Thought of more-my SIL keeps buying my DD clothes that are way too big or something she knows she won't wear. Like my DD does not wear jeans and hasn't for two years, but SIL will give her jeans. For her 4th birthday she got a box of random clothes the smallest being a pair of size 7 pants (DD was in 4t) and the largest a size 12 dress. For Christmas my one year old niece got a girls size XL furry vest from her. She just buys what is on the clearance rack, thinking it is better to get forty pieces of random sized clearance wear that add up to $50 no one will wear than three nice items to totaling $50.
MIL likes to bring a carload of stuff from swap meets and thrift stores when she comes over - stuff that is in bad condition, has no useful purpose, and doesn't match our decor at all.
Among the worst was a used diaper bag with questionable stains that had a bottle with hair encrusted on the nipple.
My step-MIL a few Christmases ago got me a long-sleeve white lace nightgown. It's similar to this. WTF, does she think I'm a virgin Amish farmer's daughter?! I threw it out.
I got something like this from MIL. It was red sweatshirt material and had tartan plaid neckline, wrist pieces and a fake pocket. It was also like two sizes too big. I told DH it was going to be my 'not tonight' shirt. He made me donate it immediately.
Post by charlotteandwilbur on Oct 20, 2014 17:18:11 GMT -5
A giant homemade collage with our names and "things that were special to us" pasted on it. The idea sounds kind of sweet but it was definitely a "nailed it" kind of project.
A tiny desk globe with a plaque that said our names and "World's Best Couple."
And almost every year I get sweatpants that are at least a few sizes too big.
Post by mandapanda18 on Oct 20, 2014 17:45:50 GMT -5
My MIL/FIL have resorted to cash (thank you!). But before that I received a grey cable sweater with fake fur around the neck, I'm not talking 1990's, I'm thinking this was maybe 5 years ago.
My Step-mom is actually worse, she send C cheap ass dollar store stuff. Last year we went to my sister's house (in AZ) for Christmas. Step-mom got C two bath books (from the dollar store), some of those towels that grow, and a matchbox car (he was only 5.5 months old). She bought me some fake uggs... not like target comfy-fake, like they looked like they were cardboard bottoms with felt tops, kitchen shears (dollar store) and some nasty candles I can only guess came from biglots or the like. Needless to say everything went to the local goodwill before we left for home!
My dh's grandmother gave us belt hangers two Christmases in a row.
When dh and I had been dating a couple years, MIL bought me a pendant with my name engraved on it... Jenny. Except my name isn't Jenny.
Hahaha. I hope Jenny isn't your h's ex!
My grandma gave my nephews a bunch of monogrammed stuff when they were babies. Imagine their names are Robert Joseph and Peter Paul. Instead of Robert and Peter the gifts all said Robert and Joseph. Oops.
Post by IrishBelle on Oct 20, 2014 18:16:24 GMT -5
A gift certificate to a restaurant in a town 30 mins away that we never go to. A coupon book for a video store that we never go to. A metal rooster candle holder thing like this. Totally NMS. Even DH said WTF to this one.
Post by hilwithonelary on Oct 20, 2014 18:20:08 GMT -5
Nothing as terrible as some of this other stuff, but my ILs like to give physically huge gifts that we just don't want.
A foosball/air hockey table 3 months before we were moving. It's still in the box and we've now moved twice.
A three dish crock pot buffet server. I took it back.
A gigantic pedal car for DS when he was at least 6 inches too short to reach the pedals.
A very expensive toy piano that hurt my ears. It was broken by the movers on our recent move. I've never been so happy to see a piece of broken furniture unloaded off the moving truck. Now we get reimbursed for it!
It doesn't hold a candle to some of these, but MIL is clueless. She told me she wanted to get DD "Classic English stories". Okay, no prob. Except she bought a huge hardback with 400 paper pages of Beatrix Potter for DD's first birthday. The kid still rips paper and I'm not letting her near it until she's 5.
I would love this gift for DD, though I do appreciate that it's not ideal for a first birthday gift.
