is this the ultimate ball$$?

i had to get on here and ask for opinions before i explode. please tell me what you guys think of this and what you would do.

dh and i, my brother and his gf are driving to boston for my cousin's twins' 1st bday party. we're staying overnight ($75 per couple) plus gas, food etc.

i get an email from my other cousin (the brother of my cousin) saying 'Hey cousin!

I hear both you and your brother are coming to the twins' first birthday party. EXCELLENT!

Don't know if you've thought about a gift yet - Ellen and I have been discussing what the twins will need as life goes on. Turns out they have already outgrown the stroller they've been using! Ellen has found this new stroller on-line she likes very much (link below) and we thought maybe you and Jeff could chip in for it, if you haven't already gotten the kids something:

http://www.albeebaby.com/combi-twin-sport-2009-double-stroller-carbon-black-and-grey.html

See you all very soon in Boston!'

the stroller is $200! probably plus shipping! i'm like are you friggin kidding asking us to buy a specific gift???

keep in mind this couple drove from boston to our wedding AND DIDNT GIVE US A GIFT. we went to theirs in Philly AND GAVE A GIFT!!!

is this the ultimate chutzpah or am i missing something??????????

thank you i thought so too. i dont know yet what we're gonna say. dh isnt home from work yet but he's gonna hit the roof when he hears this one.

i'm thinking im just going to say we already bought something. cause i was NOT going to spend $100+ dollars on those kids. plus the $75 for the room. HELL TO THE N.O.

funny you posted this...
my sis in law asked 'instead of getting a giftcard or clothes or toys for the girls' (my 2 nieces) birthdays, we just bought them a $1800 swingset, and want to see if you just want to chip in for that!!!!

people never cease to amaze me!!!!!

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Posted by eleven29bride

funny you posted this...
my sis in law asked 'instead of getting a giftcard or clothes or toys for the girls' (my 2 nieces) birthdays, we just bought them a $1800 swingset, and want to see if you just want to chip in for that!!!!

people never cease to amaze me!!!!!

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WHY IS IT OK TO ASK PEOPLE FOR GIFTS?

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Posted by MushesGirl

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Posted by eleven29bride

funny you posted this...
my sis in law asked 'instead of getting a giftcard or clothes or toys for the girls' (my 2 nieces) birthdays, we just bought them a $1800 swingset, and want to see if you just want to chip in for that!!!!

people never cease to amaze me!!!!!

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WHY IS IT OK TO ASK PEOPLE FOR GIFTS?

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It's not..but I have been hearing more and more that some ppl are doing this sort of thing lately!!! What happened to the true meaning of a gift??? No one is 'entitled' to a gift

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Posted by eleven29bride

funny you posted this...
my sis in law asked 'instead of getting a giftcard or clothes or toys for the girls' (my 2 nieces) birthdays, we just bought them a $1800 swingset, and want to see if you just want to chip in for that!!!!

people never cease to amaze me!!!!!

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and how is it that my cousin (not the father of the babies) is discussing with the mother what ME AND MY BROTHER should get them??!!!! ***

somebody hold me back

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Posted by bettybcafe82

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Posted by eleven29bride

funny you posted this...
my sis in law asked 'instead of getting a giftcard or clothes or toys for the girls' (my 2 nieces) birthdays, we just bought them a $1800 swingset, and want to see if you just want to chip in for that!!!!

people never cease to amaze me!!!!!

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yea, its shocking. i didnt even know how to respond to that. But i decided, I am giving them clothes... not donating to the Swing Set fund.

I don't even know what to say! What did your DH say when he got home?

Wow, this just made me insanely violent

how dare they suggest what you buy their kids
If their kids outgrew their stroller as parents they should purchase them a new one, if they can't afford it then they should look into going to a thrift store or 2nd hand shop
its not your effin responsibility to outfit their kids in a 200 dollar stroller

Yeah that's lame. I've been hearing so much of this lately. Why is it your responsibility to buy them a brand new top of the line stroller and how long until they outgrow that one? Especially with traveling you should get them a little something because it is nice to give a gift. Not because you are obligated.


So with the swingset-what do you tell the kid? You don't have anything to unwrap but we helped get you this swingset?

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Posted by del Rio

I don't even know what to say! What did your DH say when he got home?

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poor dh when he got home (he just worked 16hrs) he was like 'well that confirms it your family is insane'. and i wholeheartedly agreed.

i've forwarded the email to some of my close friends and they're outraged.

i discussed this with my brother and he's up in arms. he's like 'this makes the whole trip awkward! what are you going to say in the reply?' i said i'm just going to say I already ordered something (not even respond to the fact that they wanted my brother to chip in, i'll ignore the issue).

I appreciate your responses, its nice to know i'm not the crazy one

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Posted by TheFutureMrsM

Wow, this just made me insanely violent

how dare they suggest what you buy their kids
If their kids outgrew their stroller as parents they should purchase them a new one, if they can't afford it then they should look into going to a thrift store or 2nd hand shop
its not your effin responsibility to outfit their kids in a 200 dollar stroller

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thank you.

so on top of all this nonsense, my cousin-in-law's dad owns half of palm beach, so ***. go ask daddy warbucks kwim? my brother's take on it is that they are the kind of people who want to be able to say 'look what our relatives bought us'.

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Posted by Cutechef729

Yeah that's lame. I've been hearing so much of this lately. Why is it your responsibility to buy them a brand new top of the line stroller and how long until they outgrow that one? Especially with traveling you should get them a little something because it is nice to give a gift. Not because you are obligated.


So with the swingset-what do you tell the kid? You don't have anything to unwrap but we helped get you this swingset?

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haaaa, seriously. 'Here is my gift to you.. go look out the window into the backyard.... Happy Birthday'

so i replied to the email this morning, very briefly, just said i already ordered a gift. didnt mention anything about my brother 'chipping in' or anything.

thanks you gals for your input.