Is it bad form to bitch about Christmas presents?

[WinkyWinkola]

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?

To be fair, I think its a fairly lame present. Did they slit the twin packs?!

If it was the thought, then prehaps little personalised blankets might have been nice, certainly not a job lot from tescos imo (as money is not an issue in this case).

split not slit...

Just because someone has money doesn't mean they should spend loads more than everyone else at xmas. xmas is about more than expensive presents. I can afford to spend more but I only spent £5 on everyone.

I only get annoyed when people show no thought. I don't care how much or how little they spend. Have a friend who spends shed loads on each of us, but so little thought the presents are rarely relevant, and bunged in an expensive gift bag with a bit of crumpled tissue paper on top. Others spend little but gifts are spot on, and so beautifully wrapped that you are made to feel special.

look, its not a length of knicker elastic; get over it!

I don't think YABU but I think it's not about the present, right, it's the lack of thought? I was a bit when my single friend told me that this year she had bought every member of her family a DVD from Amazon as she 'didn't have time to go shopping', i.e. she spends every weekend so hungover and Christmas shopping is just not a priority for her. She did it all in about 40 minutes. I spent weeks planning and shopping for my extended family and put lots of thought into each gift, etc. BUT then I thought why am I bothered about my friend's present shopping? It's absolutely bugger all to do with me, I probably just feel a bit envious because if I had done the same I would have ended up feeling guilty whereas she is obviously fine with it.

I was also a bit at some totally inappropriate (and IMO thoughtless) gifts given to our 2-year old. But they will be given to charity and a thank you card will be sent all the same. I would have actually quite liked a blanket though for her, can never have too many I reckon!

In answer to your question, IMO it is very bad form to bitch about presents. You do not have a 'right' to presents. They are arbitary tokens which represent that someone is thinking of you. You might find that the way they express this is different to you, but the well-brought-up thing to do is to be gracious about that.
Receiving an unwanted gift from a relative is almost de rigeur at Christmas surely! It's an opportunity to demonstrate to children how to be gracious and good-humoured about minor disappointments.