I know, I know, it's supposed to be the thought that counts. I know I shouldn't get irritated about this but I do. I can't help it. Why don't people understand that it's important to say "thank you"? Yeesh.
BIL lives in another province and is in a relationship with a woman who has two boys from her previous marriage. They also have a young son together. Birthdays, Christmas, you name it, I send gifts. And not cheapo gifts either. They don't have alot of money so they've said that they appreciate when people can give their kids what they cannot. It's never been an issue of ego or whatnot on their part (or so they've led me to believe). I easily spend $100 on each boy for Christmas, and around $100 for their birthdays. But that's not even the point. I have NEVER received a thank you from anyone for doing it (it's been 5 years now). It has sort of become an expectation now that we will buy them this stuff and send it to them (also NOT cheap as they live out on the island and we are in Sask). I know BIL has told this woman that DH and I have all sorts of money (lol of course we have disposable income....we don't have kids) so maybe they feel like it's not a big deal to us.
This is gonna sound ignorant but her two boys are in no way even related to me, but I buy them stuff so they don't feel left out. I mean, they are not my nephews and I have only met them a handful of times.
Next year we are thinking of buying them Galaxy Cinema gift certs so they can take in a movie as a family. I just feel really taken advantage of. I don't get why she/he just can thank us for this stuff. So frustrating.
Re: What ever happened to gratitude?
This is something that really gets under my skin too.
I especially get annoyed when I don't receive a thank you for a wedding gift because I think that maybe they didn't receive the gift amoungst the mass amount of gifts. Plus, I spent my entire Saturday at your wedding and paid $$ to travel there and $$ to buy you a gift and you can't send a thank you?! I didn't get thank-you's from two weddings I was at in 2009 and it really irked me.
I do have to admit I was pretty clueless about proper etiquette until I reached about 25.
Growing up manners were always a big thing in my house. We always had to say please and thank you, and it is something that has really stuck with me. Because of this, I always make sure to thank someone for a gift, either by calling or sending them a message. Some of my friends even tease me about always have to say please and thank you. They think it is "so funny".
My brother on the other hand does not seem to remember what we were taught growing up and I have had several issues with him and his (now) ex GF. ? live hours away from them and was unable to attend their baby shower, DH and I sent gifts and have never gotten a thank you. After a few weeks, I called her and ask if she received them and got a response of `yeah, they were nice. Now I don`t have to buy them`.
I still have not even heard if the gifts we sent for my neice`s first birthday (in May) were okay (I assume they were, because I`m sure I would have heard something if there was a problem with them) and have not gotten a thank you for the Christmas gift yet either.