actually and my dd would like it)

SoupDragon · 01/01/2009 13:04

"I don't care how much a gift costs"

Er, clearly you do because you've whined about how they are loaded and not on a budget.

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 01/01/2009 13:04

welll I don't know how many children they bought for, but presuming that it wasn't in the sale as in the link you've posted I don't suppose it was that cheap to buy for everyone.

SoupDragon · 01/01/2009 13:04

If you didn't care about the cost then you wouldn't have mentioned the fact that they're "loaded" at all.

Original poster
WinkyWinkola · 01/01/2009 13:04

Wrong. My point is that they are not on a budget and do not need to bulk buy gifts for children. It is a point to reiterate my issue that they don't give a stuff.

OP posts:
Ronaldinhio · 01/01/2009 13:05

I'd say WW that the general opinion is that you are being unreasonable
Most people think it is a decent, useful, appropriate present we'd be glad to receive

It doesn't say they weren't interested
So yabu!!!