Big family - presents help

Stephb1986_2

mrcow wrote: »

WHat are you talking about? "Chosing" a present? Is this for real? There is 100% no way on Earth I would put up with anyone chosing a present for me to buy.

If fact, I'd make a point of buying something completely different for well less than £10 per head.

Next time she tells you what to buy, tell her that you've already got the gifts, so she'll have to buy the other stuff herself.

I tried that at christmas I searched the internet for presents I thought the kids would like spending a maximum of £15 on each of them but about 2 weeks before christmas he gets a txt with the argos item numbers on with what the kids want guess what he did!! Went out and bought them :mad: So I kicked off with him big time.

I find it damn right cheeky, I never ever did this to any of my aunts or uncles when I was a kid we got what we was given and that was it!

But all his sister has to do is click her fingers and everyone runs after her, I don't know why but we had a massive argument over it on friday.

Steph xx

mrcow

Seriously - Argos has a 16 day money back guarantee - I know where they would have ended up

This Christmas, find something you'd like in Argos and text her the item number - see how it goes down.

Stephb1986_2

mrcow wrote: »

Seriously - Argos has a 16 day money back guarantee - I know where they would have ended up

This Christmas, find something you'd like in Argos and text her the item number - see how it goes down.

What a good idea! I don't get anything for my birthday or christmas off his sister either. I just find it a bit cheeky that she's asking for £30 per kid and not giving the same back.

Steph xx

MrsE_2

DKLS wrote: »

Prsents from holiday! I thought that fad went out in the mid 70s, I only ever buy "presents" for me or the house whilst on holiday, I dont even send postcards to anyone.
A holiday is my time, not to be wasted trailing round the shops looking for gifts.

There is one exception, My mum always asks for a pebble from wherever I am going, that she adds to her collection in the garden. That I can oblige.

Exactly, I only bring something back for DD;)

stationaryace

mrcow wrote: »

WHat are you talking about? "Chosing" a present? Is this for real? There is 100% no way on Earth I would put up with anyone chosing a present for me to buy.

If fact, I'd make a point of buying something completely different for well less than £10 per head.

Next time she tells you what to buy, tell her that you've already got the gifts, so she'll have to buy the other stuff herself.

my SIL does this for her birthday/xmas as well as for her two kids. we get given a list to chose from and are expected to go pick at least one. i've managed to start a rebellion (typically OH doesn't see the problem) and we ignore the xmas list and SIL's birthday list. progressing further this year by giving non-returnable/homemade xmas pressies cheeky bissim.

OP i still take home "pressies" when we go abroad and send postcards, but just small little keepsakes - ie magnet for parents, bottleopener/funky trinket for my sister. it started with us using up any leftover foreign money but we never spend anything near as much as £500 :eek: doesn't come anywhere near triple digits and we have a large family network.

familyfortune

I thought his family were crazy just to agree with you all but at least they are crazy generous although i think there is a bit of showing off going on as well. But the whole argos numbers stuff :eek::eek: his nephews might get a lot but they are lovely little boys who do always say thanks. And don't ask for anything.

I think this all started bak in the old days when people didn't go on holiday very often. And when you couldn't get greek food in any supermarket. But it just seems mad to me now, you can order online (in fact I HAVE ordered presents online rather than carry them back)

One brother initiated the £10 thing and I pushed the others to accept. I think it was mostly observed by 5 of them and us with the one sister opting out. There might have benn a bit of blurring on the edges but I did that too if I saw exactly the right present for £12.50 or something. And I probably did go a bit over for the kids but then to me that's the point of christmas and I would be happy to keep buying for them till they get to teenage years. Although not much over, maybe a couple of quid.

it's good to hear other people think it's crazy!!

mrcow

stationaryace wrote: »

my SIL does this for her birthday/xmas as well as for her two kids. we get given a list to chose from and are expected to go pick at least one. i've managed to start a rebellion (typically OH doesn't see the problem) and we ignore the xmas list and SIL's birthday list. progressing further this year by giving non-returnable/homemade xmas pressies cheeky bissim.

Power to the present rebels!


Seriously - how come some people are so utterly rude like this? If someone did this to me, I'd have to tell them where to stick their list (in the nicest way possible of course) - but what a complete liberty!

familyfortune

Oh and I do all the buying, all teh wrapping. he sends cards. And I do spend a lot of the holiday buying presents or stressing about what to buy. he doesn't really participate except to say at the end is that all we have for xxx?

which makes him sound like a bad guy and he isn't. We do probably have more than a lot of the rest of the family which is partly why it is so hard to stop this without looking mean. i think we might already look mean because we don't always splash the cash as it is. although he is very generous with his family but...well every family is weird i suppose.

*Louise*

O....M....G.....that is the craziest thing I have ever heard!! :eek:

Going on holiday and spending £600+ on presents...mental. Total waste of money, not to mention luggage space wasted on 20 or so gifts.

I don't mind buying little things for kids, but adults really shouldn't be expecting gifts brought back. Well, my MIL asks for a fridge magnet if anyone goes away anywhere, but that's not going to break the bank.

All you can do is carry on mentioning the £10 limit for gifts (maybe vouchers would be good, then people could put them together and buy a bigger thing instead of having 20 x£10 things)

Perhaps sit down with your bf's mum and explain that you guys can't afford it, so you won't be bringing things back (unless maybe for the kids) and then STICK TO IT. Don't feel guilty, just enjoy your holiday, it's supposed to be a break, not a giant shopping trip.

Pollycat

familyfortune wrote: »

Oh and I do all the buying, all teh wrapping. he sends cards. And I do spend a lot of the holiday buying presents or stressing about what to buy. he doesn't really participate except to say at the end is that all we have for xxx?

which makes him sound like a bad guy and he isn't. We do probably have more than a lot of the rest of the family which is partly why it is so hard to stop this without looking mean. i think we might already look mean because we don't always splash the cash as it is. although he is very generous with his family but...well every family is weird i suppose.

Regardless of the majority of opinions you've had, you sound like you might be weakening.......and may well be spending £650 of (I assume) your hard earned dosh on other people, not to mention a large part of your holiday trying to please other people.
I hope not.