ungrateful rels wanting receipts for present returns

liz.._4

Bambam wrote:

For goodness sake get a grip. "Gifts sent with warm feelings..... love......best of intentions" Thought gone into the buying. Yet here you are saying you don't feel like sending them anything and asking other people what you can buy as gifts that can't be returned. Hardly given with warm feelings and the best of intentions then. More like spite. If they are so ungrateful don't bother buying them anything. What is the problem with asking if you would mind if a gift was returned? IMO if I bought someone a gift and it wasn't what they wanted I'd have no problem in returning it. The only thing that would concern me is they would know how much I had spent on them. I'd sooner return something and get them a gift they really wanted than find out later its been sitting in a drawer unused. Now that would be a total waste of money. As for sending it off to a charity shop, the shop probably wouldn't sell it for what you bought it for, so just cut out the middle man and send the cash to the charity in the first place. Problem solved!

I see your point but the thing is I DID send the gifts with the best of intentions, it was the response I got that ended with this gut reaction, I want to keep peace within the family and treat the little ones which is why I will continue to send gifts.

scheming_gypsy

next Christmas send them a big empty box with a note inside saying..

the box is empty because your mum is a cow

in_my_wellies

In similar circumstances I joined my nieces and nephews into the junior RSPB. They got a gift pack and a magazine every two/three months.

scheming_gypsy

what's the RSPB, i've had a few drinks and all i can come up with is Royal Society for the Prevention of Birds

Roz_V

scheming_gypsy wrote:

next Christmas send them a big empty box with a note inside saying..

the box is empty because your mum is a cow

:j :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: classic!! I think I might try that one.....

However, you now owe me for a new laptop as I just spat tea on this one when I burst out laughing reading your post...

Frugal_Fox

As you 'clearly' are not capable of choosing appropriate presents - one idea would be to start a savings fund - you put the money you would have spent on gifts into it and 'give' it to them at an appropriate age - you'd be a really cool aunty when the nieces/nephews wanted help with driving lessons, insurance, first car, student fees, house deposit. There isn't much that children need - the more they get the more difficult it is to appreciate them.

I'm sorry you feel hurt - I would too, and I couldn't ask for the receipt for any gifts we got. We don't drink and this year were given an expensive set of cut crystal champagne glasses from a well meaning relative...

scheming_gypsy

Roz_V wrote:

:j :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: classic!! I think I might try that one.....

However, you now owe me for a new laptop as I just spat tea on this one when I burst out laughing reading your post...

stay away from the arms and discussion time then or i'll owe you more than a new laptop.

scheming_gypsy

Frugal_Fox wrote:

As you 'clearly' are not capable of choosing appropriate presents - one idea would be to start a savings fund - you put the money you would have spent on gifts into it and 'give' it to them at an appropriate age - you'd be a really cool aunty ....

problem is though, till they realise she's a cool aunty she'll be 'that tight cow who doesn't buy us anything and even when she did it was crap'.

Frugal_Fox

Not at all - let them know what you are doing and why!

perdita00

I cant believe your SIL. I have never heard of anyone asking for the receipt back for the childs present from someone - unless it was faulty/wrong size.

My LO is 22 months and one of his cousins parents sent him a set of plaster figures to paint which he wont be able to do for a couple of years so it will be going in a cupboard for now- at the end of the day they had bothered to go out and find him something which is great.

I think that so many people today see Christmas as a time that they can get all the stuff they want - I only knew what a couple of my pressies were this year and I like that much better - even if you get presents which are a bit odd/not really your thing I would never dream of asking for a reciept!