And the after Christmas debate...

Lady Galadriel · December 2010

What to keep and what to return or exchange?

Anyone else in this same boat?

Tonya_G · December 2010

Yes. My mother and MIL always go overboard and buy the kids a ton of crap. I wish they'd just buy ONE nice present for them, instead of blowing a bunch of money on a bunch of junk they play with once then sits and gathers dust.

Lady Galadriel · December 2010

Ds needs his slippers exchanged for a bigger size from grandma

DD needs bigger pjs that her auntie bought her

DD also got this keyboard thing that you have to buy games to go with it. 1. Its over her age bracket and ability, 2. The games either would have to be bought online or spend at least 20bucks in gas to go pick out ones for it. 3. I also would have to go buy 20+ worth of batteries for it since they gave none with the toy. Hmm, I think that is going back for something less expensive and annoying.

Dd got ANOTHER strolller, thank you nana for not listening to my mom say we already have one, and this horrible doll that cries if it doesn't have a pacifier in its mouth. Really nana? That is NOT what I want to teach dd who is super into learning how the world works around her right now. That dolly is going to be "cough" losing its batteries and quickly.

Now I sound like the grinch. At least to my mom I am.

PDX · December 2010

We've picked out a few things to return, but there haven't been any disagreements. The only sticking point is DH's mom bought DS a fake cell phone, which is a toy we both said we'd never let him have. However, we also have a general rule to keep grandparent presents and she found a more eco-friendly version and it is pretty cool, imo (don't tell my husband

She also got DS a fake blackberry, which I'd love to return/donate but DH likes it. It is suppose to teach the alphabet so apparently DH thinks it's different than a normal play phone.

Joes_love · December 2010

i got two versions of the same game. i'd like to return one, but i didn't realize they were the same until after i had opened them both...and one came from 5 below, so it's not a huge loss....i can just go pick another game from them later.

Dobie_Mama · December 2010

The only thing we're exchanging is clothes. L got some stuff that fits her, but it's short sleeved/summer stuff. Totally weird considering I told everyone, "L needs some winter clothes because all of S's 3-6 & 6-9 stuff is summery and L will freeze in it."

S also got two kids' cameras but we left one at MIL's for her to play with there.

Ris1127 · December 2010

We are not returning anything. Both girl got a TON of toys, puzzles, books, clothes you name it. I've opened some for DD 1 to play with now and the rest is in the closet. Ill give her something new when she looses intrest in the others. DD 2 got a lot of stuff she will play with later, they range from 3-9 month toys so I figured I would have to buy later. I also went through all their old toys and will donate more than half of them to make room for the new ones. DD1 favorite toy aso far is her rocking horse. Oh and her play kitchen.

GladToBeMrs.SRS · December 2010

I've never returned a gift. It wasn't customary in my family, so the concept is really foreign to me. I don't know about my IL-side of the family, but on my side I think it would be considered offensive.

I totally get both sides of the debate, I just don't see myself ever doing it.

proudarmywife08 · December 2010

We are actually quite pleased with gifts this year. I think the relatives finally listened to me when I said what the kids like/want. We got a couple of Elmo things for DS (including a chicken dance Elmo which is super annoying but he loves the stupid thing) and we don't do Sesame Street in our house, so I imagine they won't last too long in our house but we're not returning them. DD got a super annoying giant stuffed t-rex that roars (she loves dinosaurs) but she loves it to death, she's named it Bertram and he HAD to sleep with her last night (yeah a 2.5 ft T-rex that roars, in bed with her...). So I won't be exchanging things this year.

GladToBeMrs.SRS · December 2010

proudarmywife08:
she's named it Bertram and he HAD to sleep with her last night (yeah a 2.5 ft T-rex that roars, in bed with her...).

This is fabulous. Love.

Soyager · December 2010

GladToBeMrs.SRS:
I've never returned a gift. It wasn't customary in my family, so the concept is really foreign to me. I don't know about my IL-side of the family, but on my side I think it would be considered offensive.
I totally get both sides of the debate, I just don't see myself ever doing it.

This. With the exception of mis-sized clothing, of course.

daenikoffre · December 2010

I've never returned anything, but mostly out of my own laziness. But the Salvation Army truck is coming around on the 30th, so.. yes.. some gifts will make their way there.

I told everyone that we don't need any more baby things, but if they really wanted to get something, make sure it's for 6 months or older.. so of course I got a bassinet filled with cheap plastic [knock off] Looney Toons bottles, some pink some blue, a bunch of Newborn sized Pampers, and Wal-Mart giftcard.. which might come in handy if there was a Wal-Mart anywhere around here

So, yeah.. I'm putting it all on craigslist, and whatever they don't want will be tossed in the donation bag going out on Thursday and no one will ever know!

