Awkward gift giving moments

Novelisto
Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:49:48 +0000

Samurailandshark --This is why I send food. Perishable food. Petit fours, brownies, cheese, etc. If they don’t like it, they can throw it out. But (unless they are serious hoarders) most people won’t keep food around for years.

The ‘perishable’ bit is important. I still have a couple bottles of wine around – I don’t drink – and some little tins of this-n-that that came in gift baskets. Note to self: year end pantry purge due. But the stuff that will rot either gets eaten up fast, passed on to someone who likes it, or tossed.

Just remember to keep in mind any known food allergies/intolerances – this is the first year that no one has sent us baked goods after my dh was diagnosed with Celiac 6 years ago!

swimcatsmom – Sounds like your Mum is transferring feelings about the SIL to the things she received from her. There’s always ‘well, if you don’t like them, I’ll take ‘em!’ I doubt her negative vibes will extend to anything you get for her. However, many people of our parents’ generation don’t need ‘things’ other than what they have…so I buy my mother pretty costume jewelry, things for traveling, and – yep, you guessed it! – food.