My mother-in-law banned Christmas gifts at crazily short notice, I’ve already bought mine and don’t know what to do
A GENEROUS woman has been left frustrated after her family suddenly decided not to participate in a Christmas gift exchange.
She bought presents for each of her relatives weeks in advance so that she could focus on preparing to host them in her home on Christmas day.
The 28-year-old took to Am I The A**hole forum explaining that she finished purchasing gifts for her family in late November.
She vented that her mother-in-law, who is in her mid-60s, waited until just nine days before the festivities to demand that there would be no gifts for anyone except the children because she doesn’t have time to go shopping.
“I’m not in need of any gifts in return, but the idea that my thoughtful gifts which I spent weeks figuring out would go to waste feels unfair,” she wrote.
“My friend suggested I should just save the gifts and hand them out on everyone’s birthdays, but they’re all a ways away and I don’t know where exactly I’d store everything.
“I’m contemplating just giving the gifts and explaining the situation (that I purchased them way before I was informed of the no-gift policy).
"But I’ve been informed that it would be rude and make the other people feel bad.”
The woman said her husband thinks his mom is being ridiculous as for the past 10 years they have all exchanged gifts.
She admitted that she was worried about offending her if she went ahead with giving the presents.
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“MIL [mother-in-law] is the type to come over and every time she sees something she likes in our home she mentions she’d love to get it as a gift,” she said.
“She has never had an issue accepting gifts.”
The woman said she didn’t want to blame Santa for the gifts because of her religious beliefs that the holiday is about baby Jesus.
She revealed most of her gifts can’t be returned because they were bought on sale or are collector’s items.
Responses to the post encouraged the woman to go ahead with giving the gifts as they argued nine days wasn’t enough notice from her mother-in-law.
One person wrote: “Ugh nine days before an event at YOUR house, someone just decides that because they were lazy and didn't bother, no one should get to give gifts.
“That's asinine. NTA [not the a**hole]. Your house, your choice whether or not to give gifts.
“BUT I would reach out to everyone else and let them know so they don't feel like the AH [a**hole] for showing up with no gifts.
“I would be SUPER surprised if you're the only one going, ‘What do I do with the gifts I bought now?’”
Another commented: “You can do whatever you want with your money and efforts.
“My family does this too. One or two people unilaterally decide for everyone that there will be no gift-giving.
“I don't care what they want, I will do what I want. I usually get nothing but at least I bring a nice little gift for everyone.”
A third said: “Someone telling you ‘no gifts on Christmas’ is about as Grinch as it gets, to hell with that.
“Just give your gifts out and forewarn them because it isn't going to stop you. The effort you took should be appreciated.
“Tell them to stop at a gas station and pick up some candy and keychains ....whatever....anything. There's still time, so no excuse.”
Another added: “Having a no gifts Christmas is fine but announcing it nine days before Christmas is rude as hell unless there was an actual extenuating circumstance like a hospitalization or death or something.
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“This is a classic ‘your lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my end.’
“Change nothing about your plans. If MIL [mother-in-law] and FIL [father-in-law] are empty handed that is their problem.”
