Help me be a better person here

[heliana]

Hello, Im feeling like abit of a miser, and your prob all going to think Im nuts, but how do you feel about the chrissy presents your kids get from their other family?
dd has just come home from exp's family christmas with a pile of pressents, all rather junky and I just get upset by the bad taste and the waste of money because for the most part they are things I would not dress her in or really cheap crap big things that we just dont have room to store..
Its not all bad but mostly is.
Anyway, what can you do. I know she loves it, so i will dutifully put them somewhere...
I know I should feel grateful but aahhh. All I feel is guilty for hating it

[Laranna]

Maybe you could donate the unwanted stuff to the good sammys or salvos or a childrens hospital or toy library, etc...Not sure how old your DD is, but you could involve her in a way that teaches her generosity and all that good stuff

[C~Q]

I hear ya! My MIL prob spends about $150 in crazy clarks buying the kids something ridiculous like, 20 pressies each and it's all junk. Toys that break after 5 minutes, toys that don't work properly - it makes me so cranky because we end up with mounds of plastic, cardboard and all the layers of rap that the presents come stored in. It's such a waste I would much rather she bought them one thing they really wanted or really needed (plus, then I wouldn't have to frantically search through the top of the wardrobe to find the horible clothes she sent everytime she comes down!).

Yes, the kids love opening it all and they'll play for 5 mins then on to the next thing and it all gets forgotten about.

I agree with Laranna - if your child is old enough get them to sort through and pick some things for the kids that don't get many presents at Xmas - thats what we'll be doing this week to clear some of the junk and make way for the new lot!

[Lulu]

Yes, dutifully take the junk.....unfortunately that is the true path to xmas enlightenment!

[mrsmac]

My friend used to say that all the stuff from Daddy and his family stayed at Daddy's house for when the kids were there.

[Madham]

I hear you on this one, my DD has always got crap from her dad and his family, and honestly she is now 12 and actually comments i wonder what interesting pressents i will get this year in other words what crap she will get. 99% of the time it remains in the box it came in and we donate it.

[nelly]

we've kind of managed to avoid a lot of junk this year by asking for books or puzzles rather than toys. Having said that DS is only 2 and I still have toys at the top of the cupboard (still in boxes) that he got for his 1st birthday that I refuse to give him - my solution is to re-gift them and we have put some under the wishing tree at Kmart too.