so angry and upset..all over santas grotto at HARRODS what would you do?

[laughinglil]

Hello as alot of you know I am a mum to twin dd/ds aged 20 months. I am so looking forward to christmas this year because they have started to understand what it is all about.
Anyway... on saturday dp took the twins over to see MIL and FIL. They all ended up staying the night. (which was very weird because I got to relax! hehe)
I went over on the sunday for dinner meeting them all there and MIL was telling me how much the twins loved the trip to the garden centre seeing all the light up father christmas and the flashing lights.
She then told me how at the end of November when santas grotto opens at Harrods she is taking them. She had already ordered them new matching baby dior outfits and shoes to go there with!
Me and Dp stood there stunned. he didnt know anything about it either but he thinks its a lovely idea.
The thing is she didn't even ask me ? I really would of loved to have been the first to take them to see Santa but why o bloody why at harrods and whats the need for matching baby dior outfits!!!!!!
I don't know what to do!!!!

there are no queues for santa at harrods in november - tel lher to take them at 10am on a weekday in the first week and they will waltz straight in there. the ridiculous 5-hr-waiting doesn't start until december. so her timing is good, at least!

Your 20mth olds will not have the first clue what is going on, and as soon as they see santa they will start screaming. There is one santa in particular at harrods with a german accent who freaks me out too!

£400 for 2 outfits!!! what a waste of money

and that wasn't including the shoes compo. she is a bit arrogant though she belives all the dt's should wear is designer. I have bought them some designer bits but come on that is way to much.

Dress them in their outfits when they get up. Give them weetabix for breakfast and let them feed themselves without bibs on...

OK, that would be mean.

I get cross when the grandparents treat my kids as toys/entertainment. My parents spend most of their time with us, taking photos to put in competitions at their photography club. Once I told my mum to put her camera away and cuddle her gs; she was a bit miffed but she understood.

If your MIL does this regularly you need to say something. Otherwise you'll put loads of energy into being cross about this, and trying not to be, and then it will all happen again. Can you tell her that you'd like her to ask your opinion before she plans these [lovely, fantastic, generous etc] gifts and outings? Definitely tell her you're upset that someone else would get to take your children to see Santa for the first time. She's probably not even thought of that, and will prob understand, too. (unless she is completely evil; is she?)

As for £400... show her this .

God i hate materialistic people, ery sad to waste that much money on some clothes but hey each to there own!

Laughinglil, I?m going to go against general opinion, but I think she is bang out of order. It?s obvious she dotes on your kids but she?s not their mum, you are. I think she needs to be advised diplomatically that there are boundaries to being a grandparent, and taking them to see their first Santa without asking the parents in one. If you don?t set the boundaries now at 20 months what?s going to happen later on, will she take them to their first day at school!!

Yes it is brilliant to have grandparents who care, my dad still hasn?t visited his 3 week old grand daughter and probably wont until the New Year as he is ?busy?. But if he called out the blue asking to take ds2 to see Santa, I would still say no, or go with him.

Friutful - I was going to mention oxfam as well! Think you should get her that book 'How to be a good grandparent' for Xmas too!

Tell her thanks for the offer, but actually you've decided to convert to Judaism so the kids don't need to meet Santa

sorry...

IMO, your MIL is preoccupied with what she wants to do (i.e. show the babies off in their Dior outfits in Harrods) without having given a second thought to how much they'll enjoy it. As others have said, your twins couldn't care less whether it's Brent Cross, Asda or Harrods, they'll probably freak out at the pandemonium just the same!

Go with her to Harrods BUT instead of visiting Santa yourself, head up to the Urban Retreat salon and put your feet up! Then meet up for a coffee afterwards and laugh at the nightmare your MIL's put herself through!

You have to tell her straight. Say thanks for the offer, but...you and DP want to be the ones to take them to see FC for the first time and it is important to you. You can say she is welcome to take them another time possibly as a compromise.

She should not be excluding you from this and should not have made the assumption at all.

It would have bothered me if someone had sone this to me and I couldn't have sat back and allowed it.

Oooh No way!!!!!

I'd HATE my MIL to do this....!!!

But then mine is the type who never visits but buys huge expensive gifts to make up for it... and tells everyone she babysits @ the weekend..when she deffo doesnt cos we NEVER go out!!!

Don't let her take them!!!!!!!!

I have had a bit of a row with her today just said that we would like to go with her. her answer was WHY? I said don't worry about it then and she went totally off on one!

She's a loon.

But I'm grateful my mother always takes my kids to Santa. I don't want to go, simply can't see why anyone wants to, to be honest.

Bah humbug I suppose.

LL - did you not tell her 'because I want to see my kid's faces the first time they meet Santa"? It is a perfectly acceptable & logical reply!

Now she is pushing her luck.

Of course they could always be ill, with ear infections on the day. Great excuse, nothing visible, but who is she to say.??

going to Harrod's when there's no queue?

But then, who would admire the lovely dior outfits?

Be nice if she donated that money to kids who really need it, eh? Dior outfits, my arse.