The following letter appeared in today's Ask Amy column:
Dear Amy: I am a single mother with two children. We live on a tight budget.
My neighbor invited my son to her son's birthday party and my daughter to the party for her twins the following week.
My children chose the birthday gifts. I thought these gifts were fine—there was a boy's gift and two separate gifts for the twins.
My neighbor called me the following week and said basically that her children didn't like the gifts and they didn't have enough room for them.
She wants to return them.
She said a gift card was the usual gift.
I feel embarrassed and hurt. I would never tell my kids their gifts were unacceptable. I have always taught my kids to be grateful.
What do you think?
I guess I just lost a friendly neighbor.
No, Letter Writer, you didn't lose a friendly neighbor, you got a quick, cheap lesson in whom to avoid from now on.
A gift is a gift. Here's what your ignorant neighbor needs to know:
When you receive a gift, you smile, say, "thank you," send a hand written thank you note and then do what you want with the gift. But never, ever, ever, EVER call the giver and criticize his/her gifts. If you don't like it, and a gift receipt was not included (nice gesture, btw, but not required), then donate it, sell it on EBay, or use it to prop up your uneven patio table.
Letter Writer, your neighbor is a rude bitch, and needs some schooling. Can you anonymously email her this blog?
Dump her, and find friends who appreciate you. I, for one, am glad that you are teaching your children to be grateful!