ElloPoppet · December 2010

I can't remember returning any gifts - it's never been worth it to me. Anything I didn't really want would get donated to goodwill or something eventually. This year I may have to return/exchange a couple things. Max got a pair of jeans which are the size I had given out, but I think with fluffy bum they may still be too tight, so I just need to size up.

then there's the record-your-voice-reading-the-story "night before christmas" book from FIL who intended to record his voice but then chickened out because he doesn't like how he sounds. I'm not going to record my own voice - he has me to read it to him! FIL lives in SC and I thought the whole point of giving those books was so the kid could hear the voice of the person they don't see very often. It's a $30 book and I'm not planning to read it to him until next christmas anyway, so it may get returned, and if FIL ever asks about it, I'll probably say he chewed on it or the dog got to it or something. Had he sucked it up and recorded the damn thing himself I would've been thrilled to have it, but at this point I'm just pissed off.

nekorayne · December 2010

DH's family gave us all eco friendly toys which I thought was sweet. Lots of books to! Th onl thing I'm a bit unsure of this year is my dad gave him an activity table that makes a ton of noise with lots of lights. It takes lots of batteries and is all plastic. I don't think I will return it, he was so proud that he picked it out.....

thejennigirl · December 2010

One year, we returned a bunch of stuff. Our first Christmas together (8 years ago), my mother bought everything with a frog on it at Wal-Mart, and DH's mother bought everything police related at Wal-Mart, including an annoying cookie jar that screamed "STEP AWAY FROM THE COOKIE JAR!" every time it was opened. We exchanged everything we couldn't use/stand, and got some things we needed instead.

Other than that, just clothes get returned/exchanged for the correct size if possible & duplicate Hallmark ornaments and movies.

So far, this year, my grandmother got Xavian a pair of size 7 husky jeans. He needs 10 slims. That will be exchanged next trip to Target. We still have Christmas with my inlaws, so I doubt we'll be exchanging anything else, unless we get duplicate Hallmark ornaments or movies.

Lady Galadriel · December 2010

GladToBeMrs.SRS:
I've never returned a gift. It wasn't customary in my family, so the concept is really foreign to me. I don't know about my IL-side of the family, but on my side I think it would be considered offensive.
I totally get both sides of the debate, I just don't see myself ever doing it.

I totally understand not returning or exchanging anything. When the kids or myself get the wrong size clothing though that needs to be fixed or they would be wasted. As for the toy this year. Mostly its because we can't afford to keep it up in a playing mode for DD. They KNOW we are tight on money, and live with my parents because we can't anywhere else. Then they get DD stuff that will just keep eating away at our wallets with batteries, new games, and electricity to keep it all going. They never care about what the kids actually want or things we suggest the kids could need. Every time we ask for something small because 6 people in a 1200sq ft house that was fully loaded with my mom and dad who are hoarders and there is no room left for anything of ours. My aunt/cousin go out and buy the BIGGGEST loudest thing to piss my dad off, because they hate him. Umm people, you are torturing us ALL by doing such things, and not just my dad.

So yes, I exchange a thing or two each year to keep the peace in my own home. My aunt/cousin couldn't care less to even speak to me or my husband when we are in the same room as each other so I don't really care anymore if I hurt their feelings. They hurt mine all. the. time.

If I had my choice I wouldn't even buy them anything, and just get for my kids, parents, Grandparents and the one cousin who actually speaks to us (and not behind our backs).

Dude, I am the Grinch and really need to just move away from my moms side of the family. Those back stabbing, evil, ruthless, pieces of crap for humans.

Mystery2B · December 2010

I'm not returning anything so far (well, maybe the wallet DH got me but he knew that was a possibility - I'm looking for something very specific).

And while I WISH I could return a couple items (really nice handmade wood handled paring knife that can't go in the dishwasher and some MIC toys) I'm not going to. The knife cause I can't and the pink pony ride on thing because I feel bad that I so often return MIL's gifts (like the 18m winter clothes she got C for her birthday when C is wearing 9-12 month sizes, plus I just hated them, but the sizing made it legit).

jwpbride · December 2010

DH got an argyle sweater from my parents (that he loves, haha!), but he needs a bigger size. That's it, though!

emolee84 · December 2010

for DS i just returned one toy because he got 2 of it and then DH returned a wallet because he didn't really need it and got a shirt instead and I returned a wallet and scarf because my MIL got me a really nice wallet last year that's still perfectly fine and i'm just not a scarf person so i got myself another nursing tank.

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And the after Christmas debate...

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