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Christmas

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My DD's main santa present has been one upped.

119 replies

JongleBalls · 20/12/2021 17:26

I feel so sad and annoyed and I don't know if I should be, or what I can do (nothing really this year).

My DD2 has wanted a Barbie dream house for Xmas for months, she's asked Santa for it and tells everyone that's what she wants for Xmas.

I try to be mindful of the environment and often buy big items from Facebook marketplace. They're like new, means one less toy eventually added to landfill, and cheaper. So I found her a fab Dream House bundle on there that was like new and snapped it up.

I'd been asking her dad what he wanted to do for months about Xmas. Last year we split the cost of the main present and then bought a few smaller bits each for her too. This year he was very non committal and vague so I just went ahead and bought it. I scoured marketplace and ebay, spent ages looking, went across town and picked it up, hid it, etc.

Last year on Xmas day (of which he was invited to mine for the day) he declared all the toys from his relatives would be going to his house (DD goes there for tea 3 times a week). His relatives had asked me for ideas and I based these on thinking they were to stay at home, so after Xmas there were some gifts she'd been really looking forward to playing with that she could then only play with a few brief times a week.

This year when his relatives have asked for ideas I've advised them to ask her Dad as he will want them to go to his house and I don't know what she already has there.

When he knew I'd bought one he said "oh shall I give you the money or half the money". I said if you do, will you want the toy to be at your house and he said yes. Hmm We were in a room with DD1 and in my head I was thinking..... How do I say no without being arsey about it or pointing out how I'd been asking for ages, had spent hours searching, etc. Thankfully DD1 chimed in instantly and said "I think that's an awful idea because then DSis won't barely be able to play with it and she's super excited." (DD1 is 12 years old with zero social filter). Secretly I was so relieved she had pointed this out to her Dad and I could then say yes that's a good point maybe you choose another lovely gift.

A week later ex announced that he had bought DD2 a brand new Dream House for her to open at his house and keep there, and his mum had bought a HUGE bundle of barbies and stuff to go with it. Sad Angry

MIL is awful for over buying and when we were together ex was very strict with her and tried to reign her buying in slightly. It's lovely she's generous but it's over the top minimalism and opposite of my views and how I want my kids to think about Xmas.

So now DD2's main present from Santa has been fully paid for from me, so I haven't bought her (in her eyes) a big present, but Daddy has bought her a bigger better shinier version of her santa present, and granny has bought her tonnes to go with it. And they've then also bought lots of other bits too.

I feel annoyed with ex. I feel sad I'm going to be spending all future xmases like this. Anything I buy and take time to get and make special they will just out buy me and go one better. Sad DD1 has special needs and I'm her carer, I'll never have the income to match them and even then I wouldn't want to. I don't want them spoilt or materialistic, and I don't want to enter into an ever increasing spending contest. Sad

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Hotelhelp · 20/12/2021 17:27

What a dick!!! Sorry no suggestions but what an absolute arsehole.

sadpapercourtesan · 20/12/2021 17:31

I'd be gutted too OP. My mother used to do this (NC now, for other reasons) and it was worst when we were pretty hard-up and she wasn't. It's cruel and unnecessary. Will your daughter open the present at yours before the one at his?

RandomMess · 20/12/2021 17:34

But yours will get played with far far more and she will love it.

Eventually she will be old enough to be cross at your ex for her not being allowed to bring HER toys to her home.

Thanks
JongleBalls · 20/12/2021 17:34

Well, he wanted to bring his Dream House for her to open at mine as again, I've invited him round for the day, and his plan is they can open all presents here then he will take the gifts from his side back to his house.

I pointed out it would be very heavy and bulky for him to carry here and then back again (I drive, he doesn't and I'm not schlepping it back and forth!). So he's now decided DD2 can open the newer shinier Dream House at his after Xmas day. 🙄

So at least both won't be side by side on Xmas morning.

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SleighbellsZ · 20/12/2021 17:34

What a dick. That would upset me too.

In future, I wouldn't entertain him about what your buying. Let him figure it out himself to be kept at his house.

MooshWoosh · 20/12/2021 17:37

Urghh, he sounds like a twat... Sorry I can imagine how shitty that must feel after all the effort you've put in.

On the plus side though, your daughter is going to have a lovely christmas, and this way she gets to play with her favourite toy both at ex's and at home.

ItsSnowJokes · 20/12/2021 17:38

@SleighbellsZ

What a dick. That would upset me too.

In future, I wouldn't entertain him about what your buying. Let him figure it out himself to be kept at his house.

This!

Don't tell him in future, just say "you do you" and get your own stuff.

He's an arse for wanting it all kept at his house. They belong to your daughter not him. He's a petty, spiteful man.

sadpapercourtesan · 20/12/2021 17:41

Surely if she opens yours first and is thrilled with it - which she will be - her reaction to his is likely to be "I've already got one of these". Children don't notice things like newness, or at least mine never did.

He's an arse though, I'd be so pissed off.

WizbitsLeftEye · 20/12/2021 17:42

I'd genuinely wonder if having him over yours on xmas day was actually a good idea if this is the sort of thing he pulls.

His won't get played with as much because she's only visiting three evenings a week. Where as she sounds like she's home with you most of the time so I imagine it won't matter that all those toys are at his.

whosaidtha · 20/12/2021 17:46

I think keeping presents at his house is a good idea. She's there 3 times a week. That's almost 50% of the time. Why wouldn't she need things to play with there?
Although I agree two dream houses are excessive. At the end of the day she'll be a happy girl with family that want to spoil her.

