In the spirit of Christmas...A Great pre-gift-opening game we used to play!

[AKshanmar]

We have some rather "poor" gift givers in our extended family. They mean well, but I have no idea what they were thinking half the time.

 

My MIL's love language IS NOT gift giving. She would give the kids the weirdest things, and my FIL picks out really expensive things, that nobody likes.

 

My SIL's love language IS gift giving. So she would buy the kids a million gifts, and who cared if they were really any thing they wanted. Oddly enough, both MIL & SIL gave the kids baby board books for Easter one year when they were between the ages of 7 - 12).

 

My dad tries really hard, but usually misses the boat.

 

My mom lets the kids tell her what she wants, so that works!

 

ANYWAY, we used to practice what to say when you got a gift you didn't like. I would throw out insane gift options, and they would come up with something nice to say. That way, when they actually received a gift that they never wanted, they were so excited to "play the game".

 

"What if you got a sweater, 5 sizes too big"...... "Oh, I can keep it for years."

"...a used dishrag?".... "Oh, it is so soft".

"...a moldy hunk of cheese?"..."Uh...wow! How unexpected" (not too creative there).

 

We don't need to play this anymore... but it was a great tension buster!

[Desert Rat]

What a fabulous idea! I could have used a game like that to prepare me...as an adult! I recovered quickly most of the time though!

[Parrothead]

Yeah, I've never been able to think that fast that early in the morning. LOL

[plansrme]

I read something similar last year in which the family members all ran around and wrapped random items (a spatula, for example) and exchanged them for practice. If you can respond graciously to a wooden spoon, you're in good shape.

 

Terri

[5wolfcubs]

I read something similar last year in which the family members all ran around and wrapped random items (a spatula, for example) and exchanged them for practice. If you can respond graciously to a wooden spoon, you're in good shape.

We've done this in the past with gift bags! Lots of fun seeing who can come up with oddest item and the most gracious thank you! Perhaps we will play today!

[GailV]

My kids have gotten plenty of on-the-spot training for this, if you know what I mean -- MIL is fond of wrapping up freebies from the booths of realtor conventions, and calling that Christmas for my kid (but not the preferred grandchild, of course). Wow, I wish i'd thought to make it a game ahead of time so they were all warmed up and prepared for it. Thanks for sharing this idea!

 

By the way, these days my kids are really good at improv and acting in general. I wonder if all of that early practice had something to do with it.