Bad Gifts

I'm at Her house and Her family is doing the Christmas thing. So far it has been quite depressing, mostly due to the fact that Her's mother had said before that they weren't doing Christmas and changed her mind at the last instant, forcing people to scramble for gifts.

Her's uncle had sent the family a package of gifts and it was opened to the sounds of "What the fuck?"

Inside the box was: A caricature of Her's father and one of Her's mother along with a little picture of Her's entire family in a bathtub together.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Her's brother pointed out that Her's name was mispelled, which meant She wasn't in the tub. It was some random person in the tub with Her parents, which is even more disturbing.

No one was sure if they should be annoyed at the gift or bothered by it. Her's uncle had obviously not given any thought as to what to get them at all. (I mean, Her's Mother's caricature was riding a motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket, two things she would never do). It turns out his wife had just started a business doing that, how nice.

I suggested that they take the three drawings drop them in an evenlope and send them back, but suggestions like that is probably why I don't get many Christmas or birthday presents. I feel if you are going to get someone something, then you should go to the effort of getting them something they will like.

Next up was the gift from Her's grandmother. She is infamous for getting people either shitty gifts or things they will never like. One year she got Her, who loves animals, a cupholder made from a real alligator's paw. Yeah, I didn't understand either. They open the box to find...

Kokashi(oh god I can't spell that damned word) dolls for Her. Which is a nice gift, Her loves Kokeshi dolls. Except they were Kokeshi dolls the grandmother had already promised to Her. Also in the box was some book for her parents. And a cinnamon stick. No explanition at all, just a cinnamon stick. Her's mother gave it to Her's brother, since the box didn't contain anything for him.

Overall, the dog got more and better gifts. Everyone just exchanged gifts cards and called it a night. Although after the Uncle's and Grandmother's gifts, I doubt anything would look bad.

I'm not against gift cards, if the person is like Her's mother and goes "Oh well.. I don't know what I want... oh.." And she bitches about or isn't happy with whatever you get her, so gift cards are really the only thing you can get her. ( Still they managed to bitch. Her got them a gift certifcate to a resturant for a good amount of money, and Her's father said it was too much. Oy.) Unlike me, when you ask me what I want, I will give you a list of five items in various price ranges with where they can be bought and how much they are. I make it clear I don't want every item nor do I expect every item. I just like to be surprised.

Of course my parents still give me gift cards anyway.