Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

We never used to get gifts from aunts/uncles for birthdays.

Even for Xmas it was a bit dodgy. I remember getting a cheap handkerchief set from the market one year - and another year a cheap/plastic doll (sindy sized) from the market and it didn't even have any clothes (nor a box). Just a 50p doll - and we didn't have dolls, so had no clothes for them. Another typical gift from an aunt/uncle might be a pair of American Tan tights off the market .... so the budget seems to have been about 50p each year.

Having said that, I don't recall any gift from the other aunt/uncles ever.

Yes, well, at this rate.......

My last years Christmas gifts were too conforming to female stereotypes in today's society and old fashioned. A gift from a friend of mine (the most gorgeous hand knitted elfin hat that her mother had made her son (my borrowed toddler...who is now huge and far from a toddler) was 'second hand and drab. Each peach pear plum was alright I think.

Its really hard when you don't spend any time with the child because you cannot see what particularly floats its boat.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Its really hard when you don't spend any time with the child because you cannot see what particularly floats its boat.

You can't lose with sweets

I remember one Xmas there was a present that was a small/plastic Cadbury's miniature chocolates vending machine. You put a big 1d coin in and got a miniature out....

That wasn't an aunt/uncle present; no idea where that one came from.

Spirit_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

You can't lose with sweets

I remember one Xmas there was a present that was a small/plastic Cadbury's miniature chocolates vending machine. You put a big 1d coin in and got a miniature out....

.

They were great.

I also rated a cardboard sweetshop (it was really just a box) with little cartons of sweets.

And plastic money. With a till.

Spirit_2

I think it was Viva who once posted an inventory of sweeties she had.

Wonder if she has eaten them all yet?

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

You can't lose with sweets

I remember one Xmas there was a present that was a small/plastic Cadbury's miniature chocolates vending machine. You put a big 1d coin in and got a miniature out....

That wasn't an aunt/uncle present; no idea where that one came from.

Bil (who I have only ever known to eat junk food) has become an 'almost' vegan and eats nothing out of a packet. I commend him heartily for this. I also believe he has given up smoking and all manner of substances (better late than never, eh). I think I probably like his wife a lot.


But it does rule out sweeties for the little'un. Though I am risking a Christmas box, because last Christmas, despite this change of lifestyle he missed lots of European stuff and phoned moping about stuff and that what he could find was too expensive ( it will be more expensive to post). I'm sending mince pies, a pudding, Marron glac!( particular gripes last year) but not sure what else yet.......

(He declined last week to send DH an Oreo birthday cake or Birthday cake flavoured Oreos or something. DH says tit for tat I shouldn't send anything, he doesn't realise I'm grateful :rotfl:

LydiaJ

This is like pulling teeth.

Me (helping with French homework): So what's the French for "friends"?
DS: Amigos?
Me: That's spanish, but it's very similar. Try again.
DS: Amogos?

A few weeks ago, he could use loads of French words to describe whether he liked or disliked various school subjects. He has now no recollection of that at all and does not find the words at all familiar now that he has got to use them to describe how he feels about various sports.

Me (helping with RE homework): So, what's an example of something that could destroy somebody's health?
Him: The black death
Me: OK, if that's what you want to put. What could destroy your family?
Him: The black death
Me: OK. What would destroy your home?
Him: The fire of London.
Me: This is supposed to be about causes of happiness and loss of happiness, not history.

Doozergirl

LydiaJ wrote: »

This is like pulling teeth.

Me (helping with French homework): So what's the French for "friends"?
DS: Amigos?
Me: That's spanish, but it's very similar. Try again.
DS: Amogos?

A few weeks ago, he could use loads of French words to describe whether he liked or disliked various school subjects. He has now no recollection of that at all and does not find the words at all familiar now that he has got to use them to describe how he feels about various sports.

Sounds a bit like a young man I know

LydiaJ

Doozer, and lir, I added a bit to my last post that you might not have seen. Scroll up to be further amused.

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

This is like pulling teeth.

Me (helping with French homework): So what's the French for "friends"?
DS: Amigos?
Me: That's spanish, but it's very similar. Try again.
DS: Amogos?

A few weeks ago, he could use loads of French words to describe whether he liked or disliked various school subjects. He has now no recollection of that at all and does not find the words at all familiar now that he has got to use them to describe how he feels about various sports.

Can he give up languages before gcse or does he have to follow one through?

I know reading is an issue but could he post it note stuff with the French word around the house to get him 'thinking' of the French and in the mindset. (Sticking post it notes on friends might not go down well with their parents).

lostinrates

Blimey. Cheerful and engaging lesson for curiosity and development of personal and academic interest in religion there.....loss of happiness. Not sure I'd take that one too seriously either.

But then I am the person who listed as one of the reasons that your parents would send you to a faith school that it was close to home and saved on petrol.