Okay, help me make a decision. My MIL has a way with gifts... a passive-aggressive way, to be exact. She and I have different taste, and she consistently gives me gifts that are very much to her taste, and not at all to mine. When the gift is to me, I usually just say a polite thank you and then at some point let it slip into the donate pile. But here is my question: what do I do when she gives something ugly to my kids?
It's ds's birthday (he's turning 5), and she gave him a wall hanging, a *large* wall hanging, that I hate. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that she gives something to the kids that affects the way the house looks. When ds was little, it was a non-issue and I'd toss the stuff. But, now that ds is getting older, I'm not sure it's still within my right to toss it, KWIM?
In case it matters, I am into feng shui and *really* don't like the idea that every time I see this thing, it will irk me, and that it is disturbing the flow of a carefully thought-out space.
So... what's your verdict?
(Oh, and two other side-questions, if you have the time:
1. In this case, ds is totally indifferent, he could care less about wall hangings. Would your answer be different if ds actually liked it? Would your answer be different if he were older? How much older?
2. If you voted "Get rid of it!", then please advise me as to how you would handle it with MIL when she next visits -- keeping in mind that I am highly conflict-averse!)
It's ds's birthday (he's turning 5), and she gave him a wall hanging, a *large* wall hanging, that I hate. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that she gives something to the kids that affects the way the house looks. When ds was little, it was a non-issue and I'd toss the stuff. But, now that ds is getting older, I'm not sure it's still within my right to toss it, KWIM?
In case it matters, I am into feng shui and *really* don't like the idea that every time I see this thing, it will irk me, and that it is disturbing the flow of a carefully thought-out space.
So... what's your verdict?
(Oh, and two other side-questions, if you have the time:
1. In this case, ds is totally indifferent, he could care less about wall hangings. Would your answer be different if ds actually liked it? Would your answer be different if he were older? How much older?
2. If you voted "Get rid of it!", then please advise me as to how you would handle it with MIL when she next visits -- keeping in mind that I am highly conflict-averse!)