Or, you could just be direct, and one on one. Go up to her, tell her you heard her comment, and that you had purchased the gift. Apologize because it didn’t suit her, and ask out of politely baffled curiosity what she would have liked to recieve instead? Say this with a quiet, firm assertive smile, in a quiet cultured tone.
Odds are, she’ll be completely flummoxed, and sputter. Yes, people will likely overhear this exchange too, but it will be more subtle, and tactful. You won’t end up looking like such a shrew.
She’ll likely backpedal, and maybe apologize for being too harsh. I wouldn’t count on the apology. Some people just can’t control their tongues when they are disappointed though, so maybe she had a “knee jerk reaction”. Or, maybe she really is just that acidic in all she does.
Either way, you’ll have stood up for yourself without "stooping to her level’. It at least will let you get your feelings out, and assert yourself in a positve manner.
My aunt and uncle like to go somewhat overboard with their holiday spending. One year, though, she had some sort of holiday fiasco and was unable to do her shopping. Enter the ‘Gift’. My aunt kept a medium size rubber-maid trash can in the laundry room. Everyday, as she did the laundry, she would take the loose change out of her pockets (and my uncle’s) and put it in the can- For about 2 years. She gave this can of change to my oldest two boys, topped off with a lid and huge bow. It took weeks to separate and count it all, and the bank hated us when we brought that wagon load of change in to deposit, but they ended up with close to 900.00. That’s right. Almost 900.00.
They loved it. I wish she would give me presents like that!
Sat on cookie, well, I’ve given the sack of coins present at the last six ‘yankee swaps’ I’ve been at, and it’s always been stolen and restolen several times. So…at least a significan minority wants it.
If nothing else, the recipient can always turn around and buy exactly the $10/$15/whatever present they really wanted (like dark chocolate almond bark – are you listening, Secret Santa?) instead of settling for some good but not quite (like a Whitman’s sampler – ugh.)
Thanks - Like I said, I really didn’t mean it as snarky. I mean, it’s obviously creative, and if people are “stealing” than that means people like it. Kudos to an interesting idea!
That’s what my brother got one year for Christmas… a box of change (a little bigger than a mandarin orange box) and a box of rolls for the coins… he spent all Christmas day sitting there counting it right up till we went to Grandma’s! He came out with a couple hundred I think.
What’s sad is…I did the same thing. I was all happy that there were buttercream scented candles a dollar apiece so I bought five. I go home only to find out that they weren’t candles. Reading this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard of tart warmers etc. I just have to tarts in various places in my room, they don’t work very well, now I know why.