Question by MaMaBEAR: Unwanted Easter gifts – send them back, or donate to a charity?
I posted this in my normal section, and got some really wonderful answers from some contacts, but I wanted other opinions as well…
This is probably going to be a little long winded – The background of the situation is that my husbands family has relished in and bonded over horrible discussions about me for about 6 years. I paid no mind to the ignorance and the arrogance for years, though a lot of what had been said (by 3 alpha females in the family) even though most of it was reputation destroying and filthy gossip with little or no truth to it. Recently, they started to attack my parenting of my 18 month old who is currently undergoing diagnosis for autism, which is difficult in itself without me being attacked by the insecure grandma’s. I drew the line when this happened, totally wrong information was passed on about the issue, and furthermore it was made into “sensational gossip” which I intend to protect my son from at all costs. (also, I don’t feel my children should hear negative things about their mom when I’m not in the room at a function – they have even talked about me while I’ve been at a family gathering, so the chances are this WOULD eventually happen.)
So I washed my hands of the entire family except my husbands mother and his sister. We had an easter get together with his mom and sister (and her kids/hubby) at our house on Friday – MUCH to my shock, my MIL (who was in fact one of the alpha females who talked about me behind my back) brought out 2 gifts for our kids (18 months and 6 months old) They were from another of the “alpha grandma’s” whom I have told I want no interaction with ever again. I did not know what to do – I have made myself very clear, I didn’t open either of the gifts, though my MIL did put my husband on the spot and he opened one of them with our 18 mth old. When everyone left, I picked up both of the “gifts,” told my hubby I was mailing them back to her, and stuffed them in a closet. Then I got thinking – Would mailing them back be giving them what they want so they can talk about me even more viciously? Would it be giving them the reaction they’re seeking? or would it be taking a final stand that would end any further attempts at getting to our kids? Should I simply take them to a goodwill store as a donation, and keep doing that every time she sends a gift? When my kids get old enough to realize I pack away one of their gifts to be donated, what do I tell them?
I wrote a note with the intention of sending the gifts back via mail, and it said this;
“Please do not attempt to overstep us to give gifts to our children. We do not feel it is appropriate to accept these, Thank you.”
What would you do?
uuuuh, huh huh, bless those who persecute me? Oh, I’ll turn the other cheek when it doesn’t involve my kids – These women can bless themselves, but thanks anyways…
Best answer:
Answer by upyr1
charity it would be doing christ’s will.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
