Friday OT 2 - Don't tick me off, Art

[JP4CY]

The. Whole. *******. Month.

2 years ago, she stayed 2 months. Had to have a difficult conversation with the wife about that.

Do you have a FIL/is she a widow?

 

[JP4CY]

Holidays have always been weird for me because my dad was very anti-joyful around them. So growing up always felt like walking on eggshells around Christmas. His family was a bunch of ******** which contributed to that. So stuff on my side now tends to pretty low-key and just a few, select people in attendance. Which is fine by me.

My husband's side tends to be more....you still do stuff with family even if they have been terrible to you. Tradition is tradition. So, more events, more people, lots of gift-giving and just.....different for me. We finally got the adult sibling gifts stopped a few years ago after it became a game of here's my list, get something from it and we'll exchange it. I was finally like how about we just give for the kids. We're all well-off adults and it's always a PITA trying to get ideas out of people. That was a win and makes it so much easier.

MIL doesn't get how my side can have people we don't have a relationship with anymore so I'll usually get a few comments about "what is X person doing these days" to try and poke the bear, so to speak. That gets annoying. And the giving of gifts that they want to give us and not what we asked for. We really enjoyed a couple years ago after being told not to get us a specific household item, they got it anyway, could tell we were less than thrilled and then - no joke - for the next three months, every phone call they asked if we'd used it yet and kept repeating how much they liked theirs and we'd like it too if we just tried it.
The hints about when we are going to have kids have become less subtle over the years as well.

Sounds like our family when it was just too much work. Holiday should be relaxing and enjoying, and its just so frustrating when that isn't happening.

 

[SCyclone]

I'd take that as a challenge. Respond by going into great detail about some of the the things you've tried. Be sure to include a third party, preferably a little person dressed up as an elf. Just have fun with it.

Maybe they could tell them about that coffee grinder thing.

 

[BCClone]

I'm 27 and single. My grandparents always ask me when they are going to get grandchildren. Then they ask why I didn't bring a girl with me.

If they are your grandparents, ask them what they consider you.

 

[LindenCy]

lol, that just pisses me off. I hate when people do that and then spend 20 minutes arguing with you over why you SHOULD like it and completely disregard your own reasoning. I hate that.

I would just tell them that I told you not to get that and promptly give it to Goodwill/Salvation Army.

This thread is also making me appreciate my own family and in-laws much more.

 

[LindenCy]

Maybe they could tell them about that coffee grinder thing.

I believe that is spelled Grindr.

 

[CtownCyclone]

Do you have a FIL/is she a widow?

She's a widow. He passed like 15 years ago or something like that, so I never met him. From the stories I've heard, I think we'd have gotten along OK.

In all honesty, I don't begrudge her coming to visit my wife - she's 75 (my wife was a surprise), and has lost her husband and one of her sons (and likely will outlive one of her daughters, but that's another story).

 

[BCClone]

I would just tell them that I told you not to get that and promptly give it to Goodwill/Salvation Army.

This thread is also making me appreciate my own family and in-laws much more.

Naw, return it and get the cash.

 

[BCClone]

THe first 3-4 years we were married I had to spend the whole week of vacation that I got at my SILs house in PHX with all the in laws, it blew. They had done all the touristy things and nobody would do them again. So my time off consisted of 10 days of sitting in a packed house staring at each other.

 

[SCyclone]

Worst for me is having to pretend I like my BIL. He's a lying, philandering POS. (He spent 3 1/2 years in a Federal prison for stealing $650,000 from his customers (he used to be a financial advisor - now THERE's a laugh!) and my sister had to file bankruptcy, sell her house and car, etc. I don't trust him one bit. He has alienated my sister from the rest of us, I'm sure to keep us from finding out what kind of crap he's up to now. I just don't like being hypocritical and pretending to like him.

 

[cowgirl836]

Naw, return it and get the cash.

DH did ask about the gift receipt right away which I think annoyed them, lol. I did want to return it and we never did. So I've ended up using it a couple times and I hate it. So it'll be getting donated/sold and we'll find something we like better.

 

[BCClone]

DH did ask about the gift receipt right away which I think annoyed them, lol. I did want to return it and we never did. So I've ended up using it a couple times and I hate it. So it'll be getting donated/sold and we'll find something we like better.

You can return without a receipt, you just get the lowest possible price.

 

[Al_4_State]

Reading through this thread makes me think my gripes really aren't so bad.

 

[weR138]

Worst for me is having to pretend I like my BIL. He's a lying, philandering POS. (He spent 3 1/2 years in a Federal prison for stealing $650,000 from his customers (he used to be a financial advisor - now THERE's a laugh!) and my sister had to file bankruptcy, sell her house and car, etc. I don't trust him one bit. He has alienated my sister from the rest of us, I'm sure to keep us from finding out what kind of crap he's up to now. I just don't like being hypocritical and pretending to like him.

Whoa. I think your sister might want to consider divorce. Yikes.

I presume this dude's a hawk fan too?

 

[SCyclone]

Whoa. I think your sister might want to consider divorce. Yikes.

I presume this dude's a hawk fan too?

She was t-h-i-s close to divorcing him when he was in prison, and he talked her out of it. He is one slick SOB. And yeah, you're right, he's a hok fan. Figures.

 

[BoxsterCy]

anyone who gets offended if I say "Happy Holidays". I like it, it covers everything.

Maybe it's your delivery? Work on your Andy impression.

 

[FarmClone]

If they are your grandparents, ask them what they consider you.

You got me. Great Grandchildren.

 

[BCClone]

You got me. Great Grandchildren.

What I figured, but about the time I assume, it turns out to be an odd twist.

 

[oldman]

She was t-h-i-s close to divorcing him when he was in prison, and he talked her out of it. He is one slick SOB. And yeah, you're right, he's a hok fan. Figures.

I'd bet he's cheating on her too.

 

[wxman1]

DH did ask about the gift receipt right away which I think annoyed them, lol. I did want to return it and we never did. So I've ended up using it a couple times and I hate it. So it'll be getting donated/sold and we'll find something we like better.

What was it?