Some people at xmas make me mad!!!

Sassers

Dlb your MIL sounds like a right nightmare - my nan used to be like this. Know what i'd do? Put your hamper in a Harrods bag bought off Ebay or something...you can pick 'em up for pennies than have a bl**dy good laugh if her attitude changes.
Or even funnier is go to Oxfam online print off a pic of one of their `Sponsor a Goat' stick on decorated cardboard, wrap it up and see how the materialist old-so-and-so likes that! If she made any comments in front of others methinks she'd look really bad.....

Sorry don't mean to be rude but I know all too well what your MIL must be like from my own experiences.....

Blairweech

I'd donate her to a charity next year in her name - if you can't stop her being so greedy and selfish, you may as well put the money towards a much more worthy cause!

Redbedhead

Sassers wrote:

Or even funnier is go to Oxfam online print off a pic of one of their `Sponsor a Goat' stick on decorated cardboard, wrap it up and see how the materialist old-so-and-so likes that! If she made any comments in front of others methinks she'd look really bad.....

:rotfl: I suggested my H did this last year:T

stefejb

I know how you feel. with most of my family i am very lucky and they really do apreciate the quirky or home made present - my sister especially - you could honestly sew a button onto a dishcloth and she would frame it. i made a quilt for her daughter when she was born and was shocked to see it hanging on the wall instead of being used this year though i am stressing about my newish SIL. she is very judgemental and scary but i have decided to go ahead anyway - so far i have knitted a belt and made some soap for her just the same as all my other female relatives - have decided that if she doesn't like it she can eat it! my ex was the only one previously who was weird about home made presents. he would watch me putting the finishing touches to a gift and then rush out and buy a "proper" present even though everyone appreciated their home made gifts.

Lillibet_2

Blairweech wrote:

I'd donate her to a charity next year /quote]

Bloody good idea......I'm off to donate my MiL to a chairty...wonder if the will collect her or I'll have to take her myself?:rotfl:

oldMcDonald

Sassers wrote:

Or even funnier is go to Oxfam online print off a pic of one of their `Sponsor a Goat' stick on decorated cardboard, wrap it up and see how the materialist old-so-and-so likes that! If she made any comments in front of others methinks she'd look really bad.....

QUOTE]


My Mum gets an Oxfam 'goat' or 'desk and chair' etc. type thing now. She always sees her gifts as a measure of how much someone likes her and b*tches to everyone if the gift doesn't have the right 'show - off' factor when she tells her friends what she has recieved from her children for Christmas and birthdays. She was forever comparing what me and my sister bought for her.

In the end I thought s*d it, if everything I buy is never good enough then I will give my money to people who really need it, rather than buy tat that will be used as a short term status symbol for her and then quickly forgotten.

(you can just tell I've had enough, can't you?:rolleyes: )

Queenie

dlb wrote:

...
Every year she tells us they are only going to buy for the kids next xmas, and then around Feb they turn up with our pressie for next xmas!!! Then around aug she starts hinting that she will get us abit of something else as we have already had our present, this is her lead up to "because would you please get me a really expensive pressie!!!!"

Oh goodie!!! :j :j :j

She's a trend setter Follow her example!! :j :j

~ This year, tell her, you're only buying for the kids next Christmas
~ In Feb, turn up with their pressie for next Xmas ( = Snowman's Poop see below for adapted poem a la Queenie :whistle: )
~ In Aug, start hinting that you'll be making them a bit extra, as they've already had their *main* present and lead up to "because would you please accept that we won't be getting you a really expensive pressie!!"

Snowman Poop Poem (adapted by Queenie - NB: tongue-in-cheek)

You're sooo materialistic
And Santa's not so rich
So here's a worthy present
For a moaning, greedy witch
Santa's heard you're really hard to please
So here's the latest scoop
This years latest "must have" is
Some Home Made Snowman Poop!

Donna, I'm pleased you are feeling better about the whole thing. As for the holidays, well, if that's the worst she'll do, then I just know you can live with it ((hugs)).

comping_cat

Well, i think your present sounds wonderful, and they should be grateful that you have thought enough of them to go to so much trouble and effort. If they cant appriciate it, then its their loss.

thunder_fairie

My parents never ask for anything, the last few years I have bought them both pretty big and expencive gifts, realy because I just thought they deserved them ..... this year my mum said to me she would like to stop getting pressies from me and hubby and stop giving them too..... realy she means just a little token gift from the £1shop from now on, just a little token to say I love you and a Merry christmas. She said she wants to just concentrate on the grandkids now .... as we could both dowith cutting back and saving pennies........ I think this is a great idea, because well christmas gifts are just for kids realy ( especialy if you have a bi family) why not just make a deal that from now on pressies for kids and token if its for adults, you end up saving loads and yet still have the same christmas cheer and fun.

You might think this is a bit skinflinty ... lol ... but you know I bought 2 packs of craft stickers and a winnie the pooh notelet set from the local pound shop for my fil girlfriend for chirstmas this year for just £3.00 and usin wrapping paper from last year ... I hand make my own cards so that is the total her ift cost. That is a token gift, but I know she will still love it as she loves winnie and crafts.

sindy_2

dlb wrote:

Thanks all for your replys, feel a little better about it now, like you said if she doesnt like it then tough!!

My Dh was worrying about it to but he thinks the hamper looks great!!

Our main worry was they can be very spiteful, last year they told me sil only spent x amount of pounds on us so thats all we will be spending on her next year!! So i know they moan and talk about what we all get them.
They are taking one of the kids to malta next may and the other 2 the following may (thats a long story in itself!!), just worried the will not take the kids on hoilday. But hey if they dont then we will!!

I feel sorry for you....She sounds completely awful and I can imagine alot of your life is worrying about this woman, But at the end of the day you're letting her get to you and maybe she's the type that can only operate by pulling peoples strings and manipulating their vulnarability.!!

You have made such an effort with the hamper and personally I wouldn't care if it was full of Harrods products or Netto's!....I would love it anyway....because the thought came from you and it was you who took the time to make it.....that's the real gift....so as for your MIL's expectations let her have them...just please don't keep trying to live up to them!

My Mil died last week, and maybe this is a rarity but I actually loved her and we got on great......and I know she would of loved a handmade personal present......so maybe your MIL will be touched with the hamper especially if this is the first personalised present you have given her.

x......just enjoy Christmas with your OH and kids.....let the MIL stew in her tinned steak from the hamper x