Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Lots of replies but not too many saw the ironic humor.
Many people find National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to be a hilarious holiday movie - me included. My intent of this post was to be an opportunity for others to share real life experiences from this Holiday Season that parallel the fictional plot lines that are, or easily could have been, part of the movie.
No bitterness on my part, all a person can do is laugh at family situations such as these.
Happy New Year to all!
Yes, our sons are adults and should not have any expectation of any gift from the Grandmother. A Christmas card containing a Starbucks card is at the max end of any reasonable the gift range. I probably should have left that part, and a couple other comments, out of my story as they paint a picture of bitterness that isn't true. My goal was irony and chagrin, not bitterness or anger.
You know what, OP? Your a good guy & you are doing the best you can with a no-win situation (including here on CD, sometimes ... ) What’s not to like about that? Happy New Year!
How old are you? You must be in your 60s, and your MIL in her 80s.
Grow up already.
And when you give people money, it's now their money to do with as they please.
At your age you should know this.
If Roger wants to have strings attached to his money he's more than entitled to do so. He's earned and saved to create those options. The MIL has no right to his money. If people want to be generous with gift-giving then they should save to create that opportunity. That's arguably the best thing about building wealth, being able to help (with or without strings) others. MIL wants to reap without sowing, that's not how life works. The majority of this board gave NO money to anyone else to buy gifts but they stand in judgment of his gift with strings? How righteous. I'm going to guess the Gift Fund is not the only subsidizing that's happening regarding the in-laws.
OP, suggestion: get your t-shirts from Eddie Bauer. Much better quality and not expensive.
I usually buy about one T-shirt every 5 years. The last two I got were from the Walmart and cost $4. each. They've held up quite well. But my clothes for about 8 months of the year are a pair of cut-off athletic pants, running shoes and a baseball cap. I wear a T-shirt once a week, when grocery shopping. November through February is my off-season, wearing full-length pants and sweatshirts. But global-warming is shortening this period a bit, every year. I think Eugene may be the Northern Capital for this kind of dressing style-----I seem to have plenty of company among the minimalists in fashion choices.
And by the way, J. C. Penney underwear was the standard for boys during their school years, when I was growing up. I'll never forget the cruel humiliation we put on the poor kid in gym class, whose mother had bought him Fruit of the Loom undershorts. He never wore those again.
NOT talking about the OP -- but in reading this thread and other threads about gifts, I am wondering how many people agree with me that if any adult was rude about a gift I gave to them, they simply won't receive another gift from me, EVER.
Just to be clear, I don't expect anyone to go into ecstasies about a gift I give -- or even thank me for it (although I would prefer that they would) -- but if they were actually rude about it, I would permanently cross them off my Christmas gift list.
Last edited by katharsis; 01-02-2019 at 02:21 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
