How to ask LC/NC in law to stop buying gifts

[Hopefullyquickquestion]

Good morning evening,

going to try to keep this vague as the actual story is so outlandish (and ridiculously long) that it will either end up in the DM or bore everyone to tears (even me - I’m tired of it going on!)

long story short:

MIL has done several completely unforgivable things and I’ve finally had enough. Happy for DH to see her (he’s happy not to but less grief all round if he’s LC and she sees children couple of times a year). I have 0 interest in engagement with her but she bought me a Christmas gift and now a birthday one. I just want a clear, polite and drama free (ha - as much as possible don’t want to get into some massive unpleasant back and forth) way to say “thank you but please don’t buy gifts in future”. I feel that that’s slightly too inflammatory and will just end up with very unpleasant push back, but I can’t keep receiving gifts and being obligated to get in touch and say thank you/feel too rude to not say thank you.

thanks everyone!

*everyone, not evening! Christ - it’s 10.46 I haven’t been on the sauce 😃

Just receive the gift, don't acknowledge it. The relative doesn't come round your house so won't see that it went straight to the charity shop.

And if they moan you didn't say thank-you, you won't hear it anyway.

You don’t need to thank her

Just ignore the gifts.

You don't!
Any acknolgement, good or bad will be exactly what she wants.

I used to ignore the gift. Open it, see if it was any good and then either use it or bin it.

Do not ever speak to her.

Ok
excellent thank you everyone. Just need to get it out of my head that it matters if she thinks/tells everyone I’m rude! It doesn’t / but that’s social conditioning for you!

Actually this is all moot because she messaged DH to chase if it had been received and he was able to say “yes thanks received but in future let’s stick to just gifts for the children”. So I don’t need to say anything and she now shouldn’t send anything and hopefully that’s that.