i know i am being an ungrateful bint but..

[keely027]

we are really skint at the moment and baby is due today (no sign yet) we have asked people if they want to buy us a gift to give us money or vouchers or they have bought us specfic things (like sterizilers) which is we have been really grateful for. we only have a few relatives left on my husbands side that have waited until now to give us a gift and my MIL and her sister has bought us 2 of those expensive and tacky crystal scultpures you buy in the jewellers. Not only are the expensive but a complete waste of money (which we really need) and they are so tacky so i will have to have them around the house. My husband seems non fussed about this but this woman has terrible taste (she even collects ...collectable plates) I dont want her filling up my house with horrible crap. my husband has said to her that not the best idea, but she is insiting they 'are just darling'...help

Just put it out for while and then hide it away. My sister always buys me stuff that is not to my taste but it is toughtful of her to bother (I expect she feels he same about what I buy her). The fact that you are skint isn't their problem - They bought you a gift - be more appreciative.

That's easy to deal with say u love them then in few months say the baby bumped into or pulled something or other and they smashed

thanks hayley, good advice. i just hate seeing money get wasted. still woken up this morning feel less tetchy about it all. maybe was bit hormonal yesterday.

I think if you say you love them, but they get broken is a little bit like faking an orgasm - the other person thinks they're doing it 'right' and you end up frustrated!

Do you know what you're having? I presume girl because those crystal thingys would be an odd gift choice for anyone a boy.

I think I wouldn't be as brutal as to out and out say they're fucking hideous I don't really like them, but I think I might say I'm going to put them away for the baby to discover/enjoy when they're old enough - the sad fact is the average little girl would be thrilled with something so sparkly, made of 'diamond' - and so if she wants to add to the collection for when the child is old enough then that's great.

As I say, odd choice for a boy though and my plan would not work

Other than that, try to accept that people won't always get you what you want or even what you need and that's ok. The material stuff will sort itself out, somehow, and you'll love your baby to bits even if they are the proud owner of sparkly shit

Chin up! You're meeting baby soon!

thanks for kind words. it is a boy though. i get the feeling they are for me. just woried this is going to open flood gates.....

Are they worth anything on ebay? If so wait six months and then sell them! Don't give them pride of place in the house when she comes around or else you will end up with more of them.

maybe go the route of its a lovely thought, but you know how boys are, they'd just gets smashed as soon as hes up and into everything. I'd hate to see you waste your money on something hideous that'll get broken very soon etc etc??

Shame you'll "have to put them away in their box for years rather than risk broken glass in the nursery". Doesn't sound like she has kids or if she does, she's just mental. I think it is actually worth gently pointing out that while "darling" they are totally impractical. It's perfectly possible to find lovely old fashioned darling toys even if your son will take a while to grow into. I would find a few websites or stores that might appeal to her and point her in that direction.

I feel your pain. We have the same problem with my MIL. My DH does get it after years, and he has committed to talking to her about it as the waste of money/accumulation of crap we have to get out when they visit has now reached the point we can't take it any more. He has told them that it's really kind of them to want to buy us presents of baby equipment, but please could they always ask first as we need specific things and we are quite short on storage space so are having to choose carefully. We do the same at Christmas now - ask for things that it's impossible to get wrong (like specific CDs, books and kitchen appliances!)

My view is that although it may seem ungrateful to start with, you are heading off years of the same problem. I think you should say to her that you really appreciate her thinking of you and buying YOU such a generous a gift, but at this stage you really have a need for a few more things for the baby, and would she mind AWFULLY if she returned the figurines and bought something practical for the baby with the money. You could give her options to choose from so she still feels she has a bit of free choice (note from experience: be ABSOLUTELY specific about make, model and colour of what you want or you might get what she thinks is 'darling' again - we have the same problem...)

I'm waiting to see if it sinks in with my MIL but if not we're just going to keep trying. It's such a pitiful waste