Oh you shouldnt have! No really you shouldn have!!

[Amys1st]

Its tomorrow finally! the 26th! So answer the following points:

The gift:

Your reaction:

It will go great in the:
-trunk to be returned when I finally get around to it in late Jan.
-huge plastic container w other regifter possiblitites
-closet with the other clothing just like rest of them
-in the good will pickup this Friday
-at the next get together to show your friends how cheap your family member is
-in the garbage
-make up your own.

[Amys1st]

I will go first:


The gift: huge huge fleece pants in size L for men with drawstring waist. Weird weird pattern.

Your reaction: DH got it. A pastey smile "Thanks Mom"

It will go great in the:

-in the good will pickup this Friday


When we got home and I pulled them out of the bag. DH said. You know I am really really sick when you see these on me. The upside. They gave us all checks for each family member. We deposited them last night! But my MIL likes to give something else along with the checks every year. So cannot complain!

[sandiegokristi]

Thank you for the three hideous cookie jars! Poor DH got three cookie jars from the same aunt! LOL...we appreciate her thinking of us and they always do a lot for our kids, but I think she just may be at a loss when it comes to DH. All three are going to the goodwill.
She did get our almost 13 year old guitar hero for his Wii and I got the new Rachel Ray cookbook. The little ones got great things too. Funny that poor DH gets three cookie jars.

[cheenya]

The gift:
A 31 day wind up wall clock from DH's parents.


Your reaction:
A big smile and thank you, with a sinking heart.
I really don't know what to do with it, and I feel petty, but I really only want a clock like this if it chimes the 1/4 hour. They knew that, but got one that only chimes the hour. Its expensive, so maybe I'll try e-bay, I really don't know though.

[MamaJamie]

Oh my, I don't even know where to start....

A huge box of clothes covered in stains and two sizes too big for my son. Um, thanks? (this from the corporate attorney and his wife)

A video game for my son that plugs into the tv and he's supposed to sit at and drive or something. To be honest, I'm lucky I opened this before he did. He's never seen it (and never will). Going to the thrift store with the clothes...

Ten million plastic toys even though we specifically begged wooden toys only or games for a three year old. I hated to be picky but we're really trying hard to simplify/declutter this year. Our plan is to hide one everyday and if ds doesn't miss it, to the thrift store they go!

That said is was a super nice holiday! We live on the other side of the country from both my and dh's families so all of this stuff came through the mail. Ds actually got tired of opening presents there were so many! And we thought about "cancelling" the present part because we were very short on money this year. So, in all, I know I shouldn't be complaining, it's just interesteing to see what other people think a three year old would like...

[doubledutch]

the gift: tele*story, the magical piece of junk that turns reading time into tv time!

my reaction: but . . . what . . . is it? what do you do with it?

answer: plug in the *story* (not a book, mind you, but a *story* about power rangers and the like) to the plastic contraption, which is connected to your television, and follow along with the words as they light up on the screen. basically closed captioning for preschoolers.

it will be exchanged. sil & her dh gave it to the boys (2yo and baby). their 3.5yo loves it, so i'm sure they figured the boys will love it too, and i appreciate that. however, um, no.

[truelife]

The Gift: a previously written in address book

Giver: DH's Aunt (not hurting for money)

Response: "Awe, thank you! I was just telling DH that we needed to get all of our phone numbers on paper in case we lose our cell phones again."

It will go great in: "the next get together to show your friends how cheap your family member is"

[Peony]

Hmmm, where to start.


First there is the huge plastic, talking Leapfrog table for DD2, a plastic phone for her (we are doing no plastic), a baby doll that I swear has "lead poisoning" written all over it. Moon shoes for DD1, more stuffed animals. Four very $$$ but not in the least bit practical outfits for the DD's. Quilted place mats, beautiful, but do I really need something else that barely gets used and is just going to take up space. And a bunch of very old photos and books from DH's side of the family. Which I have to keep, but once again, more STUFF to store. Sigh.



My reaction to everything: painful grin, and a "Oh wow".



The table will be stuffed in the back room to be brought out for another visit or two with that family member before making it's way to the thrift store. The plastic phone will head to my parent's house in the mountains, toxic baby doll will go to the donate pile. Moonshoes will suffer the same fate as said noisy table. Stuffed animals will have to remain until DD1 loses interest. And I don't know what I''m going to do with outfits and placemats, probably stuff them somewhere until DH forgets we got them.

[CaliMommie]

;

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by truelife

The Gift: a previously written in address book

Giver: DH's Aunt (not hurting for money)

Response: "Awe, thank you! I was just telling DH that we needed to get all of our phone numbers on paper in case we lose our cell phones again."

It will go great in: "the next get together to show your friends how cheap your family member is"

So far, this might be the winner! :
Can anyone top this??

[cheenya]

Originally Posted by truelife

The Gift: a previously written in address book

Giver: DH's Aunt (not hurting for money)

Response: "Awe, thank you! I was just telling DH that we needed to get all of our phone numbers on paper in case we lose our cell phones again."

It will go great in: "the next get together to show your friends how cheap your family member is"

Originally Posted by Amys1st

So far, this might be the winner! :
Can anyone top this??

Wow, definetly the most awful so far. What are some people thinking

[JillChristina]

the gift: a BIG bottle of tequila and four shot glasses in a LARGE wooden box (I think it's supposed to be fancy) - from FIL and his girlfriend "The people at the liquor store seemed so surprised that they had one of these left so we HAD to buy it."

my reaction: "Oh, look, tequila." I actually do like tequila but I'm happy to just enjoy a margarita at a restaurant now and then. DH and I aren't big drinkers either. And I certainly don't need all of this in a large wooden box.

where it's going: well, it's sitting on top of our microwave right now.... I don't think Goodwill would accept it. I would regift it but I don't know who to give it to. Maybe one of my girlfriends.... I think this is the kind of regift gift where you have to ASK your intended receiver before you give it away.

