Well most of the time there were no gifts so I don't have much to pick from.
There was a candle holder from the dollar store and then they put a votive from Yankee Candle in it. I guess they thought I wouldn't know that my gift came from the dollar store. Yeah they loved me that much. LOL
Oh and then there was the ugliest shirt that I have ever seen from Walmart. It was a size larger than I wear. I tried to return it after Christmas and even Walmart wouldn't take it back. I gave it to charity tags and all.
The thing is they know that I put a lot of thought into their gifts and I would wrap them beautifully. They would always comment about the great gifts and how good I am at gift giving and how beautiful they are wrapped. I enjoyed doing it for them. But now I see things and think how awesome a gift it would be for this one or that one and talk myself right out of it! Their loss!
Chef got some lame-ass gifts "from the skids" (TM). For one of his birthdays he got a hastily printed on an inkjet printer template card with the ink still wet--enclosed was three lottery tickets--one for each skid.
Another one of his birthdays he got a greeting card that had a picture of a Jack Russell terrier with eyes popping out saying "you're how old?" Obviously picked out by the Girhippo and completely inappropriate and disrespectful as per usual.
Then there was the tongue depressor bookmark that was made in 5 seconds by,at the time, 8 year old SD. Looked like an eighteen-month-old had made it.
I too received a dollar store votive candle for a supposed christmas gift and the candle actually came from the dollar store not yankee candle.
Oh and the handmade christmas ornament by YSS, at the time, stb 7. discarded soda bottle cap glued to some jute twine.
Oh and here's a classic: When Chef was in his "one big happy family model" phase, he actually got angry with me because I did not want to buy an ornate photo frame for Battle axe Galactica (Girhippo's enmeshed-to-this-day BM) for Christmas! This was at a time when almost all of Chef's paycheck was being sent over to the Girhippo for purposely OVERpaying CS w/o a CO in place!!!
Needless to say I was foolishly footing the entire bill,household expenses,skid entertainment every weekend etc etc.
Then that very Christmas, battle-axe Galactica called up Chef and demanded that Chef cough up EVEN MORE money to give to the Girhippo for gifts "to us" on behalf of the skids. Can't get any more tacky than that.
You all got gifts? I have never received anything from my Skids. Not a pen, card, generic gift, NOTHING. Says a lot huh!?!
DH got a homemade card this year. And when I say homemade I mean printer paper. Not even construction paper. SS12 and SS15 have asked DH to take them to get gifts and cards for BM. Skids have paid for these items with their own money. I guess DH didn't deserve a store bought card.
Sad! I bet your DH is like my DH, he will give them his last to make sure they do not go without. DH always has to get on them about calling him for birthdays and holidays. He may as well be talking to the wall.
Me? I would never expect anything from SS16 since he doesn't give anything to DH for any occasion. Not even a card. Nothing. He doesn't even wish DH a happy fathers day or happy birthday. The kid is not being raised right.
A birthday card that read "May unicorns fart rainbows for your birthday" with a unicorn perched on a rainbow, from SD56, four years ago.
With the card was a fold up ugly makeup case with rancid yard sale makeup enclosed. I don't wear makeup. Also enclosed in a basket, with yard sale price tag on it, was rancid Mary Kay lotions and shower gel. All of these items had yard sale tags still on them. 50 cents up to 2.00.
It smelled terrible and it all went to the trash with no acknowledgement. SD thought she would get a reaction from me. Hahahahahahahaha....what an idiot!
I should have poured it in DH's shower gel. Hahahahahaha
one of dh adult daughters sent a birthday card to him. it was obviously intended to be from a spouse or intimate partner but sd did not pick up on this.
it showed a photo of a pin up girl and said "i know what you want for your birthday." the card sentiment said "you have such a dirty mind!"
what kind of adult daughter gives that kind of card to her father. i found it horribly tasteless.
