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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Crap pressies from in laws........this year they have really excelled themselves ....

43 replies

crappressies · 21/12/2007 07:27

Yes every year we get really random presents from my DH parents. They never ask us what we would like and just send us tat. They are not short of money - far from it and are quite nicely well off. Because my DH gets upset and annoyed with the whole present situation we have for the last 3 years opened the presents from his family early to avoid any upset on xmas day (we don't open the kids presents - just ours) - anyway this year his parents have excelled themselves we had the present opening last night and this year the parcels included wait for it ...... 6 teatowels and a plate? how random and bizarre don't you think?. I feel sorry for DH because my parents put alot of thought into presents and always treat us at xmas time. I have learnt now not to spend so much on their presents but can't bring myself to send them rubbish ... what does everyone else think .... do you get crap pressies from in laws....... we have tried to drop the hint about what we would prefer, however his mother is of the opinion "get what your're given". I suppose its better than last year DH got one pair of pants and I got a plastic handbag..... at least the tea towels and plate are useful

OP posts:

PirateInaPeartree · 21/12/2007 11:50

yes the thought counts, and tbh not alot of thought has been put into it has it.

I guess thats just what they r about, and sorta have a no frills approach to life generally ( guessing and pressuming wildly here).

How are they as parents/ grandparents?

Parents can be odd, my ex's parents, used to give us odd things, we used to laff our heads off at it.

Scotia · 21/12/2007 11:51

Heifer, don't apologise for your post, I thought it was lovely.

lazawreath · 21/12/2007 11:53

Actually Crappressies, I like the sound of that plastic handbag. Do you use it?

Original poster

crappressies · 21/12/2007 11:59

Leopard skin print plastic - i leave it up to you to judge whether or not its seen the light of day since last year? - i must admit we do have a chuckle at that one. I am disappointed thought I might have got bra and pants to match the handbag this year !

OP posts:

Heifer · 21/12/2007 12:00

thank you, it was a very special game for us to play, worked well as a 1 off, made us larf, my mum would have appreciated, (she loved to see it all together even if we were usually larfing at somethign she had done etc)..

Original poster

crappressies · 21/12/2007 12:03

Actually for my birthday I did get a pink tax disc holder from them ............. I forgot about that so really teatowels and a white plate are not that bizarre afterall - you see what was she thinking of with a pink tax disc holder!!ummm..............

OP posts:

CremolaFirCone · 21/12/2007 12:10

crappressies.I know what you mean.Every year without fail MIL gives me something perfumed- drawer liners or a glade plugin(honestly)despite knowing iam completely allergic to such things.
somehow she'slike a homing pigeon to these items.she can't seem to pass a stinky scentted candle with out getting it for me.

monkeymagic · 21/12/2007 12:17

I hear you crappressies - in fact I already started a thread on this, though mine was much less polite than yours (When InLaws Give You Shit IIRC) Why is it always inlaws who do this?

Your inlaws are highly unlikely to change, so the only attitude you can change is your own. The whole opening the pressies early so DH can cope with the disappointment does sound incredibly petulant and babyish- come on, what age is he, four? But then I guess Christmas does bring out the child in all of us, and not always in a good way.

I agree with other posters that there is a lot of comedy value to be had from crap presents, so I have stopped being disappointed at the lack of thought and am now loking forward to see what they've come up with this year.

My inlaws also have the delightful habit of saving the crap for me, and giving DP something decent. I don't see why he should miss out on all the fun, so I am wrapping up a washing up brush and a jar of pickled eggs for his stocking.

lazawreath · 21/12/2007 12:21

LOl Cremola, ive bought my mum some rose scented drawer liners! She did ask for them though.
If the presents are crap just put them on ebay. Someone will buy them.

lazawreath · 21/12/2007 12:23

mm, my dh would be over the moon if i got him some pickled eggs. He loves them. Yuck.

Original poster

crappressies · 21/12/2007 12:27

Yes you're right it does sound babyish and petulent and this is going to sound very jealous too but his brother (who does nothing to help them and we run around ragged for them) is getting flying lessons for his xmas pressie. Brother doesn't have children so I presume this may have something to do with it.

OP posts:

fizzbuzz · 21/12/2007 13:01

Perhaps he can fly your teatowels from his plane........

I don't think you are babyish or petulant. I think random teatowels and rogue plate are pretty odd

ONE plate....for whom? For a meal to be eaten in isolation perhaps?

PeachyHasAFiggyPudInTheOven · 21/12/2007 13:09

My MIL / BIL always sen me whatever they got free from the catalogue that year- whether it be towels or a toothbrush 9that was a birthday classic LOL)

Look on it with a sense of humour. It doesn't matter in the least, and it could be a lot wose than tea towels ime (sister who gave poisonous fake snow to me SN 7 year old...), open the gifts with a glass of bubbly, laugh a little and then send your own with love.

DarthVader · 21/12/2007 13:12

Did you change your name especially for this thread or are you a first time poster?

SpawnChorus · 21/12/2007 13:14

lolol at Fio

margoandjerry · 21/12/2007 13:19

come on you meanies! A bale of tea towels is a weird present for one's son, you must admit.....And one plain plate is odd too.

It's not about the money, at all. It's about the strange choices. Maybe they just really don't do Christmas?

AngharadGoldenhand · 21/12/2007 13:21

Well said fizzbuzz.

Come on - who's never been disappointed/upset by a Christmas present? It's the lack of thought that hurts.

thehollyandtheivy · 21/12/2007 13:25

I always open presents from my mother early, mainly to try to air off the horrific smell of mothballs but really just to check what crap she's sent that year. I'm not ashamed to say that sometimes it's given straight to the charity shop. I've given up, I've asked her for years not to waste her money on crap but she doesn't listen. Had to laugh last year as BIL said 'don't bother giving me presents, miss out that stage, and give straight to charity shop!'

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