My mom gave me a little plastic Christmas tree that lights up and changes colors. ??
Maybe the wine isn’t so bad after all. 
Seriously, who does that? It’s just bizarre and borderline rude IMO. Yes, it’s the thought that counts, but how much thought could have gone into that decision? Jeesh.
Some of you with gift-challenged spouses, can’t you enlist the help of your kids to coach them on sizes and such? I spend so much time obsessing about everything I get including size, what colors they like, etc. I actually had anxiety over it last night. I can’t imagine getting something 2 sizes too small, and if it is the wrong size, I’ll do the exchanging for them as long as they like it. I wouldn’t make them do it or tell them to give it to someone else. I’d say “jeesh,” but I already did. 
My MIL outdid herself this year. DH and I received an overly large gift basket that contained two plastic spice bottles and a small bottle (4 oz?) of balsamic vinegar.
DH and the boys bought very thoughtful gifts for each other and for me. Dh bought me a Smartwool skirt (nearly fits) and some Lucy “leggings” that were actually baggy capris. But he had the right idea, sweet man that he is. Oh and he bought me a Fitbit Alta HR that I wanted!
But I may not do a gift exchange with MIL next year. She sent me a text this morning that said “merry Christmas! I will be returning your gift to me, will talk to you later about getting the receipt” =)) (Dh picked out some expensive luggage for her for her first international trip in decades.)
@doschicos we got a lot of wine stuff for our wedding. We don’t drink wine. I understand the annoyance.
The wine gets regifted.
My solution to a gift challenged husband is to buy what I want, when I want it. He does the same. It’s so much better than trying to think of something I want and giving him a list. I’m not very appreciative of gifts I either don’t like or have no use for. He would much rather do his own shopping as well.
I think gift giving/receiving is overrated.
My H isn’t gift-challenged, but he used to never have time because of work, and would stress about getting something, plus we both agree we will get what we want when we want (within budget), so we don’t exchange gifts. It’s just easier. Neither of us need things we don’t need, if that makes sense.
Agree that it is perfectly fine to use good wine for cooking. The food definitely tastes better.
This year we bought absolutely no gifts at all!
We each buy what we need/want throughout the year anyway, but up until last year I was still running around finding stocking stuffers for DH and DD. Over the years those stocking stuffers became mostly sweets. We’re all watching our weight now, so that was sabotaging us and needed to stop.
I cooked foods we all like but didn’t go crazy making too many different dishes in the name of variety, and I didn’t do any baking other than my no-knead bread.
I asked DH and DD how they felt about it all after lunch today, and they were both very positive. As for me, I’m not frazzled like I’ve been in past years, and my feet and back don’t ache.
A 100 years ago, my son’s dad and I would meet downtown to shop together. That solved the bad gift exchange.
I think I’m a much better giver than receiver. I tracked down a potter to buy my guy friend another piece (he had bought from him at an arts and crafts show before). I e-mailed the man so,often, and he never responded. The piece was 37, but when I went to his next show, he knew my email name (was embarrassed had not responded)and sold it for $25. This guy bought me something useless, on sale, for $13. My office manager bought me a candle from the same store for $25, but not something I want. Both can be returned. The others in my office gave everyone the same thing, like a box of chocolates or wine. I truly liked what I bought each one, and enclosed gift receipts.
My fav gift to give was to my neighbor’s little boy. We became friends when we both lacked electricity for a week during hurricane. He likes astronomy, and has posters in his bedroom. So, at Costco, there was a gorgeous book on astronomy, full of pictures, and even with posters.
@missbwith2boys your MIL better hope you aren’t the one picking out her nursing home one day!
Ya, your MIL made it easy for you to back out of giving gifts.
I feel badly for all those who spent the last few days cooking, standing on their feet.
We decided to have our big dinner on Xmas Eve – kids are leaving tomorrow and we all like leftovers, and I didn’t want to be stuck with all of them. Today has been the most relaxed Xmas I can remember as an adult because I didn’t roll from gift opening right into cooking. We did have our traditional breakfast, but that isn’t much work. I think we’re sticking with this going forward!
I actually got very nice gifts from both of my kids. H followed the list I sent him for stocking stuffers - a running book, running socks and my favorite bath products. It’s all good.
We solved the clothes for the mrs. She send me an email list with links. All I need to do is click the links and order online or head to the store. I Pick and choose so there is still some surprise. It’s kept us married all these years.
As for food and cooking I put my foot down years ago. We have it catered. Does wonders to minimize the work and maximize the party.
I don’t know what I am getting myself yet but I am sure it will be something I’m very happy with.
I am imagining myself relaxing somewhere warm with palm trees next Christmas. That will be the perfect gift for me next year.
While watching the movie: “the Santa Clause”, a couple of weeks ago, I absently mentioned to my husband and daughter that my sisters and I always wanted the Mystery Date game but we knew that Santa was on a budget.
This morning my daughter handed me an Amazon box that had arrived about 5 days ago. It had the Mystery date game; my dd had ordered it for me. DH didn’t know why I liked it so much!
Waiting for my sisters to recover from their flu’s so we can play!
My mother goes overboard with my kids, giving them so many gifts that they end up not liking and then it becomes a problem because she gets offended that they don’t want them. Even when they send her a specific list with a link to a specific thing, she ends up getting them the 3rd cousin of that thing and they end up giving it back. So this year she says, she’s going to just give them a check because she never has success in getting them things. I thought problem solved. Then she shows up with a dozen things for each, that just like every year don’t work. Shoes and jeans, 2 sizes to big etc etc. They each kept 2 or 3 things, largely out of guilt and gave the rest back for her to return. She doesn’t do gifts with gift receipts, so if the stuff doesn’t work, she just takes it back to the stores she shopped in, which wouldn’t be stores my kids would frequent anyway. So they end up with essentially no gift from the grandmother, which isn’t a big deal in itself, just kind of a prickly situation.
At an early xmas party, a friend wore some cheap leggings with snowmen, candy canes, etc. Cute in an oddball way, very soft, a whopping $5.88 each at Wal-Mart. So I got them for the girls, figuring if they hated them (I did envision them rolling their eyes,) they could use them for sleeping. To my complete surprise, they loved them, wore them all Christmas eve.
We also had a relaxed holiday, despite hanging in the kitchen cuz the house heat went out, waiting for a tech, who showed at 10pm.
My favorite post from last year’s thread on gift fails was this one. I laughed for days thinking about it. :))