Ask Amy: Food-snatching incident leaves bad aftertaste
His brother will likely diminish the concern. He might say he doesn’t remember it or deny outright that it ever happened. Be prepared.
Dear Amy: We have family around the country. On every one of their birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas we send checks or gifts and they never ever say thank you OR even acknowledge they even received anything.
We have a loving and happy family.
It hurts my feelings to never have anything acknowledged, and yet, honestly, I don't have the courage to stop gifting them.
My husband doesn't care if they thank us or not.
I've asked him to take over gift-giving. He says he will. Great!
But doesn't it all come down to the flat fact that they think we “owe” them these things?" We don’t!
What is the way forward? Somewhere between sadness (me) and casualness (him), there must be the right answer.
— Gifted
Dear Gifted: You don’t actually know whether your relatives think you “owe” them, because they never communicate with you – in any way – regarding gifts.
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