Hey Pandas, AITA For Saying No To My MIL’s Expensive But Horrifying Home Gifts?

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I (28F) celebrate my birthday around the same time as my partner, Alex (31M). Every year, his mom, Carol (55F), usually brings cash or small gifts. We get along fine, but we’re not super close – she’s quirky, fun, and sometimes acts more like a friend than a mother. She also has a habit of collecting strange things, so you never know what she might show up with.

This year, while I was at work, Alex got a surprise visit from her

Man holding large black balloons shaped as numbers 3 and 1, illustrating returning MIL’s $1,200 weird decor debate.

Image credits: Rodrigo Sümmer (not the actual photo)

Later, he told me she left gifts for us, but when I asked what they were, he said, “You’ll see.” I braced myself, knowing Carol’s history of unusual choices.

When I got home, I was led to a room where a giant bag was sitting. 

Inside were two enormous taxidermy raccoons wearing tiny top hats and bow ties, and a giant neon-orange lava lamp shaped like a pineapple. Yes, really. I couldn’t stop staring.

For context, we just moved into a new apartment and renovated it fully in a minimalist, Scandinavian, organic style – clean lines, neutral colors, natural materials

Minimalist potted plant on wooden table beside gray couch, illustrating weird decor in a home setting.

Image credits: Cat Han (not the actual photo)

These… things? They were the exact opposite of what we wanted. And to make matters worse, the price tags were still attached, totaling over $1,200.

Alex felt awkward in the moment and said, “Wow… we’ll figure out where to put them,” but I was just speechless.

I couldn’t imagine having taxidermy raccoons in our living room or a neon pineapple lava lamp anywhere in sight

Raccoon peeking over wooden deck surrounded by birdseed, illustrating a story about returning MIL’s weird decor.

Image credits: fr0ggy5 (not the actual photo)

The next day, I asked Alex to text his mom to see if it was possible to return them. Surprisingly, she agreed and told us we could drop them off at her work, which we did.

I know some people might say I should have just kept them, but I feel like it’s reasonable to have our space reflect our style – especially for something so expensive.

So, Pandas – AITA for returning these gifts? I just can’t get over how absurd and out-of-place they were, and I feel like it would’ve been a huge waste to keep them.

Moderator’s note

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