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Mother-In-Law Stories
Worst Gift Archives
June 2001
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Worst gift: Posted: 12-JUN-01
Last Christmas I got underwear from my MIL - three cheap pairs of polyester panties.  DH got the usual assortment of clothes and CDs.  For my birthday, I got two pairs of socks.  Is it possible that MILs just don't realize how bad stuff like this looks?

        Signed - Don't Realize How Bad Stuff Like This Looks?

RESPONSE:  Don't Realize How Bad Stuff Like This Looks?
Posted: 13-JUN-01
If this is the worst you get from your in-laws, be happy!  Send a thank you note (always make yourself the better person) and throw the gift away if you don't like it.  Another idea would be to give it to goodwill or something like that.  If your in-laws ask why you haven't worn something they gave you, you can tell them honestly that you had no need for it and gave it to someone who did!  It worked for me!  I stopped getting horrid looking things!  P.S.  Make gift getting for them your husband's job, and simply sign the card.  I bet they will never complain knowing their son chose it!

RESPONSE:  Don't Realize How Bad Stuff Like This Looks?
Posted: 13-JUN-01
I think it is bizarre that a MIL would feel comfortable buying something so personal like underwear and socks for a DIL.  I would expect it from a mother who knows her daughter's likes and dislikes, but a MIL is basically extended and unrelated.  I think you should consider purchasing something like that for her next birthday.  What about a girdle or some support stockings?  You choose the brands, and if she mentions to you that they weren't appropriate, you can respond that you know exactly what she means!!!

RESPONSE:  Don't Realize How Bad Stuff Like This Looks?
Posted: 19-JUN-01
Where do I start?  For this past Mother's Day, I finally received a gift and along with it a little note card with both my IL's names written on it.  To them, they gave me a gift.  It doesn't matter what it is, or the thought!!!

Worst gift: Posted: 20-JUN-01
Stay with me and my dysfunctional family history:  My step-grandfather's mother (that would be my great grandmother) had never given me or my sister a thing in our entire lives.  No Christmas gifts, no cards, nothing.  In fact, since my mother was not his biological child, he basically considered us to be strangers.  Never mind that he raised my mother from the age of 1.  This woman was a very strange lady.  She wore a lot of perfume, her hair was always "done" at the shop, and she wore the most hideous jewelry.  In fact, during one visit with her, I commented on how unique this necklace was that she was wearing.  It was a necklace of buttons.  I was really trying to make small talk, as the necklace was something a third grader would make for Mother's Day and the mother would have to proudly wear to work.  Anyway, I received a gift that Christmas from her.  It contained that very button necklace that I had commented on.  That was the first and last gift I ever received from her.  She died a couple years later.  The thought was lovely, the gift was just the tackiest thing I'd ever seen.  I just wanted to share this story.

        Signed - Beautiful Button Necklace!

Worst gift: Posted: 20-JUN-01
One year when my kids were small, I was tired and frazzled and was really looking forward to Christmas.  I always love giving presents, and like to spend time and thought to give people what they would really appreciate - something for themselves that they would like, but see as little luxuries and treats.  And I never buy women things "for them", such as aprons or dishtowels.  Those are things for the house.  DH was a typical guy who generally got my gift half right, as in nice nightie in the wrong size, etc.  But that Christmas he couldn't understand why I was so cross when I opened a beautifully wrapped present from him on Christmas morning to find it was a pair of oven gloves.  In all honesty, I still don't understand how he could wrap them up thinking, "Hey, can't wait to see her face when she gets these."  He couldn't see the sarcasm when I said, "Wow, just what I always wanted - can't wait to use these today."  I really knew how he saw my role in the family from that gift.  Definitely a case of "he shouldn't have" (he's now an ex DH).

        Signed - Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Worst gift: Posted: 7-JUN-01
My MIL was always anxious for us to have kids.  We wanted to wait until we had been married, and stable financially, preferably with a house.  For our first anniversary, she gave my wife and me a 12 pack of condoms that she had punctured with a very large needle.  My wife almost killed me because I was laughing so hard - both at my wife's face when she unwrapped the present (in front of her mom and discovered the gift was condoms), and then about 1/2 hour later, when she opened them up figuring it was a joke (and something else was inside), only to discover the very large hole in all the wrappers.  My wife had always thought her mom a Saint until then.

        Signed - Dying From Laughter

RESPONSE:  Dying From Laughter
Posted: 8-JUN-01
That is to FUNNY!!!  You got give her an "A"!!  That is a classic.  Wish my MIL had a funny side to her!!

RESPONSE:  Dying From Laughter
Posted: 9-JUN-01
It's not just great that your MIL has a sense of humor, but that you do as well!  Thanks for sharing this humorous story.

Worst gift: Posted: 9-JUN-01
Well, it was Christmas 3 or 4 years ago, and everyone gathered together at my In-Law's home to open gifts.  I was about the last one to open my gift from the In-Laws, and when I did, to my surprise, it was a bundle of new, Flowery Dish Towels.  As soon as I opened them, my Mother-in-Law explained that she wanted to give them to my wife, but already had her gift, and she couldn't think of anything to get me, so I got the Dish Towels.  I did, however, explain that they would make great grease rags for my Garage, when I'm working on the car.  She was a little upset to think that I wasn't going to give them to my wife for the kitchen.  Heh Heh Heh.  Even when I do give her some ideas of gifts that I would like or could use, she always says, "Well, I'm not buying that.  That would just be a waste."

        Signed - Flowery Dish Towels For A Biker?

RESPONSE:  Flowery Dish Towels For A Biker?
Posted: 10-JUN-01
That's the best response ever!

Worst gift: Posted: 9-JUN-01
Here is a good one.  MIL gave me shirts for Christmas, men's shirts at that, when I was pregnant.  Well, none of them fit right, and were very uncomfortable, so I asked mummy dearest for the receipts to take back.  Well, she gave me the receipts all right, she didn't want to, but she did.  Want to take a guess where and what she paid for them?  $2-3 a piece, and there were only, like, 4 of them.  Purchased off the clearance rack at a very cheap store.  Obviously!!!

        Signed - DIL First Christmas

RESPONSE:  DIL First Christmas
Posted: 10-JUN-01
Oh my gosh!  This sounds so similar to something that happened to me!  Not only do my MIL and FIL see me as a threat, someone who "stole" their son away, but my brother-in-law does as well!  One Christmas, my BIL bought me two men's shirts.  Both were in my husband's size!  And he even had the guts to say exactly that, "I bought them so that my brother has some new shirts to wear."  Needless to say, I asked where he purchased them and proceeded to the store to return them.  They were $4.99 each.  How thoughtful some people can be.  Signed:  In The Same Boat.

Worst gift: Posted: 3-JUN-01
About two weeks before last Christmas, MIL asked me if I wanted a white blouse with little embroidered holly and berries on the collar and cuffs.  After all this time, she should know that this type of thing is not me.  I declined her offer, and told her she might want to keep it for herself.  So, come Christmas, guess what I got?  Why, it was a white blouse with little embroidered holly and berries on the collar and cuffs - plus a couple of stains on the front buttonholes and pockets.  Plus, it was the wrong size.  It turns out she shops at the thrift shop and picked it up secondhand.  I don't mind secondhand. stuff, but I'm the only DIL who gets this type of cr@p.  I say, "Save your money woman, and donate it in my name!"  Geesh.

        Signed - Save Your Money Woman

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