Thanks, but I don't like that.

[Taurus Babe]

Just curious here. For example during Christmas if you receive a present from someone in your immediate family and you don't like the present do you tell them? I love asking this question because the answers vary so much! In my family if you don't like it, you bring it back so you get something that you actually like. I would so much rather someone tell me that they didn't like what I gave them and get something that they would enjoy.

Funny story:
My ex gave me a diamond bracelet ring set for our first Christmas together. It was gold and silver and that's just not my thing. I opened it in front of his family and did the whole "omg this is great" thing but later told him I didn't really care for gold. This caught him very off gaurd and then I felt really mean. But in the end I got some beautiful diamond earrings on platinum studs!

So what do you ladies do? Would you be offended if your kids or husband told you they didn't like their present?

[Mandy78]

NO---I would never be offended if some one told me they didn't like my gift. I would want them to have something they would really really want. I am not one to be offended or get offedned....I guess I am just more easy going.

And I would tell someone if I wasn't happy with something. I would hope they would respect that I told them, instead of the gift sitting in my closet with tags on or something...collecting dust. I am sure they did put some thought into it and they paid for it with their hard earned money, so I would let them know.

I would be offended. I put so much thought into the gifts that I buy. if I thought they would say something like that, I would just give them a gift certificate. or maybe even nothing. The way I was raised that would be rude and ingreatful. but that is just me.

[Kimberley]

I wouldn't tell anyone I didn't like their gift. I think that's rude. If you don't like it, take it back. Only if they ask why they never see such-and-such, then I MIGHT tell them. But, I just don't like to hurt anyone's feelings.

Went to hubby's grandmother's house for Christmas. Aunt Pat (VERY wealthy) always bought her two neices Christmas gifts. Cher didn't like her opal necklace one year. Cher had a bad look on her face and Pat asked her if she liked it. "NO, I DON'T!" She literally screamed this. I, including everyone else, got really quiet. This is coming from a woman in her late 30s.

[Lindsey]

I have a story just like yours! My ex loooved gold jewelry, but I liked silver. For christmas one year he got me a really expensive silver and gold watch, and I thought it was so ugly! But I pretended I liked it because I knew he spent a lot on it. Well, by now I've grown out of my hate for gold, and I was going to a friend's wedding in august with a black and white dress, gold shoes, gold purse, and gold jewelry. All I was missing was a watch! So I dug out the one I used to hate so much, got links taken out so it fit, and wore it for the first time, 4 years after we broke up

[Necee419]

That is why I usually enclose gift receipts with the gifts I give. That way the person can exchange it if they don't like it. i personally would never hurt anyone's feelings and tell them I don't like the gift. I am always touched that the person thought of me.

[Mandy78]

Originally Posted by Kimberley

I wouldn't tell anyone I didn't like their gift. I think that's rude. If you don't like it, take it back. Only if they ask why they never see such-and-such, then I MIGHT tell them. But, I just don't like to hurt anyone's feelings.

Went to hubby's grandmother's house for Christmas. Aunt Pat (VERY wealthy) always bought her two neices Christmas gifts. Cher didn't like her opal necklace one year. Cher had a bad look on her face and Pat asked her if she liked it. "NO, I DON'T!" She literally screamed this. I, including everyone else, got really quiet. This is coming from a woman in her late 30s.

For someone being in their 30's, they should know better. There is always a mature and tactful way of telling someone with out hurting their feelings. Tell them one on one, with no one else around. I would want someone telling me that way, not in front of other people throwing a fit about it.

LAst Xmas, I bought my mother in law a very expensive purse. I thought she deserved it and had never had a good purse like that before. She said she liked it and thought it was very nice. I knew though she didn't like it. But thats ok. The next day, we went over for left overs, and she pulled me aside, saying she thought it was a very nice gesture, but its not something she would ever carry. So she asked if she could exchange it for one she would carry more often. I wasn't offened at all. i am glad she told me and then eventually she got one that was more her! And now she is sooooo much happier!
I think I would be more upset if she put it back in the box, and shoved in her closet and never gave it another thought.

[Taurus Babe]

Originally Posted by Mandy78

For someone being in their 30's, they should know better. There is always a mature and tactful way of telling someone with out hurting their feelings. Tell them one on one, with no one else around. I would want someone telling me that way, not in front of other people throwing a fit about it.

