What do you do when family members....

[littleraysofsunshine]

... Have lovely intentions, but buy complete rubbish and not needed presents for birthdays/ Christmas

I give it to a charity shop or the school jumble sale etc if it it's usable. Regift duplicates.

DD's [4] school did a soft toy collection for Eastern European orphanages last year and she is already sorting stuff out for it now. It's made a big impression on her that some children might not have any teddy, never mind 10 of the sodding things.

I've also learned not to be a snob about "tat". Sometimes kids just love it and if it gives you a peaceful 10 mins to have a coffee without resorting to putting on the tv in order to do so, all the better.

5 backpacks from the same people is a little excessive though practical. Check in at the local school/nursery if they can use them for any child if it's really doing your head in.

I like people that give presents that require some sort of construction/craft/sport/book and then make the effort to actually turn up and do it with the child.

I REALLY hate sticker books, DD loves them. If the stickers stayed in the books that'd be marvellous, but there seems no end to where they turn up. At least two got quietly intercepted on her 3rd birthday, with suitably gracious thank you letters being written, though I haven't yet overcome my guilt enough to regift them. Wicked Mummy. I can see this ploy can't work when they get much older...