I have to AW my Mom's gift.

[Deleted]

Every year she gets all 8 of us a tote of the most random but totally useful stuff.

This year in mine I got tape, a new set of scissors, a nightlight for the bathroom, some islice cutter thing, ziplocs, ecleaning cloths, a 31 lunch bag, starbucks instant coffee, new measuring spoons, white socks, shower gel and lotion (very normal, think Dial/Ivory sort of stuff..that will actually get used), toothpaste, a cupcake decorating kit, a winter hat, new kitchen rags and a couple other things I can't remember.

Basically, stuff that's fun to open because it's Christmas..lol..I need but wouldn't otherwise buy until it was on it's last life or items that are constantly on the Target list I won't have to buy for awhile.

H's had things like new work gloves, duct tape, nails, candy etc.

It's so fun and way better than a bunch of random Christmas-y crap that nobody will ever use. I also love that I have another tote box for storage.

Sometimes I'm like WTF will I need that for Mom?! and then six months later I'm pulling it out because I need it.

FYI: She does get us lots of other really nice stuff too, it's not like she says "Here, have your rag and ziplocs. Happy Holidays!" She's just really into buying little stuff so we have lots to open..so she tries to make it useful at least.

[peach]

That is so much better than useless, overpriced crap I didn't want in the first place.

My in laws buy big gifts, but MIL thinks she knows what I like and she really doesn't. I feel bad because she wastes so much money on stuff I hate. She bought so many hideous clothes for DD from really pricey stores that I would LOVE to shop in...she goes to the best stores and then finds the tackiest ugliest things. I feel like crying....that hideous tie died dress from Baby Gap could have bought one of the adorable dresses they have, but instead it just sits and goes to waste.

The last few years I got bold and finally started asking for stuff, or telling DH what I wanted and getting him to pass it on to her. I feel greedy but I hate her wasting her money on stuff i hate. At least now she usually gets it right.

[Deleted]

Oh No! Peach! That's more disappointing sometimes than anything. My grandmother was a lot like that when she was alive. We dealt with it because she meant well, but it was really a waste sadly.

My parents get us one or two bigger things, but it comes preapproved off the list or if we don't know/it's complicated we get it in gift cards than have to show them on the next visit..lol. Sucks some of the fun out of it..but at least we're all happy, it's not wasteful, no returns and lower stress.

[sierramist03]

I hope you love your 31 lunch bag as much as I do. It's my favorite and mine has min initials so nobody takes my food. Plus it's soo easy to clean.

[peach]

Yeah, her gifts usually are just guilt gift wrapped. I cannot bring myself to hang up the horrible decor item or put DD in the hideous outfit, and then I hang on to it and feel like a bad person.

Your mom's got it right! My mom is pretty good too, she usually comes right out and asks what we want, or will ask DH if I might like this or that.

Does she just buy things throughout the year as she thinks of them??? Or do it all at once? Would be kind of fun to just pick up little things all year long!

[ohjessica]

Peach, that totally sounds like my MIL. I cringe every time I open her gifts.

Love the idea of getting random, but useful gifts. Maybe not the most fun gifts in the world, but so much better than shit I have to re-gift or that ends up collecting dust on my shelf. I try to do the useful stuff for stocking stuffers at the least.

[peach]

And totally a gift that guys would love. Guys are so practical...."Sweet, duct tape!" That would probably get a better reaction from DH than a new sweater or cologne haha.

[moolarkey]

My mom used to do this sort of thing. She would hang a grocery bag on the back of her bedroom door and through in anything she found that I might like: cookies, other snacks, gadgets, books, etc. She lived an hour from us so whenever we were there I'd grab the bag and we'd go through it on our way home. It was always fun to see what was in there and it would be the most random stuff.

[Deleted]

LOL. Peach. Right on! I'm married to the king of practical so a tote of work stuff is right up his alley.
Our gifts from my parents are usually bought just before Christmas.
The tote stuff I'm pretty she grabs randomly throughout the year as she thinks of it. Sometimes she'll call and be all, "Where the hell did I put that?" "Would you like ABC?" etc. My mom has stuff coming out her ears in her house though..so who really knows.

[redheadk]

That is super genius! Awesome gift

[pumpkin]

What a great idea! I wonder of I can start doing something like this with my family.
Can I be totally curious and nosy and ask what type of totes she uses?

[Deleted]

Dec 24, 2012 0:22:35 GMT -5 pumpkin said:

What a great idea! I wonder of I can start doing something like this with my family.
Can I be totally curious and nosy and ask what type of totes she uses?

LOL by tote I mean one of those rubbermaid/sterilite storage container/ 5 gallon tub things. They come in whatever color is on sale at the time. I have plain gray, green, this year it's bright red with some trees on the side. Whatever she grabs. Nothing fascininating.

[finally]

What a cool gift! A grown-up "stocking".

[pumpkin]

Dec 24, 2012 6:48:47 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

Dec 24, 2012 0:22:35 GMT -5 pumpkin said:

What a great idea! I wonder of I can start doing something like this with my family.
Can I be totally curious and nosy and ask what type of totes she uses?

LOL by tote I mean one of those rubbermaid/sterilite storage container/ 5 gallon tub things. They come in whatever color is on sale at the time. I have plain gray, green, this year it's bright red with some trees on the side. Whatever she grabs. Nothing fascininating.

Even better than what I was thinking. Now, how to get this going in my family....😊

[auntie]

Very cool.

A few years back I bought DS his own tool box and have contributed to it over the years. I had hoped it would keep him out of mine. It didn't; he hoards both.

My MIL gave notoriously awful presents. Real WTF? stuff. The year I met DH, she sent a blue oxford cloth shirt stuffed into an envelope. It wasn't even his size, but the note said it was as close as she could find.

But she had a generous heart and often bought "homemade" gifts from fellow teachers who were broke. Single moms and new teachers with loans to pay off. Unfortunately, none of her contacts had any talent. One year it was an oversize sweatshirt with a random cat print fabric glitter painted to the chest because I "like cats". Umm, I sew well enough that I do the occasional wedding gown or bridal party for money, so if I wanted a cat appliqued sweatshirt I could have fashioned one myself.