My birthday

[Lala105]

It's my birthday today. This morning, no card from DS 17 and no gift. I know he bought a gift because it arrived yesterday. He has a saturday job , I picked him up so that he could drive home (learning to drive). So we got home, he went upstairs and brought down the box - no wrapping paper and a card he had clearly just written in, not sealed and not written "mum" on the envelope. I told him that while the gift is great, there was no effort whatsoever in the presentation and couldn't he have just written "mum" on the outside of the envelope. He went into one and said what's the point in wrapping it only to rip the paper off - I said it showed that some thought had gone into it and giving me a gift in the cardboard box it came in, showed no thought at all. AIBU or should he have wrapped the present.

Time to apologise, I think. Have you never told him that it’s the thought that counts? Then the same applies to you.

When someone gives you a gift the appropriate response is "Thank you!"

YWB V U and rude.

This is the way to go, if you don't want a present next year.

Wow.

Going against the flow. Personally, I don't care about gifts. I do know, though, that my parents always had carefully chosen and wrapped gifts and that I was thoughtful about choosing special cards for them. I did this happily and willingly, but also know it was expected of me as a girl/woman. How many posters on here comment that their male OHs don't put any effort in at all? personally, I think it appropriate that whereas one says 'thanks' one also says that a timely presentation, wrapping and big kiss for Mum is appropriate and good practice for the future. I was one of those who used to put the extra effort in until I realised it wasn't reciprocated and then I just thought 'fuck it' - now I don't bother either way.

Well ideally he would have wrapped the present. But ideally you would not have critiqued his gift-giving either, because that is very bad manners.

So I'm afraid he wins this time. You owe him an apology.