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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Do you buy presents for your husband's relatives?

39 replies

MarthaFarquhar · 13/12/2009 16:42

If so, how come he doesn't do it himself?

OP posts:

ChocFudgeCake · 13/12/2009 19:44

Yes. I'm not that good at it, but if I don´t do it they won´t have any gift or DH will buy something extravagant or very expensive that we cannot possibly afford.

Takver · 13/12/2009 19:56

Yes, quite often, because DH's family are easy to buy or make presents for and mine are impossible, and I like giving presents to people who will appreciate them

(Not that my parents are ungrateful, they just lack space and don't want much apart from really obscure things to do with fishing or bridge that I couldn't realistically choose successfully.)

secretgardin · 13/12/2009 20:24

really sad, but i love doing all the christmas shopping as it wasn't a big deal where i grew up. luckily dh's family are quite practical and vocal about what they want (nothing big or expensive), so none of us end up with crappy gifts that is not going to be used. i do get those from dh though

merrycompo · 13/12/2009 20:26

No
have far too much with my family lol

BabyValentine · 13/12/2009 21:37

This year I have bought presents for:

DH
DD
my parents x 4 (incl. stepPs)
my DB & SIL x 3
my DS
one niece
my 2 Grans
8 assorted LOs
DH's parents x 4 (incl. partners)
DH's Nanna
DH's DSis & DP
DH's DB & DP
DH's nephew
1 x partridge in a pear tree

oh, and the dog and the cat.

It does get on top of me at times and there are many unseasonal rows round our way at this time of year. But, DH does work hard and have little free time, and if I left it to him he would disappear for 10 hours on Christmas Eve and return with an assortment of crap.

So I do it - and DH gets several extra surprises when everyone opens their gifts - cue 'Oooh, who got you that?', 'Erm, you.'

So I do it

CoffeeAndCarrotCake · 14/12/2009 16:26

Yes - I don't really mind, but DH always does the wrapping. In fairness, this is because, a few years ago, after shopping for all his family and friends and then wrapping everything, I got a bit cheesed off with his total lack of effort. So, I bought a last minute present for his uncle, and wrote on the gift tag "For my lovely Uncle X, with lots of love from DH." Anyway, we spent Christmas with his family, and as everyone was opening their presents and saying "Thanks CACC and DH!" he was replying with a cheery "You're welcome!" each time, not having a clue what the present was.

Then Uncle X opened his bonus pressie - leopard skin pants and socks set with "HOT STUFF!" printed across the pouch bit. I denied all knowledge, and Uncle X gave DH wary looks all Christmas!

Like I said, DH always wraps.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 14/12/2009 20:54

I do because:

a) Otherwise he would leave it 'til the last minute and rush out miserable and stressed to do his shopping on xmas eve, leaving me to do the cooking/drink all the cava

b) I can put a limit on his spending. This year his mum and dad asked for PJ's. I took him to Primark. He is dreading them opening their gifts. But seriously, £6 for 100% cotton - how could I not?

butterscotch · 14/12/2009 21:13

Nope he does his family and I do mine we do joint friends together much less stress i used to as well but I end up out of pocket...

Also if they don't like it he is to blame i usually buy the birthday and chrimbo cards and write the joint friends but I get him to do his side so they know he has made the effort

jemart · 15/12/2009 00:30

I buy gifts for DH relatives because since I am married to him they are my relatives too

And because he is crap at shopping. And I quite enjoy shopping.

confuddledDOTcom · 15/12/2009 00:52

Usually I buy for my five neices/nephews, his five, our two children and his two children, his children's other half siblings and his friends children. I don't buy adults because we give them home made presents (free to us mean the world to others) but he expects me to buy for his friends! We went to ASDA at the weekend and he spent a lot of money on presents, I added in a £2 pack of pens. He said to me he would sort out what I owed him later, so when we got home I got my purse out and asked what I owed he said "don't worry about it, it's about time I bought some presents"! So he'd expected me to pay for his friends presents when I'm not even really spending money on my parents!

He gets a lot more money than me too and I pay the most of the bills. I don't know why, he's a lazy ahem I guess and it wouldn't get done if I didn't and whilst that might be "well tough then" it would come back on me and his family don't like me anyway.

jerin · 15/12/2009 00:57

I always threaten to leave it all to him but always end up doing it

Next year I am definitely not going to tho.....

So far this year, I asked him back in Oct to order some gadgety things for his son (my ss) and his nephews. I ordered them myself about 3 weeks ago. Since they arrived I've been asking him to put the stuff onto gadgety thing and as yet he hasnt started!

I also asked him to speak to his sis as his other sis isnt doing presents this year. That was back in Oct too. Since then I have got the family a couple of presents but he spoke to her 2 days ago and said we're not getting them anything..... grrrrrr...... I had told him he neednt bother- he even wrapped up their present!!

He went into town and I askde him to collect me a couple of bits -
large white envelopes - I got 1 extra large brown

christmassy coloured tissue paper (exact location in shop given) - I got.... a pack of napkins!!

He has asked me what I would like - I've told him. Same as I asked for my birthday and didnt get and will undoubtably ask for again next birthday. I will almost certainly end up with whatever 3 for 2 from boots that is left on the shelf christmas eve.

If only christmas could generate as much enthusiasm as the i-phone

ben5 · 15/12/2009 01:04

because we have a large amount of aunts and uncles it was decided years ago( thankfully!!) and while i was a child that aunts and uncles were not brought presents. this means we only have to buy for parents and my brother. as my mother in law doesn't really want or need anything she is happy with m&s vouchers or flowers.( father in law died many years ago). my parents are the same and would much rather spent money on the kids. i got my parents a ticket each to the eden project in cornwall. 15 pounds each for the year and they can go as many times as they want throughout the year.

esselle · 15/12/2009 01:11

I buy for my family and DH buys for his family.

DH and DD have wrapped most of the presents too.

We have always done it this way. DH is great at buying presents and works in a big department store so he has plenty of opportunities to shop.

He has bought most of his family's presents online this year and sent them directly to them as they all live in the UK and we don't.

TheOldestCat · 15/12/2009 01:16

Same as esselle - I buy for my side, DH buys for his. It does stress me out though as he leaves it all to the last minute. But I'm determined not to bend on this - I've enough to do as it is.

I would love to buy them presents as they are my family too - but not while I'm in full-time work; maybe next year if I go part-time.

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