Receiving Christmas Gifts you don't want

We are traveling to Chicago from Kentucky for Christmas with the two girls and our lab. My cousin has waited until the last minute to buy Christmas gifts for the girls. She called my mom over Thanksgiving and the came up with a great idea, but she waited until this past weekend to start shopping.

So anyway she called me from Toys R Us rattling off ideas (all big items, we don't have the room). I gave her some ideas like the Disney Princess Cash Register, a couch for the girls, they love Elmo and books. She calls back and all she could find was 2 Elmo purses and 1 shopping cart. She asked me 2 months about shopping carts - I said NO, she asked my mom she said NO.

My husband wants to leave the shopping at my mom's. We know there will be major fighting because you can't have just one. The car is so full already with all the other presents we are getting from everyone else and luggage. Is it really mean to tell her we got the shopping carts as presents from one of our friends in Kentucky and if she wanted to get the girls something else what would it be, I can return the 1 shopping cart and get something else.

It sounds so horrible. But we just have no where to put it.

Samantha and Emily 12/31/05

 

If she was told in advance that you definitely don't want a shopping cart, I don't think it is rude to ask her to return it or to leave it at your mom's as a Grandmom's house toy (if your mom doesn't object). It was rude of her to buy it in the first place! Explain that while it is very kind of her to get the girls a present, you simply can't transport it back home with you. To paraphrase OJ's attorney, if the cart doesn't fit, you must exchange it!

 

Instead of dealing with returning the cart or having just one they would fight over, you or your cousin could always donate it to a charity like Toys for Tots. That way some other child will get to enjoy it and your girls will still get the Elmo purses as a gift.

Just a thought.

 

If you adamant about the shopping cart then ask her to take it back and get something else or donate it like pp mentioned. I will have to say that we got them a shopping cart last year and we only got 1. It is one of their favorite toys.

 

My MIL is always getting the wrong gifts. Clothing that's too big, toys for a different age, always a disappointment. I've told her many times to please let me help her with some suggestions or clothing sizes but she doesn't want to so it just goes on.
I usually just thank for the gift and exchange it, give it to someone else who can use it or donate it. Although difficult to do I try to appreciate the sentiment.
Although your cousin really didn't plan things as well as she should have I would just be gracious and handle the gift in whatever way it feels more comfortable to you. No one is going to check if you took it back home with you anyway.

 

I agree with the pp, you can either take it back, keep it at your moms, donate it or talk to you cousin and have her take it back. I have gotten presents from my bil that we didn't let the girls keep. He just buys things and doesn't ask what they want or need. Last year he bought them more dolls (he also bought them dolls the year before too) and ugly ones and my dh and I decided we would donate them to our church since we already have a ton of dolls that my girls don't play with, since we didn't want to hurt bil because it was the thought that counts. I really wish he would ask what they would like since he gives us a lot of toys they really don't play with.

 

Thank you everyone for your responses. The girls are my first and I was not quite sure how to handle the situation.

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

CHRIS

 

If it were me in this situation, I would graciously accept it....it is a gift after all. BUT, then I would either return it or donate it.

And FWIW, we only have one cart and my kids love it. But we also have a baby doll stroller, so while one is "shopping" the other gets to push the baby!