For Christmas, one of my 4 sisters-in-law was going to host the Christmas celebration with 5 siblings and their families at her house. Each one of us were told to bring something. My husband asked me to call her to see if we should bring more than a Jewish Apple Cake. I did. She, without even saying "hello" first, immediately started screaming at me! She was screaming at me about a game we were going to play. I was the one who had to calm her down as I don't have time for acrimonious behavior! I held my tongue, like a Godly woman should, but I was not happy with her nasty attitude! Then a week later I found out that 3 of my inept sisters-in-law had given my daughter a belated December 4 birthday gift to her in the form of a photo of all 4 sisters-in-law (so my daughter received this gift on December 26). I had already been given a similar photo of the 4 of them. One sister is kind. What do I do about the self-serving 3 sisters-in-law? Comments and suggestions are appreciated!
Sorry to hear about the screaming!
I would like to address the gift-giving to your daughter, as a reminder that you can ignore the sister-in-law (s), and use this opportunity to re-teach your daughter how to be gracious in responding to a gift with a thank you. Then explain to your daughter that all gifts are not a reflection of the recipient, but may be the carelessness or selfishness of the gift giver (s).
Any persons born in December, so sorry that your life has been combined with the gifts of celebration of an event over-shadowing your own birth. What can I say?
Wicked, huh?
And did you combine the gift idea-Her birthday and Christmas?
I was troubled when deciding what to give my hubs on his December birthday.
I wanted it to be special, and acknowledged separate from a Christmas gift.
So I kept giving him his favorite gift, Amazon gift cards-and there were lots! His brother and Sil gave him one also. He is all set. We also went out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner lots in December.
I'm not sure what Jewish apple cake is but the barefoot contessa has a recipe for apple cranberry cake which is really good
I'm not sure why you need to 'handle' them at all? Let them be. You didn't marry them.
The birthday gift, again, kinda weird. Unless she somehow found out that you gave a simular gift, IDK, it just doesn't add up, and seems very deceitful on her part!
I mean really? Here's a pix of ONLY your 4 Aunties.....? What? Why wouldn't she have given her a pix that at least included her Dad in the pix, or you too? Another case of Twisted sister's is my guess, well at least one of them is a bit twisted. It sucks, having to deal with screwed up people, but sometimes that is what we get, when we marry into a dysfunction family. I know that I did! Big time!
Oh, and I can't stand when someone gives pictures for presents. You feel like you need to display them, especially if they're coming to visit. But I don't like pictures of real people around me. It's like being watched. But beside that, pictures are something you just give someone. They aren't presents unless maybe you give them a portrait of themselves.
In any case, the appropriate response to a gift is "thank you," as your daughter knows.
How do you handle these people? As little as possible!