MIL has stolen my childhood christmas decorations!

[ExhaustedPigeon37]

Hello all,

Bit of a strange one but I think my MIL has stolen my Christmas Decorations!!

They have been in my family since I was small and although they aren’t expensive, nothing special they are just sentimental to me.

We had these three decorations, saying Joy, Noel and Ho Ho Ho with a Santa head on the top. The letters cascade downwards and the Santa has a loop so that you can hang them up. This year I put our decorations up and only found the Joy one. Asked DH and he said he hadn’t seen them, so I only put the Joy one up thinking I’d come across them in another box, I never did.

Fast forward to yesterday when we went over to theirs and they live about an hour away so we stayed for dinner and catch up after DH finished work. MIL was showing us her new decorations and the tree (which is themed red and white). I happened to glance at the bottom of the tree where I saw THE/MY Noel and Ho Ho Ho decorations hanging off of her tree!!! I’ve never seen these decorations at their house before, so the only conclusion I can come to is that they are mine, which is why I couldn’t find them this year!

Asked DH and he said he didn’t notice, asked if he remembers us giving them to her or anything and he said can’t at all. Last year we moved house in

I’m so shocked. What do I do? Do I ask for them back? Do I just leave it? Do I sneak them out when we next go there? DH wanted to stay at home on Boxing Day but I now want to go there to retrieve my decorations (they have been invited on Christmas Day but declined due to the journey and FIL recently having had a knee replacement).

This is the way.

The Op has said multiple times that she doesn’t put them on her tree - she hangs then around the house.

Nope, I purchased my single one separately; there were three on display in the shop, I only fancied the Noel one. And I purchased that single one. No need for the abusive language @FlynnD93. Rude.

Santa Noel was posted to the OP yesterday, first class - he's been in the garage for the last couple of years so hopefully he's enjoying the outing.

This has sparked a memory from watching a Disney "Sing-a-Long" VHS tape at my MIL's one Christmas with my DS (possibly aged 5 or 6) and my SIL and her twin daughters, (possibly aged 3 or 4). The three children were having a great time singing along, dancing, adults laughing ... then SIL asked me to give her the tape for her daughters. Flat out, can I have that tape. I said, er, no, my DS loves this tape. MIL piped in, perhaps I could leave the VHS at her house for the twins to enjoy, and my DS could watch it when he visited (every 3 months or so). Er, no, I said, my DS loves this tape.

Went home a few days later, VHS box had some random cartoon tape in it. I was too - I dunno, shy, or something - to bring it up (whole family were minted, detached houses with large gardens while we lived in a one bed flat).

You married a man whose family sidelined and disrespected you and your daughter so flagrantly?

I’m wondering if she will remember to hide them next time you visit ?
I dont think Id swipe them back.Id go & buy something similar & when you go to hers put them on the tree as you remove the snaffled ones. Say, Ill just be having these back. & ask her why she had your very precious childhood decorations.
She will probably bluster she found them in a bag of Xmas presents/wrapping paper. So you can take them legitimately.
If she doubles down on the lie or refuses, you walk out without a word with the DC & the decorations!.
& You need to write inside/on the back with a tiny pointed sharpie, “love Mum”x

Too much of a coincidence - nab them back and dont say anything - see what happens

Loads of people on here saying - ask her. Just communciate, adults don't go around stealing from each other, stop being ridiculous and just have an adult conversation.

I find these posts amusing, because I don't think these people have ever come across someone who blatantly lies.

If she has stolen them (and the coincidence is so overwhleming, I can't see how it is anything other than your decorations at her house)
If she has stolen them, and she is doing it to wind OP up, or because she is 'forgetful' or because she wanted them, or WHATEVER. She is NOT going to fess up! She is not going to say - Oh yeah, I took them.
People who do stuff like this do not fess up, apologise and hand them back, they double down and make up a cover story.

Once you have spoken to her and she has said - they are mine, then you cannot take them back. You have lost them.

So I am firmly in the quietly remove them from her tree and take them home group.

I totally agree with the previous poster. The minute you ask her about them, she'll make something up to pretend they're hers. Take them back. It's not stealing, they're yours. If she says anything, look blank.

I would definitely discreetly remove them, and if she mentions it which I doubt she will, I'd deny all knowledge.

Have you got them back yet? Desperate for an update on how you manage to get them back.....

Not yet! I’m waiting for a parcel to arrive there (for DH birthday) then I have an excuse to go there! 😂

Im just amazed so many people are commenting on something so trivial. I can’t be bothered to read all the posts but surely just ask her? Or don’t say anything? It’s really trivial.

Desperate? Really? Have you not got anything else to do? Wow

…. and yet, here you are!

So why are you posting then?

If Jane143 didn’t post, @thepariscrimefiles, how would we lesser mortals know of her superiority?

Didn’t you just yesterday tell someone that they needed therapy for the nasty way they spoke to others?

That’s a rhetorical question because yes you did.

Too simple for the OP. She's ignored everyone who suggested an actual conversation.

Me too, can't wait to hear the outcome. Life can be so tedious its great to have something as riveting as this to look forward to.

do you have children? my son when he was little was always giving things from our house away to his granny, once (this was when my mum had started to develop dementia) I was taking mum home after w/end with us when I saw her carrying the door mat with her, Oh xxx (my son) gave it to me she said, I let her keep it obviously😂

That's awful. Puts all this into a new light. I'd be stealing them back off her tree. Your poor kids

One could also say that this whole thread is enlightening about why Op is not accepted by them.

I’d love to hear your opinion on this 😂