What would happen if you left all the gift buying to your OH?

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

I'm the gift-buyer in our family, not for any particular reason but I've sort of slid into that role. DH is one of 5 siblings, 3 of the others are married and there are 4 nephews and nieces on his side if the family (and counting). Last year I bought for everyone except FIL and BIL and asked DH to sort out presents for them. They got socks and a hat, hastily grabbed from Asda on Christmas Eve

This year I told him I was leaving birthday presents and cards to him. I reminded him frequently when birthdays were coming up and sorted out presents and cards for the DNs. FIL got a card. MIL got a card. BIL2 got nothing. SIL1 got a Facebook message. SIL2 got nothing. SIL3 was promised some money. BIL1 got nothing. I'm doing Christmas...

What would happen in your house if you're the main gift buyer but you left it to your OH to do the presents?

[HappyAsEyeAm]

Everything would be purchased on Christmas Eve, leaving me to look after the DC as well as doing everything else to prepare for Christmas lunch, guests etc.

DH works very long hours, and I absolutely love shopping for gufts, and my idea of heaven is choosing wrapping paper, tags, bows etc and wrapping the presents so that they look really pretty in co-ordinating colours and patterns (not matching, co-ordinating).

So I do it all. And I give him a list of what I'd like and he chooses from that. Easy.

I agree with you 100% though Pag. I have 2 DSs and DS1 loves choosing presents for his friends and for family members, and I hope I'm teaching him to put thought into gifts and get them ready in advance of birthdays etc.

[Haribojoe]

It would be the cheapest Christmas in history because he wouldn't get a thing

[ScrambledSmegsEvilTwin]

Everyone would get lovely, well thought out presents. No-one would be forgotten. The wrapping would be done beautifully, all colour-coordinated.

He already buys for his side of the family and I buy for mine. Mainly because we know our own families better and so can choose more specific presents for them.

TBH I thought this was normal - all of my male friends seem to love shopping for presents and buying thoughtful gifts. They don't 'do' Christmas cards though.

[HeinousHecate]

he'd get far nicer things than I do

[Petsinmyputridpudenda]

He would do it fine and would be done in good time

he would struggle with the teen nieces but it work work in their Favor as he would just give them cash and some chocs

[AnonymousBird]

...

[seabuckthorn]

It would get done...on Xmas Eve and DH would end up a stressed out wreck!

[Shodan]

There'd be a lot of not-very-subtle probing for ideas I think, but I think he'd do ok in the end. His family do this weird thing where they all get together and buy each other one gift, so his mum and sister have always organised that.

He might struggle a bit with our nieces, but he's a logical sort and would go to a likely-looking shop and ask advice from the shop assistant.

But my nerves would be shot to pieces because Christmas always takes him by surprise so he'd be shopping last minute. I like things to be squared away early.

[halloweeneyqueeney]

it would be harder work for me

endless reminders, or explanatins why something was totally inappropriate/unsuitable/insensitive for that person and sending him back out for something else.. followed by my reminding that there are only X amt of post days, or reminders to go visit to deliver them....
ending in them not being posted till after the event, which IMO is not on for young close relative's children's presents - adults can have gifts later on but children's presents need to be on time.
Or with the adults it'll get to the day before and still not done so I just end up ordering expensive flowers

it's exhausting if he does it, much easier to do it myself

[SheppySheepdog]

The women would have completely unnecessary/inappropriate gadgets and the men would have bottles of alcohol. Several people would be completely forgotten about. Nothing would be wrapped and all shopping would be done the day before including a short notice announcement that he just has to "pop out" to some far-flung place to pick something up at 9pm on Christmas eve. He is like a bad cliche of a man at Christmas.

[halloweeneyqueeney]

I actually did ask for DHs input last night because I've done all the kids and its the adults on his side left.

Now bear in mind that we will not see them and everything has to be posted.. his suggestions were bottles of wine! in the post! BOTTLES of wine!

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

halloweeny you should do it :o

[halloweeneyqueeney]

I should let him buy the wine , then send him off to the post office (and hide round behind the cards to watch his face while he works out how to pack them

[halloweeneyqueeney]

he's usually not a "useless man" BTW, totally hands on with everything else.. but birthdays and gifts, my god! he'll just vaguely guess peoples birthdays!!! he's been nearly 6 months out in the past! (for a CLOSE relative)

[peaz]

I do my family (DM, DB, DSIL, small kids, DGPs) and we/I do his family (small kids, DILs, DUs). He knows his family best so if I buy for them, it is with his input.

With our kids, I do it mainly because he doesn't like shopping and doesn't like the internet so isn't likely to find bargains. Maybe when they are older they will be more specific about what they want and he can get their gifts. I don't mind doing it though.

He is good with me. I tell him what I want, and he does do pretty well, so I reckon if left to it, he wouldn't do badly.

[KeithLeMonde]

I am LOLing at the wine in the post

My H has good ideas but he's a last-minute man. He buys me lovely things for my birthday (the one occasion when he is solely in charge of present buying) but there are often IOUs because he's bought something online at the last minute and it hasn't arrived.

He has fantastic ideas of presents for our DCs, often much better than mine.

[Zwitterion]

DH doesn't 'get' presents. He is very practical and budget conscious which I love, but can't get his head round gift giving. His thinking is if you really need something, buy it there and then. If you don't need it, no need to buy it full stop. One year he bought me tea towels ffs.

[snapacrile]

Nobody would get anything. Even if he was provided with a list of what people would like they still wouldn't get owt, unless he could find it in tescos at 4pm on Christmas eve. This includes me and the dcs...

Yes he's lazy and a PITA

[notnowbernard]

Our local offie would have a Very Merry Christmas

[parsnipcake]

My dh still believes in father Christmas. He does nothing at all. He would buy a knex model to build with the kids on boxing day and nothing else. We would starve too as he doesn't cook. His face lights up when he sees all the presents as he doesn't wrap anything either! I buy my own stocking ( well I pilfer from my teens' when they annoy me). To be fair, he works very hard at this time of year, and he does me proud on mothers day and birthdays :)

[WidowWadman]

My husband is great at present buying but I find the idea of leaving the choosing of gifts to just one person slightly odd.

Also, the implication that the menz are too daft to do wimmins work properly is ever so slightly grating.

[Doilooklikeatourist]

DH is lovely , but hopeless in the present department .
He'd get me lovely gifts , and the 2 DC .
I buy for my 2 sisters , 1 nephew ( others sre grown up so i dont buy for them ) my Dad and his wife .
DH side of the family are his responsibility ( and are completely hard work so he's welcome to them )
I am amazed at how many people some of you buy for . How ? Why ?

[MimsyBorogroves]

It would be done and wrapped in July (very organised)

Then he would keep buying things, keep wrapping them...and we'd have more presents then house.

[lljkk]

He'd buy eclectic unwanted stuff about 3 days before birthday or Xmas.

[waitandseepudding]

those he remembered Everyone would end up with a DVD, gift card or book.
dcs would be spoilt rotten and we'd have a huge bill!
It would all be 'gathered' on christmas eve.