I don't think I've ever got a bad present from SD. Of course DH helps her pick something out for Christmas, and he's really good at Christmas shopping. Though she did pick my gift out last year (and even paid for it with her own money). It was a bracelet, which was really sweet.
My nieces one year though got their step mom candy urine for her birthday. (Obviously my sister's idea) This was during her "I hate you I hate you I hate you" phase. (which hasn't ended, though now their dad helps them pick out her gifts instead of my sister, for obvious reasons)
I used to get very cheap and/or secondhand presents from the SDs, that's when they gave me anything, which was rare. The very worst, was a small bottle of artisan vinegar, covered in dust, that had obviously been sitting at the back of one of NPD BM's cupboards for years and years.
Hand lotion with a strong smell. When I put in on SO said "wow I have smelt that before. It really is too strong" I said SD gave me that for Christmas. His face went blank. He knew she knew how much he hated this lotion.
Its silly but its funny.
What a great idea. I will re gift it with a frozen pie. She is notorious for her contribution to Christmas dinners where she says she will bring dessert. She comes with a frozen pie we have to bake while we are eating the meal. As a friend explained it to me "they love to express how little they will do for you"
My most hilarious gift was a card from my dear husband. He loves to give cards. But he is not real great about reading the whole card. He always goes for what is written on the inside of a card. So a few years ago he gave me a sweetest day card that says to the Man I Love! LOL I opened the card and looked at him and said are you messing with me. He didn't know what I was even talking about. So I showed him the card and he turns 50 shades of red. The inside of the card was perfect but he never read the outside. We laugh about that card a lot.
My SSs don't even get gifts for their father (not for Christmas, not for his birthday, not for Father's Day). They don't even take me up on my offers to help them get him something. I give him gifts and sometimes give them credit, even though he knows it's from me.
The most outrageous thing they've done is try to take DH's gifts. One father's day, they gave him a $20 bill and then demanded he spend it on them (I guess that's one gift they gave him, but since it took zero thought and since they then wanted him to spend it on them, I don't count it. Also, that is the only thing they've gotten for him in the nearly four years I've known them). This year, I gave DH a go-pro camera for his birthday. I told him it was from all of us. Two days later, SS11 wanted to use the camera himself. I told him he couldn't and he made a big stink. SS acts as if the camera is his. Fortunately, he doesn't know where it is in our house.
That same SS will also sometimes get jealous when other people give DH gifts and try to claim them as his own. MIL got DH an oil change and brake repair for his car for his birthday one year and because SS had gotten nothing, he tried to claim that he had picked out MIL's present. He did the same thing for some shirts I had gotten DH for Father's Day. That last one was after I asked both SSs three times what they wanted to get for DH and even offered to take them out. The SS who later tried to claim my gift as his own told me "I'm all set. I don't need help" when I asked him if he wanted me to get something for him to give his dad.
Go figure...I actually stopped buying my husband exspensive gifts because they always magically appear in SS's room. Expensive jewelry, colonge electronics and once even an iphone. I'd take it back and it just found it's way back there again. Now I don'y buy hubby gifts for this reason. I just give him cash or take him out somewhere nice...just us two.
Yeah, I'm a much bigger fan of experiences, so I typically lean toward tickets to an event or some sort of trip.
Next summer my friend is getting married in Hawaii, so I think our Christmas gift to one another might be a trip to Hawaii or maybe that will be our birthday gift for one another, since the wedding is a week after DH's birthday.
They get plenty of gifts for him and WE give them plenty of money every opportunity they can muster up to get some; I get nothing. "That's the way they do it in their family, " I was told.
So, I am no longer "their family." Not losing much, huh?
