homemade presents and ungrateful family!!

camelot1001

I would much rather give and receive a home made/thought about gift. My neice and nephew still have a list (aged 20 and 22) which my brother reads to me each year. I now totally ignore everything and buy them an Oxfam gift! Don't really care what they think - it makes me feel better!! Never had a thank you for anything anyway.

Do what you feel is right.

kr15snw

Spendless - Lakeland!!

pretzelnut

OMG ungreatful little what nots.

I really wish the recipents of these gifts would appreciate the time and effort involved in homemade gifts.

Dont worry hun, at least you know that your son knows the true meaning of christmas and will grow up to be a well rounded member of society who treats all as equals and is greatful for what he has / hasnt got. DOnt worry that they didnt like their gifts just remember all the quality time you had with your DH and son whilst making them - im sure they will. You could have not been there, instead hitting the high streets buying useless presents and not seeing your child. I know what i would rather do.

Your BIL and family will eventually get what is coming to them - ie naff all. People wont bother anymore.

Luckilly all the hampers i made and all the handmade stuff i made went down a storm, although on xmas eve i was a little nervous. My phone didnt stop ringing all day from family members saying they hadnt laughed so much in years and how lovely it was to recieve somethig so special. I made pots of gold for everyone and we had several big winners and im pleased for them.

Which now means that somehow i have to think of things to top what i did this year.

Marg

Lolly - sorry I've snipped you

lolly1981 wrote: »

...what he also fails to rememeber too is that he has his kids everyother weekend we have 2 here fulltime

Wonder if this is at the root of your BIL's behaviour? Perhaps deep down he's jealous of your OH having a loving home full time for your children? Is BIL trying to 'buy' his own children as a substitute for being a full time dad & expects the rest of the family to do the same?

On the other hand perhaps I've thought a bit too deeply about this & BIL is just not a nice person!!

Sad to say, there will always be those who appreciate hand made gifts & those who don't. I love home made because I know the effort involved.

KR15snw - Want to join the MSE card making thread?http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1858919

lbt_2

I am so sorry to hear this - you have every right to be really upset. Like many others on here I made hampers too, not for financial reasons but because I think they mean so much more and really show how much you care. Anyone can place an order on Amazon (and get it gift wrapped) - you don't even have to leave the house.

The hampers I made took me all year to make - I started by making the marmalade in January! My Dad was so far more pleased with this than any present I have ever bought for him.

It sounds like your brother and sister are very materialistic - luckily you and your OH are teaching your own children better values.

xx

PS I only found your thread because I can onto this board to pick up some more ideas for next years hampers - they went down so well, I think people would be disappointed if I didn't make them again!!!!

red_devil

how about varying it though! it can be boring when one receives the same thing every year!
No offence meant! Sometimes perhaps it should be about what the receiver would like to get!
Its tricky and impossible to please people all the time!

My family dont believe in nice special cards, its a bog standard run of the mill card out the box never a special one. I would like to receive a nice card a special one that wasnt the same as you give to a neighbour! They wont do it though! Its about what they want to send all the time!

Gingerbiscuit_2

Hope you are feeling better! All my gifts seemed to have gone down well, though I find I rather spend £10 for someone I dont care about then my closet friends whom I spend much less but hours of care and love making something.
Anyone can give up money if its not a problem, takes real love to create! Dont give up crafting!!

[Deleted User]

Ooooh thats made me so cross on your behalf - sounds like he doesn't deserve your efforts!! Hope everyone else liked theres x

CraftyCarrie

I just came across your thread and HAD to reply!

I cant believe some people dont appreciate the time and effort that goes into handmade gifts!!!!! I would appreciate a present more if i knew someone had spent time making and arranging the gifts!! Even more so if i knew that cash flow was a bit short!! Even if something was not to my taste then I would still be thankful that they had spent time thinking about me! AND what is even worse is that he accepted the presents back that he bought your kids!!! No !!!!!!!g way!!!

Some people are sooo rude!!! Your right to get upset..

Heres a ****big hug**** for you!! Think you need it!
Carrie xxxx

rosekitten

just been to someones house where the
kids there got just about every top toy going
and what were they doing playing with a bead set
that must have cost all of a £1,some grown ups have
little idea what amuses kids most.

they just have a mental calculater inside their heads
regarding incoming gifts compared to what they have
spent,obscene really,I have always toild my own
kids we dont give to recieve and if we are lucky
enough to get get a gift from someone then thats a lovely
surprise for us.

Not got much myself but knew of others in a worse fix
so sorted out few large carrier bags and filled them with
parcels,things bought as real bargains,so I know at least
one family had something for their kids.Got more pleasure
from that than anything I recieved.
Not expecting or want any thanks,just glad to help
someone else worse off.,

unbelievable that in this present climate and all
thats been reported about the current recesion we
are all going through that your relatives can be so
unkind and tactless.Thankfully they are in a minority

For the record we would have been made up to recieve
what you gave them and I know that I have made
plenty of home made gifts and recieved them from
a mix of more well off and poorer (like u)s friends and
relatives.

All you can do is put it behind you and move on
and perhaps common sense will prevail and these
people will see how unreasonable they have been,
lets face it its hardly a tale they can tell their
friends who like the rest of us on here would probably
be appauled to hear.