Jill

[GinaRae]

The gift: Q-tips for an accident prone 9 year old, shipped to us from 3,000 miles away by my mom who feels she must save these kids from bad hygiene apparently.

Your reaction: Give me those, please. They're dangerous for kids.

It will go great in the: bathroom in my room

To give her credit, she knows they like getting toothbrushes, soaps, etc... but not as Christmas presents under the tree, and not something that could damage an ear drum. She's a NURSE who felt it was okay to tell me a homebirth would result in GD, toxemia and a dead baby but who gives known dangerous items to my kids. Sweet!

[GinaRae]

Originally Posted by JillChristina

the gift: a BIG bottle of tequila and four shot glasses in a LARGE wooden box (I think it's supposed to be fancy)........ I don't think Goodwill would accept it.

Funny! That's one you can't sell or give away to the usual channels! eBay, Freecycle, Craig's List, good will... Lucky you! I say yard sale it.

[nessam]

The gift:
Inflatable life vest purchased in Mexico.. for ages 3 and up (impulse purchase?)

Our reaction: Yes, it's cute but DS is 1 and it's winter!

MIL just returned from Mexico and we did get some tequila and shot glasses as well, which we do like. She also got DS a nice book and wooden toy.

Overall DS got a few really nice books, a few items of clothing that are not in our taste but are almost already too small, and a few plastic schlocky things. Not many gifts this year which is probably good. But a little disappointing.

We gave him a nylon tunnel (Ikea) and a book.

[Authentic_Mother]

Originally Posted by JillChristina

the gift: a BIG bottle of tequila and four shot glasses in a LARGE wooden box (I think it's supposed to be fancy) - from FIL and his girlfriend "The people at the liquor store seemed so surprised that they had one of these left so we HAD to buy it."

my reaction: "Oh, look, tequila." I actually do like tequila but I'm happy to just enjoy a margarita at a restaurant now and then. DH and I aren't big drinkers either. And I certainly don't need all of this in a large wooden box.

where it's going: well, it's sitting on top of our microwave right now.... I don't think Goodwill would accept it. I would regift it but I don't know who to give it to. Maybe one of my girlfriends.... I think this is the kind of regift gift where you have to ASK your intended receiver before you give it away.

Jill

Hey! How much would it cost to ship it? I might buy it off you! lol!

[doctormom]

The gift: Huge plastic Fisher-Price playset from MIL, along with a letter explaining that she knows we really don't want plastic toys, but she'd already bought this for DS...at a big sale at Toys R Us...more than TWO YEARS ago.

My reaction: Opened all presents for DS before Christmas, because MIL does this every year.

It will go great: on Craigslist. In fact, I listed and sold it a week before Christmas, hooray!



The gift: Gift basket of "gourmet" treats from BIL, all of which are full of preservatives, sodium, and sugar. DH cannot eat sugar because of a medical condition, and has not eaten sugar in more than 30 years. BIL, who grew up with DH, is presumably aware of this.

Your reaction: Um, DH, you can write this thank-you note, too.

It will go great in the: local food pantry. Someone will enjoy this, just not our family.

[Ilovelife]

Originally Posted by JillChristina

the gift: a BIG bottle of tequila and four shot glasses in a LARGE wooden box (I think it's supposed to be fancy) - from FIL and his girlfriend "The people at the liquor store seemed so surprised that they had one of these left so we HAD to buy it."

my reaction: "Oh, look, tequila." I actually do like tequila but I'm happy to just enjoy a margarita at a restaurant now and then. DH and I aren't big drinkers either. And I certainly don't need all of this in a large wooden box.

where it's going: well, it's sitting on top of our microwave right now.... I don't think Goodwill would accept it. I would regift it but I don't know who to give it to. Maybe one of my girlfriends.... I think this is the kind of regift gift where you have to ASK your intended receiver before you give it away.

Jill

You could regift it to me.

I haven't had the pleasure of opening any extended family gifts yet. But we did have some friends stop by before Christmas with multiple plastic trucks & toys for each child. My reaction--thank you, they will love them. My thought--some will be okay for the beach this summer, some will be donated, a couple might stick around for a few months and make the end of school year toy donation/sale.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by JillChristina

the gift: a BIG bottle of tequila and four shot glasses in a LARGE wooden box (I think it's supposed to be fancy) - from FIL and his girlfriend "The people at the liquor store seemed so surprised that they had one of these left so we HAD to buy it."

my reaction: "Oh, look, tequila." I actually do like tequila but I'm happy to just enjoy a margarita at a restaurant now and then. DH and I aren't big drinkers either. And I certainly don't need all of this in a large wooden box.

where it's going: well, it's sitting on top of our microwave right now.... I don't think Goodwill would accept it. I would regift it but I don't know who to give it to. Maybe one of my girlfriends.... I think this is the kind of regift gift where you have to ASK your intended receiver before you give it away.

Jill

DH and I agree this may have been already re gifted to you!

[Eclectica]

The gift: a giant "anti-snore" pillow for my husband who doesn't even snore.

His reaction: "Thank you! This looks comfy!"

It will go great in the: store where we promptly returned it this morning. It was from Brookstone. I swear that place is like the clutter headquarters. You look at everything in there and at first glance think, "wow, neat idea" but you then realize you'll never actually use it. Luckily, they took it back for an exchange without a receipt and he was able to get a grilling toolset that he'll use often.