I got a candle holder from the Dollar Store, left in the original box, so I would know where it came from...the best part..SD brought it over with gifts for my cousin and best friend...2 large Yankee Candle Jars, in the yankee candle bag, so I would be sure to know what they were. Funny thing was, she was not close to my cousin or best friend, she spent almost $60 on people she hardly ever saw so she could make me "feel bad" about her Dollar Store gift to me. She looked like a total b!tch, because I gushed over my gift and remarked for everyone to hear, how I was sure my cousin and friend would love the yankee candles. The people who were at my house still talk about what a horrible person she is, LOL.
the most outrageous gift dh gave one of his daughters was a set of skis.
she did not ski but she had been flirting with a young man who was a ski instructor at a resort where she worked. the instructor sold the skis to her at cost and dh gave her the money. they dated once or twice then never again.
dh spent hundreds of dollars (no occasion just a gift) so a handsome ski instructor could get laid.
In the almost decade I've known SS I've gotten one present. It was a good present - a gift certificate for a manicure where I occasionally go. But it was when DH was trying to mend things between SS and I after I'd brushed him off for a few years. I would bet a zillion dollars that DH bought the gift certificate and had SS sign my name on the envelope. Or maybe DH had someone at the salon sign it. It's not like SS gave it to me in person.
Well most of the time there
Well most of the time there were no gifts so I don't have much to pick from.
There was a candle holder from the dollar store and then they put a votive from Yankee Candle in it. I guess they thought I wouldn't know that my gift came from the dollar store. Yeah they loved me that much. LOL
Oh and then there was the ugliest shirt that I have ever seen from Walmart. It was a size larger than I wear. I tried to return it after Christmas and even Walmart wouldn't take it back. I gave it to charity tags and all.
The thing is they know that I put a lot of thought into their gifts and I would wrap them beautifully. They would always comment about the great gifts and how good I am at gift giving and how beautiful they are wrapped. I enjoyed doing it for them. But now I see things and think how awesome a gift it would be for this one or that one and talk myself right out of it! Their loss!
Chef got some lame-ass gifts
Chef got some lame-ass gifts "from the skids" (TM). For one of his birthdays he got a hastily printed on an inkjet printer template card with the ink still wet--enclosed was three lottery tickets--one for each skid.
Another one of his birthdays he got a greeting card that had a picture of a Jack Russell terrier with eyes popping out saying "you're how old?" Obviously picked out by the Girhippo and completely inappropriate and disrespectful as per usual.
Then there was the tongue depressor bookmark that was made in 5 seconds by,at the time, 8 year old SD. Looked like an eighteen-month-old had made it.
I too received a dollar store votive candle for a supposed christmas gift and the candle actually came from the dollar store not yankee candle.
Oh and the handmade christmas ornament by YSS, at the time, stb 7. discarded soda bottle cap glued to some jute twine.
Oh and here's a classic:
Oh and here's a classic: When Chef was in his "one big happy family model" phase, he actually got angry with me because I did not want to buy an ornate photo frame for Battle axe Galactica (Girhippo's enmeshed-to-this-day BM) for Christmas! This was at a time when almost all of Chef's paycheck was being sent over to the Girhippo for purposely OVERpaying CS w/o a CO in place!!!
Needless to say I was foolishly footing the entire bill,household expenses,skid entertainment every weekend etc etc.
Then that very Christmas, battle-axe Galactica called up Chef and demanded that Chef cough up EVEN MORE money to give to the Girhippo for gifts "to us" on behalf of the skids. Can't get any more tacky than that.
You all got gifts? I have
You all got gifts? I have never received anything from my Skids. Not a pen, card, generic gift, NOTHING. Says a lot huh!?!
DH got a homemade card this year. And when I say homemade I mean printer paper. Not even construction paper. SS12 and SS15 have asked DH to take them to get gifts and cards for BM. Skids have paid for these items with their own money. I guess DH didn't deserve a store bought card.
The only "card" DH has gotten
The only "card" DH has gotten from SSs was a piece of printer paper folded with Happy Father's Day written on it in ballpoint pen.
This year, he bought his own father's day card and gave it to the kids to sign and give to him.
I used to buy birthday and
I used to buy birthday and fathers day cards for SS to give DH...Used to..
