Dear Snarky,
Every year at Thanksgiving we ask my mother and father-in-law what they would like for Christmas. My father-in-law always says something golf related but the mother-in-law pulls the I don’t want anything but peace on earth etc, etc.
Of course, my husband and I aren’t dumb enough to fall for that so we get her a gift every year. Well, the woman who wants nothing then gets visibly upset about her gift. For example, last year we got her a gift card to her favorite store. She sighed when she opened the gift and said, “I guess I’m not worth a real present.”
The year before that we got her a fairly expensive piece of luggage because she enjoys traveling and she immediately asked for the receipt and told us she would be returning it as soon as the stores opened because the luggage was “de classe.”
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with this woman? I’m tired of playing this game with her.
Signed, Fed Up
Dear Fed Up,
You know a gift no one wants during the holidays? It’s a big old heaping helping of passive aggressive behavior with a side of bitch.
Here’s the sad truth: your mother in law is never going to be happy with what you give her so this year call her bluff.
When she pulls the “I just want world peace” go with it and make a donation in her name to a charity that works on achieving world peace.
Will she be a pouty princess when you gift her the donation receipt letting her know about the contribution made in her name? Yeah, but who cares. You gave her exactly what she asked for and you and your husband can act all surprised that she didn’t actually want world peace.
****
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