Each Christmas Eve, I let my children open one present, new footie jammies. They wear them that night, and then all the pictures in the morning feature them in their adorable Christmas-themed pajamas. This year, we were celebrating Christmas with my BIL and SIL in their mountain condo. MIL and FIL were also in attendance.
Prior to this event, I contacted my SIL and BIL to inform them of my X-mas Eve tradition, and let them know that I bought my nephew a pair too. (BIL and SIL had no problem with this as they are just starting to figure out what their holiday traditions are). It should be noted that I very carefully picked out these pajamas; it is not just something that I throw in the cart at 5 am on the day after Thanksgiving.
So imagine my dismay when on Christmas Eve, my MIL announced that she had gifts for everyone to open before bed-time. Well, I knew what it was, and even though I was upset, I did not show it. After all, I did not inform HER of my purchases, because I didn't think about it. It was my own fault, right? And so, I let the kids open the gifts with a smile.
Keep in mind, she said there were gifts for EVERYONE, so even the grownup kids got to open something. Many years ago, before my DH and I had children, I spent Christmas with my in-laws. My DH made sure that on Christmas Eve I received a Christmas-themed nightgown, which had been a tradition of mine from my own childhood. It was very sweet of him to try to make that first Christmas without my parents as special as possible. My MIL was part of this exchange, and so I assumed that she remembered, and that was why she went and purchased the PJs for all of us. When it was go-time, we all tore into our gifts, paper flying. Yes, the kids all got new pajamas, although not Christmas-themed (but I am aware that I am being picky here). Also, my husband and my BIL received new pajama pants. Now, dear reader, I am pretty sure that you have already guessed that I did not get my pajamas, and neither did my SIL. This would have been totally fine with me had not everyone else received them. I am, after all, an adult with kids now! However, the matching beige turtlenecks that my SIL and I did open really seemed to be more of an afterthought than a real Christmas Eve gift.
Make no mistake, I have no problem with a turtleneck. It's winter, I want to keep warm. But what does it really say to us when our MIL took the time to purchase something for everyone but us. To me, it said two things. 1) Oh, yeah, I guess I should get you something too, so it doesn't look like I forgot to buy you something to open on Christmas Eve and 2) I regard you both as the same person, so I will give you both the same uninteresting gift.
Am I being a bitch here? I don't know. But, honestly I kind of felt hurt by this minor event. Not only did she steal my Christmas PJ thunder, and consequently "ruin" my morning pictures of all three kids in semi-matching jammies, but she also made it abundantly clear that my SIL and I are simply set dressing in her otherwise perfect family.
A funny post-script to this is that both babies, my daughter and nephew, had leaky diapers in the middle of the night, thereby rendering the new pajamas useless on Christmas morning. Interesting...
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