BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids my sister

Excellent idea, Random !

I read somewhere today that only one quarter of American women choose to have children. That certainly puts the iconic Merican family into question.

[quote=Random]Oooooh, I think I might have an answer for this problem, just came to me just now :-D You know you can use your own photos and have them made into a lovely professional looking book (we did one for our parents 25th anniversary with photos from throughout their married life)? Well, go on a really great, once in a lifetime type, holiday. Take lots of amazingly arty photos, but make sure you and your husband/partner are in lots of the photos. Then have one of these books made up and give it as a gift to your sister. [/quote] I think that's a fantastic idea! Not just to quiet baby pushing family and friends but it'd be an overall cute idea for a homemade Christmas gift. That is if you're certain that the person who will receive it will be actually HAPPY to get it!

A picture of her kid is not a present. Period. I have 9 nieces and nephews that all live far away, and even though I'm not into kids, I always remember their birthdays & I do enjoy it when I get professional photos of them sent in the mail. But it's not a special occasion type thing. My brothers just send them when they get them done. Your post made me laugh because my parents (who I haven't seen in two years) decided to fly in to see me in my new home city last weekend and brought with them a random Christmas gift that they forgot to give me last year. I opened the well-wrapped box to find a small photo of them in front of Graceland in a cheap frame. It was all I could do to keep my composure. My Mom was like, "I figured you don't have any updated photos of us." And I just smiled and put it on the mantle. I would never give anyone a picture of myself as an only gift. But that's just me. I personally think it's incredibly crass and selfish.

Wow, Madge, that's harsh ! I think I would have been really upset at your 'christmas gift ' from your parents.
Did they give you a gift to open at christmas, this year ?
I hope it doesn't look like a another photo frame....;-D

That's just awful. What a cruddy thing to do.

This reminds me of the time my sister in law went to the Bahamas with her husband (bf at the time). She came back with some gifts and gave our mother in law a picture frame with a photo of themselves in it. I remember seeing the disappointment on MIL's face, lol. MIL already had tons of pictures of the two of them all over her house and albums so it wasn't as if she needed it. I haven't seen that frame or picture since that day lol.

Sorry but that "gift" just comes off as rude and arrogant.

Madge, I hope when you say it was a random present your parents forgot to give you last year that you mean they gave you your main presents last year but just forgot about this little extra? Otherwise it sounds awfully mean!

My sister gave me a utensils holder once. But at least that beats a photo. ( only just, mind you )

Thanks everyone. Yeah, it was pretty bad but that's just them. To be honest my parents have never really given me great gifts, not out of malice but because they're just clueless. I don't see them very often and it's just not worth it to fight anymore. Last year I told them not to get us anything, but if they really wanted to give us a gift that they should donate to a local no-kill animal shelter whatever money they were going to spend. I just don't get into the consumerism of the holidays anymore, except to buy my nieces and nephews presents. My husband and I would rather spend money on traveling and eating out. A utensils holder Gaynor8002? Really?! Functional but not really a gift. Was it on a registry? That is bizarre. Oh Jellyroll -- that is too funny about the Bahamas photo! We received a random framed photo from my husband's Aunt and Uncle from a Florida trip they took once. What made it even more weird is that we don't even really know them well and they had never given us anything in the past. What is it with family?!