LAst Xmas, I bought my mother in law a very expensive purse. I thought she deserved it and had never had a good purse like that before. She said she liked it and thought it was very nice. I knew though she didn't like it. But thats ok. The next day, we went over for left overs, and she pulled me aside, saying she thought it was a very nice gesture, but its not something she would ever carry. So she asked if she could exchange it for one she would carry more often. I wasn't offened at all. i am glad she told me and then eventually she got one that was more her! And now she is sooooo much happier!
I think I would be more upset if she put it back in the box, and shoved in her closet and never gave it another thought.

That's a great example! That's what I'm talking about. Not being rude and screaming about it or anything. I would be offended if someone told me they didn't like what I got them in front of everyone in an ugly way, that's inappropriate. I just think the receiver of the gift should enjoy whatever it is or else it's a waste of your hard earned money!

[Sherry Lynn]

Originally Posted by Necee419

That is why I usually enclose gift receipts with the gifts I give. That way the person can exchange it if they don't like it. i personally would never hurt anyone's feelings and tell them I don't like the gift. I am always touched that the person thought of me.

My sentiments exactly! I always include a gift receipt and let the person know that it won't hurt my feelings if they would like to exchange it for something more to their liking. Like Mandy, I'd rather do that and have them enjoy what they like than to have the gift shoved in some closet and sold at their next yard sale!

[Mandy]

Nope i would definatly not be offended if someone told me they didnt like the gift i gave them.
I like people to be straightforward and honest with me.
If they had to tell me they don't like it, i would offer to take them to the store where i bought the gift and help them exchange it for something they like, even if it means i have to pay extra towards it, at least then i know it won't be left in some closed and never be looked at.
We all have different taste

If someone gave me something that i don't like, i would thank them and keep it, because i know it's given with a good heart, and i will give it a special place. I have yet to get something from someone that i dislike, because i know they gave me a piece of themselves, and i cherish that.

[Marilyn]

To minimize this problem, we ask our family members to give us a Christmas list of things they would really like to have. We try to get this by Thanksgiving. Our daughters even copy and paste pictures of the things they want off websites and specify color & size so we know exactly what they would like to have. They list enough items that it is still a surprize when they open their gifts to see what we selected from their list. We usually also buy them something not on the list that we know they would like.

This just simplifies things for everyone, and we've had no complaints this way.

[magnolia]

I would not be offended if someone didn't like my gift. What WOULD offend me is the example Kimberly gave - if the person was rude about it. There is a tactful way to say "it's not me" and I'd rather hear that and have them exchange for something they wanted than to hear something much worse. And I usually beat the receiver of the gift to the "punch" by telling him/her if they don't like it, they are welcome to exchange it - makes things a little easier so the receiver doesn't feel "uncomfortable" over hurting my feelings as they know right away I have no problem with their exchanging it. As for hubby and gifts he gives me, after almost 21 years of marriage, he better know my taste by now...LOL!!!

[RLC12345678]

Originally Posted by Kimberley

I wouldn't tell anyone I didn't like their gift. I think that's rude. If you don't like it, take it back. Only if they ask why they never see such-and-such, then I MIGHT tell them. But, I just don't like to hurt anyone's feelings.

I agree. I would never tell someone I didn't like their gift. I would just return it and never mention it again. If it is not returnable, I would regift it to someone! I did this with SOOOO many wedding presents!

[Sherry Lynn]

My gift-giving horror story...

I have a SIL who is just as bad as Kimberley's in-law. For her oldests son's first birthday we had bought him some clothes and a toy (all with gift receipts, mind you). She opened the toy from him curled up her lip and sneered "He's already got that." So hubby told her to just exchange it.

Then she opened the clothes, looked at the sizes, slung them on the floor and said "That's not the right size!" and stormed out of the room.

I was rather new to the family and it was my husbands Godson, so I had spent more than we could afford at the time and had bought the size that MIL told us to buy. It was really hurtful to me. His family was used to her behavior and nobody said anything to her.

Hubby took one look at the horror on my face... followed his sister... and I don't know what he said to her but he made her cry!

In almost 20 years, I've never bought her or her family another gift. I leave it up to hubby so that I don't have any emotional investment in it. And even though he's very generous with them the 2 boys (now late teens) never say thank you unless goaded by my husband. (Which he does every time 'cause he knows I get a kick out of it!)

The beyotch wasn't allowed in my home for about 10 years, but that's a whole 'nother story!!!

[Janet]

I wouldn't want someone to keep a gift they didn't like. But I don't want them being rude about it..that goodness that has never happened. I prefer gift certificates for myself. No one seems to know me or what I really like, unless I've actually showed them. I would also prefer to give gift certificates, but I don't want to seem impersonal. Isn't that weird?