MIL has bought DS....

[hidinginthenightgarden]

a ball of elastic bands and some Dib dabs!
As far as I know she has got DD nothing.

This isn't malicious, she just isn't great for buying presents. Usually she asks for ideas or just tells us to get it and pays us back. (and will probably still do this).
We have tried really hard to think of stuff they will actually use and reduce the amount of crap in our house. She seemed really pleased with herself when she told me as he plays with the ball of elastic bands at hers. Even so who buys their grandson some elastic bands and a bag of sugar for xmas!!!
It is grating on me because there is nothing I can do about it. I just mumbled something about hoping it isn't a whole box of Dib dabs like she gave him the year before last
Anyone else get gems like this at xmas?

How old is he? To be honest, my 10 year old would love both these things, and may only notice it odd if she usually buys “big” presents. It’s an unusual gift, but I’d be thankful that it’s not yet another massive remote control car ( one year DS1 got 9!!) or similar that your DS has no interest in.

He is 6. He won't think anything of it but I think it is bizarre! also wondering how she intends to wrap them

I see your elastic band ball and raise you a picture of seashells.

Because mil heard child liked seashells.

Which is true, she likes piling them up and counting them and turning them into cars or something.

But not a picture frame with seashells that is meant to be hung up on a wall 🤦‍♀️

At least your mil has thought about it properly. If she knows he likes playing with it he will probably love it.

I'm fairly sure my DD was around the same age when her grandparents gave her a big ball of bands from Staples. You aren't looking at this through the eyes of a child. It bounces, it's bright & colourful a& you can ping bands at other people. It was a fab present & DD still has the remainder on her desk 10 yeas later.

To be fair at 6 I would probably have loved getting this from my DGP.

My PILs ask what gifts DH, I and Dss would like. They need to know this immediately. They then reject any gifts that 1. they don’t agree with, 2. will need to be posted to them. 3. they don’t know where to buy. Last night they called again to ask for more ideas for oldest DS. I’ve sent them a WhatsApp, which I expect will be ignored.
PIL is very Controlling. I’m sure he has OCD. It’s a trial. I’d rather they just handed over and envelope of cash than all this palava. Makes DH very upset.

I think k you may be surprised, I think he'll love it. And I think she's put thought into it, he plays with it at hers so she's remembered this.

I may actually get ds2 a big bag to make a ball with

Comeagain that’s jus the bizarre

My rather eccentric DAunt once bought me a plastic cake stand, I can’t begin to describe how weird it looked. She bought it because I like cake

It was fine though, I was a teen and loved her dearly and anyway, it’s not quite as bizarre as the present she got my DCousin one year, a raw chicken in a carrier bag...

heather1 so funny mine are the same. They particular hate buying anything related to tech. It does slightly do my head in though as they will be insistent about getting suggestions, and then will still ignore them if the items don’t come up to scratch.

It reminds me of the bit in My Family and Other Animals when Gerry uses psychology to assemble birthday gift lists for each family member, to ensure he gets everything he wants...

OP don’t worry, I also think your DS will like this present; my DD at that age was all over a stack of post-it notes I put in her stocking.

My mum warns me about my aunts slightly bonkers ideas - she likes presents kids can look at, not actually play with!! As playing with toys wears them out (Aunt has no children!)

So I’ve had to gently persuade Aunt that a cuckoo clock isn’t an appropriate present for a 2 year old and a porcelain doll isn’t great for a 3 year old.

I actually remember having a doll given by her that I wasn’t allowed play with and only look at.

I’m sure he will like it but it is the kind of thing you would expect the nice old lady down the street to give not his grandma.
Also from the parents point of view- sugar fuelled child with a bouncing ball in my house does not sound good!

Not the point, but my ds6 and ds5 would love elastic band balls! Where can I get them to add to their stockings?

I am totally getting 6yo DS an elastic band ball for Xmas. This is an inspired idea. I will regret it by the afternoon of 26th when there will be elastic bands everywhere but he will be so happy.

This could be just the right thing for my impossible to buy for dad!

I would’ve loved that at 6...

I think your child will love that. Those loom band thingys that were all the rage with wee ones are just fancy elastic bands.

My grandmother has always bought me random things for Christmas, one year I had a tea spoon and another year a box of mince pies. It became a bit of a family joke (seeing who got the most random present) and we actually looked forward to opening her gifts 🤣. I’m sure your ds will be happy with his rubber bands and dip dabs.