Dolls For Christmas

Hopefully i'll be getting my first doll this Christmas. At first everyone in my family had this sort of "It costs HOW MUCH???" sort of attitude, but my grandma basically hinted that she got it for me anyways. I'm actually a little worried what my other relatives will say when they see her, though. >___>

 

My fiance and I were just talking about Christmas gifts yesterday. He brought up wanting to get me a doll, but he knows what they cost, and it's not in the budget. Still, I thought it was very sweet of him to mention it. I don't think I could actually ask anyone for a doll, because in my family we do a lot of home-made/baked gifts every year and usually don't spend more than $30 on anything bought per person.

 

I could never ask for a doll or doll stuff for Christmas (or anything else dollie!). It's too big of a purchase or too much of a hassle if someones not used to the ordering systems most companies use. It's also a hobby I'm too particular about, so it would kill me if someone got me something I didn't like so much (because I'd really, really appreciate it, but...ugh! oh noe!) Especially if you're in the know that the person who'd actually spend that kind of money on you, doesn't get the hobby or is unsupportive of it.

 

I have jokingly asked for dolls for the holidays.... but always with no intention of getting one. Its too much of a hassle and what with the economy, too much of a cost. My family (other than my dad) is super supportive of my doll collecting so they usually just give me money. Which I then deposit into my savings and then spend on dolly stuff for my current 4 dolls.

 

I ask for doll stuff, but it pretty much goes in one ear and out the other. I end up with sweaters, slippers, back massagers etc...

 

Heheh. Try asking for money! Or gift cards that are like credit cards. Or maybe a gift card from a store where you can return items and get cash back???

I don't ask for doll stuff for Christmas, either. It IS something that's better purchased by me, since I know what I want and where and how, etc. It's not easy for anyone else, and a lot of it is just plain too expensive for a gift, really. And I'd definitely not ask people who weren't supportive!

Yeah, I know it is a bother when people are ASKING you what you want... but with presents, sometimes a lot of it is about what THEY want to give, no what you want...

 

I couldn't ask for a doll for christmas, the price is just way too much. My family wouldn't know what they were doing to order me anything for them either, probablly buy the wrong size or something hideous to me, despite their best intentions. I actually voted no christmas gifts, just getting together for dinner and spending time together since I'm the 'baby' and I'm 22, meaning no little kids. In the past though I always tried asking for money to put towards whatever but that hasn't worked either.

 

I tell everyone cash, check, or deposit into my bank account (which is what I'd rather). But I don't get that all that frequently.

My first BJD was actually my Christmas/birthday present from my mom and step-dad (they still got me other stuff even though I told them not to if they were going to get me the doll). They just handed me their credit card and were like, go get whatever it is that you want. And after my boy arrived they only gave him a glance and never really said anything about him... I'm not really sure whether to be insulted or grateful...

My parents tend to spend big on our presents, I can't remember getting presents that totaled less than $100 and frequently it was a lot more, one Christmas my sister got an x-box 360 rock band and a keyboard. So I don't think asking for a $200-300 doll is a big jump. But I don't like it when they spend that kind of money on me (I'm the "least expensive" of the children) so I end up just asking for some cash.

... geez I hope I stayed on topic...

 

My husband, thankfully understands 'the doll thing' and so under his desk there is a box holding my Isaac But Then, he likes spoiling me, and Issac came in under the 130pound mark- I don't think I'd be able to ask for something like a SD without feeling slightly guilty...
Interestingly my mum has offered to make me clothes for him and my other for christmas, but when I suggested that wigs and eyes and clothes were what I wanted from my dad, he sugested he got me books from my uni list... although he did get me a doll last year... (an AOD msd)
So I'm currently suggesting sewing machines as they count as slightly less 'dolly' and still practical...
I'm not scared to ask about doll stuff- as long as its close family... but I'd be scared to ask for something big, because I don't think I really want dad to realise that I'd happily spend 300 plus on a doll... I feel he'd be worried about mine and my husband's budgeting...

 

Ditto that I'd never ask for a doll for Christmas since even the cheapest is way too much money to ask someone else to spend on me. I tend to ask for money instead, which I can then use to save up for a doll/eyes/wig/clothes at a later date and make sure I get exactly what I want without making other people hand over huge amounts of cash to buy it for me straight up.

 

When Beyla came out, I showed her to my husband and said that I wanted her for my birthday (in October)/Christmas present. He said go ahead and buy her, even when I told him she probably wouldn't be here on time. But it looks like I might have her next week!

