Saturday, November 8, 2014

Turnabout Is Fair Play, Unless

My mother in law is a notoriously difficult gift receiver.  I never have a clue what to buy because she insists she has everything she needs, and she has 4 other children/families buying things for her on a continual basis.  When Christmas comes around, this is one of my shopping stress points.

So in visiting her today, I thought we'd try a little recon.  First, I went for the straight approach - asking her outright.  She said she didn't want anything (as I anticipated - I am smrt like that).  So I tried suggestions: clothes (no), shoes (no), kitchen things (no), towels (say it with me - no).  No luck there.

The I sent in my closer: Sammy.  I asked him what he wanted for Christmas.  I knew he wouldn't have a good answer for me.  My plan was to then use his grandmother as an example of how to answer the question, but he went one better: he deflected by asking ever so sweetly, "Meema, what do YOU want for Christmas?"

Ah, who can deny the sincerity of a grandchild?

Apparently, she can.  She turned right around and asked me what I wanted, to which I could only cop to my own hypocrisy as I have no list in mind.  Oh well.  Gift cards all around.

1 comment:

  1. I buy my MIL chotchkies and books and scarves. I think she likes them.

    ReplyDelete