Sad! I bet your DH is like my
Sad! I bet your DH is like my DH, he will give them his last to make sure they do not go without. DH always has to get on them about calling him for birthdays and holidays. He may as well be talking to the wall.
Gift? Never so much as a
Gift? Never so much as a card. Not that I care, but she doesn't even get DH anything for his B-day, Father's Day, Christmas, nothing.
Me? I would never expect
Me? I would never expect anything from SS16 since he doesn't give anything to DH for any occasion. Not even a card. Nothing. He doesn't even wish DH a happy fathers day or happy birthday. The kid is not being raised right.
A birthday card that read
A birthday card that read "May unicorns fart rainbows for your birthday" with a unicorn perched on a rainbow, from SD56, four years ago.
With the card was a fold up ugly makeup case with rancid yard sale makeup enclosed. I don't wear makeup. Also enclosed in a basket, with yard sale price tag on it, was rancid Mary Kay lotions and shower gel. All of these items had yard sale tags still on them. 50 cents up to 2.00.
It smelled terrible and it all went to the trash with no acknowledgement. SD thought she would get a reaction from me. Hahahahahahahaha....what an idiot!
I should have poured it in DH's shower gel. Hahahahahaha
one of dh adult daughters
one of dh adult daughters sent a birthday card to him. it was obviously intended to be from a spouse or intimate partner but sd did not pick up on this.
it showed a photo of a pin up girl and said "i know what you want for your birthday." the card sentiment said "you have such a dirty mind!"
what kind of adult daughter gives that kind of card to her father. i found it horribly tasteless.
What was your DH's reaction?
What was your DH's reaction? That's creepy AF.
dh thought it was so funny
dh thought it was so funny and placed it on the mantel with his other cards. he was just so happy sd remembered his birthday.
he totally oblivious and it was pointless to try to get him to see how horrid this was.
i was disgusted.
I don't think I've ever got a
I don't think I've ever got a bad present from SD. Of course DH helps her pick something out for Christmas, and he's really good at Christmas shopping. Though she did pick my gift out last year (and even paid for it with her own money). It was a bracelet, which was really sweet.
My nieces one year though got their step mom candy urine for her birthday. (Obviously my sister's idea) This was during her "I hate you I hate you I hate you" phase. (which hasn't ended, though now their dad helps them pick out her gifts instead of my sister, for obvious reasons)
I used to get very cheap
I used to get very cheap and/or secondhand presents from the SDs, that's when they gave me anything, which was rare. The very worst, was a small bottle of artisan vinegar, covered in dust, that had obviously been sitting at the back of one of NPD BM's cupboards for years and years.
A book called, 'How to be
A book called, 'How to be happy' she didn't know that on one of the pages it said 'eliminate toxic people from your life.'
Hand lotion with a strong
Hand lotion with a strong smell. When I put in on SO said "wow I have smelt that before. It really is too strong" I said SD gave me that for Christmas. His face went blank. He knew she knew how much he hated this lotion.
Its silly but its funny.
You should re-gift it back to
You should re-gift it back to her. Make a little basket of goodies and include this hand lotion.
What a great idea. I will re
What a great idea. I will re gift it with a frozen pie. She is notorious for her contribution to Christmas dinners where she says she will bring dessert. She comes with a frozen pie we have to bake while we are eating the meal. As a friend explained it to me "they love to express how little they will do for you"
This is what I'm going to do,
This is what I'm going to do, if it ever happens again!
My most hilarious gift was a
My most hilarious gift was a card from my dear husband. He loves to give cards. But he is not real great about reading the whole card. He always goes for what is written on the inside of a card. So a few years ago he gave me a sweetest day card that says to the Man I Love! LOL I opened the card and looked at him and said are you messing with me. He didn't know what I was even talking about. So I showed him the card and he turns 50 shades of red. The inside of the card was perfect but he never read the outside. We laugh about that card a lot.