Well, before the "beautiful" glowing angel night light thing, she got me scented drawer liners from the dollar store for Christmas. The design on them was a blue sky with clouds. The scent was something like those scented kitchen trash bags - so gross. This was because we renovated our kitchen that winter. I'm not sure if she noticed my new drawers are unlined....and unscented.
Post by waterchurch on Oct 20, 2014 18:52:05 GMT -5
I've gotten some weird things from my dad's wife and her family. Someone in her family gave me a basket full of stuff with my name on it. Like a keychain, magnets, etc. Included was a small picture frame with "Maria" on it. My name is Elizabeth. I've also gotten promo cds (like they give out for free at Walmart, clearly marked that they are free), hideous clothing in random sizes, etc. The usual.
DH's grandma got us an American flag.. Two years in a row. We were living abroad and she thought we might like to display it on our balcony. I'm sure that would have endeared us to the neighbors!
FIL and MIL are good gift givers but tend to buy me things that benefit the whole family whereas DH gets just fun presents. So I've gotten a VitaMix, state park pass, tickets to an event with DH (that wasn't part of his present..), etc. I don't understand why they don't just give us a family gift if they are going to do that.
My MIL gives beautiful gifts. It's my mom who gives the terrible thrift store stuff. Her favorite thing is to buy me clothes that are way too big and then she acts surprised when they don't fit. It's very hurtful actually. I guess I look bigger to her than I am.
I have a MIL that hasn't met a Wings she didn't like. The first time I met her I got a fake shell and ribbon necklace, candles that melt into body lotion, and some 3 for $10 Florida tourist T-shirts. My H got some fake light up palm trees so he didn't feel left out (he didn't).
Then when we got engaged she sent us the infamous "hands entwined" statue. Leading up to the wedding she kept telling H that she wanted to get me some jewelry to wear on the big day (cue me silently screaming). He kept telling her that wasn't a good idea, I already had my jewelry, my taste is very particular (which is true). She ignored all of it and got me a swirly CZ heart with the word "daughter" emblazoned inside. NOPE. I didn't wear it and I don't know where it is.
Post by redheadbaker on Oct 20, 2014 19:16:23 GMT -5
I feel bad, knowing that S.O.'s mom is going through some tough financial times (maybe if she would stop buying exotic birds...), but if her choices are getting DS birthday gifts from the Dollar Store, or getting him nothing, I'd rather she got him nothing and just spend time with him! The crap is either way too old for him (Exhibit A, the 24-piece puzzle she got him for his first birthday), or breaks the first time he plays with it.
My MIL/FIL stick to a list and/or give cash, which always fits.
My SIL is a terrible gift giver and always gets me what SHE thinks I would like. Past things have included: very large gaudy jewelry, crocheted angora-style tops (NOTE: my H and I were married in 2006, not 1996), weird scarves, and a monogrammed yoga mat with my H's last initial. She always puts his last name on everything. She knows my last name is not the same. She buys me things with his initial to make a point, but, really, a PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE YOGA MAT?!?!?!?!
SIL also sent me all of our and MIL/FIL's Christmas gifts one year and asked if I could wrap them for her. I work outside the home full time and was pregnant at the time. She does not work outside the home and her children are teens/tweens. She is actually a really fun person, but not a great gift-giver.
you know those plates that every grandmother has hanging on their wall, with little kids in some idyllic setting? Yeah, SIL gave us 4 of those suckers.
MIL gave me a "gift certificate" for a choose-your-own pendant necklace from Avon or something that required me to pay $40 in shipping. All options were heinously ugly and SIL received the Avon crap that the certificate came as a promo with.
She also gave me a poop stained onesie that I think she snatched from the daycare she worked at. It was the only "gift" she gave us for N's birth.
They gave him nothing at all for his first birthday. Lame.
A heart trophy photo frame which might not have been so bad by itself, but it was engraved with "DD's First Valentine's Day." Except it wasn't DD's name. It was a nickname MIL was trying to claim as her own nickname for DD. I fought hard to make sure this nickname didn't stick. My husband's side is littered with senseless nicknames and I wasn't about to let them assign one to DD.
FIL tries to shop for DD as if we don't buy our own daughter clothes and necessities. He's like "oh, I saw winter coats, I need to buy DD one. What's her size?"