Rude reactions to gifts

[Ceallach]

My 3 year old nephew is good at receiving gifts - he is so excited about it that anything you give him is THE most AWESOME thing in the world.  It's adorable.

The problem is that his birthday is the day before his mothers (she spent her 30th birthday sleeping, recovering from birthing her first child!) which means that their two birthdays merge seamlessly in his brain as one day.  It's really hard to explain to a toddler that all of the presents and cake yesterday were for you, but now they're all for Mommy.....  so there's been the occasional tantrum when he discovers that somebody is trying to take "his" gift away from him and give it to Mommy to open!   The fact that people don't always give gifts on the day compounds the issue, as sometimes there'll be a gift for her on his birthday etc.  They manage it really well with him, and I'm sure he'll be great at sharing thanks to this, but there have been a few moments where he's behaved rudely in response to his mother receiving a gift.   

[kherbert05]

My granny was well-meaning, but she ALWAYS bought me (and only me) clothes, and her taste was... interesting.

This reminded me of my friend's yearly experiences with her son.  She was telling me how her mother in law favors the granddaughters in the family over the grandsons.  Every year the three little girls (her own, plus her sister in laws two girls) get lavished upon with gifts.  Lots of toys and a few clothes items.  While her son gets nothing but a few outfits.  No toys and no where near as much stuff as the girls get. 

She says it is always very awkward at the least.

Your friend needs to step up and tell her MIL either she gets the kids equal gifts or she is not allowed to get either child a gift and won't be seeing them either. I just don't get people letting other people scrapegoat one kid out of the family. I was always the odd duck out. I didn't enjoy a lot of things my sister and cousins enjoyed. For a long time members of my family didn't "get" me - but they at least made an effort. Sis and the cousins suffered through geeky stuff I liked, and I sat and read a book while they got pampered at a day spa. (Ok there were a couple of times the adults pushed to participate in the pampering - but me saying firmly NO it will burn nixed that).


 A friend of mine called her MIL on unequal treatment between the granddaughers (friend's kids) and grandsons (children of BIL and SIL). She told the MIL that she won't be seeing friend's children at gift giving occasions unless all the children were dealt with  fairly. Due to an early incident the in-laws knew she was serious. (They had been cut off for calling friend a liar).


Friend said it was funny the first year because her child and the cousin (about the same age) got boy/girl versions of the exact same gifts from the pottery barn.

[kherbert05]

 Thirded. But I did crack up when the girl gave "Hot Pockets" as an example of her mom's "great cooking."

gramma dishes: As far as the boy in the striped shirt goes... I almost wonder if there was more going on there than just "I don't like this gift." I know it's an interesting assumption, but I could easily see a situation where a kid is being teased at school by being called "g@y" and the like. And then his parents give him a Hello Kitty shirt and it's just too much to take.

I had a similar thought about the boy in the striped shirt. The boy at the end - in my experience yes he probably talks to his teachers like that and his parents come to meetings and agree with him.


My cousin could pull this off with their kids - and the kids would just laugh it off. Then the parents would be on the receiving end of a prank.  They have a slightly off kilter sense of humor that they got from their dad. Their Dad knew where the line was. I was very skittish, because of being bullied at school. He included me by having help pull off pranks, but the any type of prank he pulled on me was gentler than the other kids got.

[zyrs]

I was the rude one (although I tried to hide my reaction).

I don't hunt, dislike team sports and was raised in the middle of a city.  My father-in-law hunts, is into football and was raised on a farm.

His gifts to me on Christmas are always "off".  Usually I put on a good face and donate it later, but last year...

I opened the first gift and it was this book.  For just a second my brain went "Why would he think I would be interested in this?" and I am sure my eyes narrowed.  Then I remembered my manners, but I am sure he saw.  Unfortunately the other gifts were about the same, but I recovered enough to make sure I didn't react as badly to them.

[Betelnut]

I was the rude one (although I tried to hide my reaction).

I don't hunt, dislike team sports and was raised in the middle of a city.  My father-in-law hunts, is into football and was raised on a farm.

His gifts to me on Christmas are always "off".  Usually I put on a good face and donate it later, but last year...

I opened the first gift and it was this book.  For just a second my brain went "Why would he think I would be interested in this?" and I am sure my eyes narrowed.  Then I remembered my manners, but I am sure he saw.  Unfortunately the other gifts were about the same, but I recovered enough to make sure I didn't react as badly to them.

LOL!  At least he got the Goddess part right!

[pierrotlunaire0]

My grandmother was not present at one Christmas get-together, but she had sent presents to be opened.  Well, that was the year my grandmother learned to sew underwear.

Think granny panties times 2.  Enough material to hide your entire bottom half plus a few small animals to boot.  So much material in fact that I think she ran out of money and when it was time to buy the elastic, she skimped.  I couldn't fit my hand, let alone my leg through the leg holes.

The look of horror on my one cousin's face as she unfolded and unfolded and unfolded this blue nylon tent is one of my cherished Christmas memories.  We laughed until we were sick, and then dutifully called to think her calmly.

[mabelle]

Well, that was the year my grandmother learned to sew underwear.

1) I think granny didn't learn too well and 2) good on all of you for thanking her calmly.

[zyrs]

I was the rude one (although I tried to hide my reaction).

I don't hunt, dislike team sports and was raised in the middle of a city.  My father-in-law hunts, is into football and was raised on a farm.

His gifts to me on Christmas are always "off".  Usually I put on a good face and donate it later, but last year...

I opened the first gift and it was this book.  For just a second my brain went "Why would he think I would be interested in this?" and I am sure my eyes narrowed.  Then I remembered my manners, but I am sure he saw.  Unfortunately the other gifts were about the same, but I recovered enough to make sure I didn't react as badly to them.

LOL!  At least he got the Goddess part right!

Lol, I try more to be Prince Charming, but my wife definitely is a goddess!

[Betelnut]

I was the rude one (although I tried to hide my reaction).

I don't hunt, dislike team sports and was raised in the middle of a city.  My father-in-law hunts, is into football and was raised on a farm.

His gifts to me on Christmas are always "off".  Usually I put on a good face and donate it later, but last year...

I opened the first gift and it was this book.  For just a second my brain went "Why would he think I would be interested in this?" and I am sure my eyes narrowed.  Then I remembered my manners, but I am sure he saw.  Unfortunately the other gifts were about the same, but I recovered enough to make sure I didn't react as badly to them.

LOL!  At least he got the Goddess part right!

Lol, I try more to be Prince Charming, but my wife definitely is a goddess!

Oops!  LOL!

[WolfWay]

I was the rude one (although I tried to hide my reaction).

I don't hunt, dislike team sports and was raised in the middle of a city.  My father-in-law hunts, is into football and was raised on a farm.

His gifts to me on Christmas are always "off".  Usually I put on a good face and donate it later, but last year...

I opened the first gift and it was this book.  For just a second my brain went "Why would he think I would be interested in this?" and I am sure my eyes narrowed.  Then I remembered my manners, but I am sure he saw.  Unfortunately the other gifts were about the same, but I recovered enough to make sure I didn't react as badly to them.

LOL!  At least he got the Goddess part right!

Lol, I try more to be Prince Charming, but my wife definitely is a goddess!

That makes the gift even weirder.