My SSs don't even get gifts
My SSs don't even get gifts for their father (not for Christmas, not for his birthday, not for Father's Day). They don't even take me up on my offers to help them get him something. I give him gifts and sometimes give them credit, even though he knows it's from me.
The most outrageous thing they've done is try to take DH's gifts. One father's day, they gave him a $20 bill and then demanded he spend it on them (I guess that's one gift they gave him, but since it took zero thought and since they then wanted him to spend it on them, I don't count it. Also, that is the only thing they've gotten for him in the nearly four years I've known them). This year, I gave DH a go-pro camera for his birthday. I told him it was from all of us. Two days later, SS11 wanted to use the camera himself. I told him he couldn't and he made a big stink. SS acts as if the camera is his. Fortunately, he doesn't know where it is in our house.
That same SS will also sometimes get jealous when other people give DH gifts and try to claim them as his own. MIL got DH an oil change and brake repair for his car for his birthday one year and because SS had gotten nothing, he tried to claim that he had picked out MIL's present. He did the same thing for some shirts I had gotten DH for Father's Day. That last one was after I asked both SSs three times what they wanted to get for DH and even offered to take them out. The SS who later tried to claim my gift as his own told me "I'm all set. I don't need help" when I asked him if he wanted me to get something for him to give his dad.
Go figure...I actually
Go figure...I actually stopped buying my husband exspensive gifts because they always magically appear in SS's room. Expensive jewelry, colonge electronics and once even an iphone. I'd take it back and it just found it's way back there again. Now I don'y buy hubby gifts for this reason. I just give him cash or take him out somewhere nice...just us two.
Yeah, I'm a much bigger fan
Yeah, I'm a much bigger fan of experiences, so I typically lean toward tickets to an event or some sort of trip.
Next summer my friend is getting married in Hawaii, so I think our Christmas gift to one another might be a trip to Hawaii or maybe that will be our birthday gift for one another, since the wedding is a week after DH's birthday.
They get plenty of gifts for
They get plenty of gifts for him and WE give them plenty of money every opportunity they can muster up to get some; I get nothing. "That's the way they do it in their family, " I was told.
So, I am no longer "their family." Not losing much, huh?
I got a $1 plastic toy out of
I got a $1 plastic toy out of the cheap toy section at Target. I think I was 45 at the time. This was when DH was giving OSD $500 and her DH $300.
Never got a thing, not even a
Never got a thing, not even a card. Come to think of it maybe a couple happy bdays is 10 years. No congrats for accomplishments...nope nothing.
I got a candle holder from
I got a candle holder from the Dollar Store, left in the original box, so I would know where it came from...the best part..SD brought it over with gifts for my cousin and best friend...2 large Yankee Candle Jars, in the yankee candle bag, so I would be sure to know what they were. Funny thing was, she was not close to my cousin or best friend, she spent almost $60 on people she hardly ever saw so she could make me "feel bad" about her Dollar Store gift to me. She looked like a total b!tch, because I gushed over my gift and remarked for everyone to hear, how I was sure my cousin and friend would love the yankee candles. The people who were at my house still talk about what a horrible person she is, LOL.
the most outrageous gift dh
the most outrageous gift dh gave one of his daughters was a set of skis.
she did not ski but she had been flirting with a young man who was a ski instructor at a resort where she worked. the instructor sold the skis to her at cost and dh gave her the money. they dated once or twice then never again.
dh spent hundreds of dollars (no occasion just a gift) so a handsome ski instructor could get laid.
In the almost decade I've
In the almost decade I've known SS I've gotten one present. It was a good present - a gift certificate for a manicure where I occasionally go. But it was when DH was trying to mend things between SS and I after I'd brushed him off for a few years. I would bet a zillion dollars that DH bought the gift certificate and had SS sign my name on the envelope. Or maybe DH had someone at the salon sign it. It's not like SS gave it to me in person.
God I hate SS's effing guts.
it is good to learn from the
it is good to learn from the experiences of others.
being disengaged is a safe emotional place to be.