Bluntness100 · 20/12/2021 17:47

I don’t really understand, you both bought her the exact same present? Except his is new and yours is second hand?

unhappyteacher · 20/12/2021 17:47

What an absolute prick! I despise parents who use their children in some pathetic game of one-upmanship.

Arsehole.

RandomMess · 20/12/2021 17:48

I would stop inviting him around tbh.

Hotelhelp · 20/12/2021 17:52

I agree with the PP who said she is probably going to be a bit WTF when she opens his. How disappointing for a child to have two big main presents and for them to be the same.

Definitely don’t get involved with it next year. If you hadn’t spoken to him about it chances are he wouldn’t have known that’s what you were buying!

ZenNudist · 20/12/2021 17:53

I don't think he's going to get the reaction he wants from her. She's going to be put out. If she is nice about it she will say oh well I've got one but it's nice to have two.

I wouldn't talk to him about gifts in the future. He doesn't care about duplication so what's the point.

Paperyfish · 20/12/2021 17:57

Yes, my in-laws are like this too and it’s really upsetting. My dd loves Harry Potter and I’ve being buying her the books on audio cd. I buy them second hand off eBay. Her brothers birthday is 1 month before hers. I saw a good buy on eBay and got her the next book and told the in laws not to get it for her as I’d already found one. They brought her the next book but one for her brothers birthday. 1: it’s not her birthday, but her brothers. 2: it makes my gift less special as she got a similar thing just a month earlier when it wasn’t her day. 3: she couldn’t use it anyway as she hadn’t listened to the book inbetween! When they were tiny I used a get a tiny gift for siblings birthday ( new hair bands or funky pen or cool stickers or similar) not a blood £50 audio book!
I would definitely keep your present ideas secret in future and maybe make the stocking from Santa and the gifts from you?

TwinkleTwinkleLittleStarFightr · 20/12/2021 17:58

@sadpapercourtesan

Surely if she opens yours first and is thrilled with it - which she will be - her reaction to his is likely to be "I've already got one of these". Children don't notice things like newness, or at least mine never did.

He's an arse though, I'd be so pissed off.

I agree with this. If yours is opened first then it will be the one she loves. She’ll see his as a slightly disappointing spare.

But is part of the issue that she will think yours is a “Santa present” rather than from you? In which case, isn’t it better that Santa brings the little presents in the stocking and the big present is from you?

JongleBalls · 20/12/2021 18:00

@Bluntness100 yes that's right. I have paid for her main present from santa, and it's not in a box as it's second hand (but otherwise like new) and ex has bought her the newer version brand new in a box, and mother in law has bought a big bundle of stuff to go with it too.

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ElfDragon · 20/12/2021 18:03

Don’t sweat it too much. It’s sad for your dd that she will be getting duplicate gifts, but as it’s something she loves then she’ll enjoy it.

My ex does a similar thing - dd1 is very hard to buy for (SN), and he always buys the same stuff for her that I buy, he says so she has the same stuff at both houses, but in reality it is because he can’t think of any tbh I got to buy her. It’s sad because dd2 and ds get different gifts (they are more able to say what they want) and I do wonder how much dd1 notices and whether it bothers her.

This year your dd will open your gift first, so it’s really not been one-upped. If there are extras at her dad’s house that she really wants to play with, and bring back to yours, make sure he is the one saying no to that (am assuming you are happy for things from your house to go back and forth?)

In future years distance yourself entirely from his (and his family’s) gift giving process. If your dd is disappointed that she has the same gift twice this year, then talk to him about it and suggest it doesn’t happen again. If she doesn’t mind, then it’s not a problem.

Also talk to your dc about separate houses/separate present lists - my younger 2 are fine and totally on top of asking each parent for different things, to avoid duplication (unless it is something they actually want duplicated, like Alexa speakers)

Toomanypeople · 20/12/2021 18:03

It would be the last Christmas I invited him over, if he wants a competition he doesn't get to do it in your home

JongleBalls · 20/12/2021 18:03

@whosaidtha I don't mind him keeping stuff there for her. My main annoyance last year was that it meant some of the gifts I'd knew she would love and that I'd suggested his relatives buy when they asked then ended up at his house and she only goes there for a few hours 3 times a week.

DD2 is not at school yet. I'm at home due to eldest's needs. She spends a lot more time here than the 3 or 4 hours three times a week that she spends at her dad's house.

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SleighbellsZ · 20/12/2021 18:03

[quote JongleBalls]@Bluntness100 yes that's right. I have paid for her main present from santa, and it's not in a box as it's second hand (but otherwise like new) and ex has bought her the newer version brand new in a box, and mother in law has bought a big bundle of stuff to go with it too.[/quote]
Doesn't matter about the box.
It's set up and ready instantly.

I unbox a lot of my DS toys as it's quicker access

Pinkyxx · 20/12/2021 18:05

I agree with others, don't talk to him about it in future. Suspect this will backfire, especially if she still believes in Santa.. I mean WHY would Santa bring the same thing to both her homes???... he may wish he hadn't.

My ex was like this and all it did was make DD cross that HER stuff had stay at HIS home. All this did was result in DD ''smuggling'' stuff home... so she could play with it, show her friends etc. All incredibly petty of Ex but there you go... Like DD used to say to me... why can't I have MY stuff where I WANT?

Guttedbuyer · 20/12/2021 18:06

@Paperyfish are Harry Potter audio books £50?!

JongleBalls · 20/12/2021 18:09

Yes we won't be discussing it in future.

I invited him for Xmas day this year and last year as DD2 is only young, I didn't want her to have to split the day, or either of us to not see her on Xmas day so it seemed the right thing to do.

I'm now thinking maybe we need to think ahead to next Xmas and sort something else. She will be a little older and we will have to do it at some point.

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