He's patient with all my hobbies. If I tell him I want money for a doll for Christmas, he's got no problem with that.

 

Have you tried replying that if they don't actually want to get you somethign you *want* for Christmas then they shouldn't ask you - or they simply shouldn't bother getting you anything.

Perhaps you should give your MIL some of her own medicine when talking about a gift for her from you.

And when you're asking your husband what he should spend the $50 dollars on something he wants for himself and call it his gift from you and you'll spend the $50 on something you want for yourself and call it your gift from him that way you both get something you want instead of him selfishly only gettign you somethig *he* wants you to have.

My partner and I have a non-gift-exchanging arrangement with our friends so (other than our god-children) only exachange gifts with each other. This year we are giving each other SODA ouftits for our dolls.

I stopped getting gifts from my father years ago when I told him I'd rather get no gift at all than be given something I didn't want (occasionally he'd offer me money to buy or put towards my own choice of gift but since he never left off grousing about what I then chose to spend it on that wasn't a viable option either).

Really if your husband and MIL are so selfish they don't want to give you a gift that you actually want and like, then tell them you don't want gifts from them, and tell them WHY.

And if you give them gift - make sure it's thing you like but they don't - so they know what it's like for you when they do the same.

Teddy

 

Luckily for me my family is very supportive, but it can still be hard to get doll related gifts out of them.
My husband seems to be creating a tradition of getting me a doll for a b-day/Christmas gift every year (my b-day is in November) I felt a little guilty this year though, he ended up putting off buying his own doll to get mine

My mom-in-law is afraid she won't choose the right thing, so looks for stuff, but never buys it.
But I love making clothes, and she loves seeing me make clothes, so she usually gets me a pretty good gift card for a fabric store. Works for me!

 

I have always had issues with my parents as regards Christmas and birthday gifts. They prefer to buy for me something useful or something that they think I need, instead of getting what I like...
However they're changing their attitude lately; this year I asked for just 2 presents: a cat OR a doll...otherwise I told them not to buy anything for me...
They ended up chosing the doll, but my mum told me that she must like it or she won't buy it...

...It's true that people prefer to give you things that THEY like...

 

Well, last year my dad got me my boy for my christmas/bday present. I did pay for his faceup though.
He thought i was a bit crazy but he knows i love weird things

 

It's the first time that I ask for a BJD for gift this Christmas... And it's difficult to explain at my family but they accept so it's good!

 

My rents always buy me a big present (and my mother gets a lot spent on her in return, dad rejects gifts and whines about it so I'm just ordering him several large bags of nuts) and for the past couple of years its been stuff I didn't want. Such as a TV for the room I hardly use (who needs tv when they have youtube and bbc iplayer???) so I said this year just give me some money and I'll buy a doll.

So they gave me a cheque for £300. which was enough to buy Mars, though I'm paying for shipping/faceup/customs/his wig and clothes etc.

My birthday is also right at the end of the holidays and any money I get will be added to the savings jar to bring Lion home in february.

 

i am trying to convince my family into giving me money as a gift, so that i can buy something myself. but from my mom i get reactions like "xmas isnt about money". they rather buy me stuff i dont need/want. i dont really get that either. but i think i couldnt be with someone (relationship-wise) who has a problem with my interests and obsessions. relationship means to me to accept, respect and support the other person in every way possible, so i dont really understand how some ppl can be together with someone who dislikes their hobbies. hobbies are a part of the personality, and if a person dislikes that its just not meant to be :/

 

I wouldn't ask any of my relatives for doll present for Christmas, because a) it's too expensive thing to ask, b) none of them is doll OR internet savvy, so it'd really be pointless. I do get my doll present for Christmas anyway, but I just buy it and announce it to my husband that it's my Christmas present. He knows plenty about my dolls and fully supports me, but I still rather choose and order myself, since I know all the pitfalls and how to avoid them. And I really don't care for "surprises", it's very hard to "surprise" me with a present that I would like

To address the issue of original poster - I'd go with Teddy's suggestion. Spend your gift money on what you want and let your husband spend his on what he wants. Everyone gets what they want, everyone's happy. You can even buy it and wrap it and leave it under the tree til Christmas morning, to make it "official".

As for your MIL - give her something symbolic and inexpensive, like a pair of knit socks or a box of chocolate. Clearly she doesn't care for choosing a gift according to your interest, why should you bother trying to satisfy hers?