well actually they are my hubby’s Dad and step mother, who married the year he and I first met. None of our presents over the years seem to have been appreciated by them. Once we bought them some votives and candles. She told us on the phone that when she opened it she said “what’s this?” then another year I baked small cookies cut out into little cat and house shapes and put inside a tin I had decorated myself. They had a shelf life of approx 2 months according to the recipe I had followed. Well a year later they still had them.

I just visited them today, and the present I made them two Yules ago – a ‘sandart’ style jar full of brownie mix, layered for attractiveness and with a carefully printed label attached (how to use and “use by March 2006”) is still sitting in their kitchen window like a piece to be looked at. Hmm maybe I should take it as a compliment, or maybe they just suffer it’s presence to avoid hurting anyone? My own mother finally made her jar up in about October of that year and they were delicious, but even so! So last year was Homemade Chutney and a jar of stilton and I hope they either ate it or gave it to someone who would.

So anyway, I had a brainwave whilst I was there – she has photos of each of her daughters on their wedding days, blown up big and framed. I thought what a good idea it would be to get a professional wedding photo blown up and framed for her to add to her wall. They have no photos of us or our kids up in their house, yet they have of HER grandkids (and she always says how everyone is treated equally – yet she gives their kids money and nice stuff for Yule and, quite frankly, cheap presents to ours. Last year she said to me “I hope C likes the chess set, it cost me £24.00 so if she doesn’t, let me have it back”. When C opened it, it had a huge price sticker on it saying £4.99 so I felt she had lied but no idea why she’d feel the need to do that). About 6 years ago she asked for photos of our kids growing up, so I gave her loads of photos that were doubles of ours, but recently she gave us back the montage she had made with them, so I have no idea whether she even has any photos of them anymore!

Anyway, despite any apparent bitterness I have, she says she only has a few years to live, and that she doesn’t want any presents this year. I told her nah… course we’ll get you something! In the next breath she asked for 2 photos of hubby and I for one of the albums she’s been making (she has been using up all her photos by making albums to give all of us, with her pinking shears and lots of bought stickers).

So after all that really long winded (ranting) explanation, it got me thinking, maybe a big wedding picture would make her happy – hubby thinks it sounds egotistical but I certainly don’t feel it should be seen that way. Plus, one of my ‘things’ on here is to stop caring what others think of me! We will probably be giving them some homemade Sloe Gin as well :)