Is it disheartening when someone doesn't even acknowledge a gift they received from you?

you just reminded me that I need to call my grandpa and thank him for the boots he got me for Christmas.

Do you know that her mother gave it to her? Why not call her and ask how she likes it?

But to answer your question directly, I don’t feel disheartened unless the person is dismissive of the gift directly to my face. Otherwise I assume that maybe they didn’t get it, or were so distracted by something else that they simply forgot to mention it.

I like green. And mice.

Really, @Dutchess_III . This reminds me of your question about a kid that didn’t thank you for your gift until you made it apparent. You make it sounds like people owe you something because you gave them something. Something they didn’t ask you for.

In my culture, when we got gifts due to certain days when gifts are expected we are not obliged to thank them, it’s just yearly custom and people understand that. For all I know, it’s possible that recipient forget about this, too busy to do that directly, take it for granted, or simply couldn’t careless. Whatever her reason is, she doesn’t owe you a thank. It’s not like she asks you to buy something for her. You did this yourself, please don’t expect others to do want you want from them because of that, she’s not making a contract with you. Just be happy knowing that you have done good things to others, the gratitute of others won’t change that fact.

Nope. I do not give gifts.

I’m into random acts of kindness.

Fifty years ago we would pay at a bridge toll booth for the stranger behind us.

The child in question was corrected by me. But he is a child. The person in question here is an adult. What do you have against simple, basic manners @Unofficial_Member? I don’t expect a gift in return. She has never given us a gift and that’s OK. But Jesus. To not even send a text saying “Thank you.”?
I gave her mother, we’ll call her Jane, a glass cut bowl as a wedding present. It was one of my favorite pieces, that had come down from my mother and we didn’t have the money to buy something nice, new. It was important to me. Jane just kind of grimaced in distaste when she opened it and set it aside. Later I found that one of the kids had broken it. Again, not a single word of thanks.

@Seek I know! And you sent the most awesome, hand drawn jelly fish card! It’s on display on a window in the camper.

Curious, here. Why would you continue to gift things to this family if you feel they are unappreciative?

Well, I guess I need to quit, don’t I.

I think that not all people would be expected to say thank you for a gift for a season or reason. I know in years gone by it was more expected by way of ‘thank you’ cards, which I still love by the way. I was thinking of giving a few out at Christmas, but forgot. I did appreciate the gifts I feel quite bad now that I didn’t send the cards out. (I don’t even know most of the people) they are distant relatives of my boyfriend. I did send gifts back though! (You know the whole gift swap thing).
Perhaps when you see them next they will thank you.

I don’t even expect a card.

Good manners would suggest that a thank you is in order. I gave my niece and her husband cash as a wedding gift and it would be nice if she would let me know that the card wasn’t lost or something. It is frustrating. The purpose of the acknowledgement is to at least let the gifter know it was received. (Maybe we’re just old)

@Judi I think you have a point and it is an interesting question isn’t it? I wish thank you cards and old-fashioned manners were back?

@Unofficial_Member, it isn’t that the kid didn’t thank me. He told me it was a stupid present. He was 9 at the time. I explained to him why that was just not proper, and just not nice, and he has since thanked me sincerely when I give him a gift. He understands now that you don’t have to thank someone for a gift you don’t like. You can thank someone for taking the time to pick it out, wrap it up and give it to you without even mentioning whether you like it or not.

This happened to me last summer, and it bummed me out.

^Do you know for sure that they received it?

Yes. I texted her yesterday to ask if she got it. She said she had gotten it, and thanked me at that point.

I think a thank you and acknowledgement of receiving the gift is nice and I appreciate when someone does it. Unless I give it to them in person and so I know they got it, then I’m not necessarily looking for a thanks, but again, it’s nice when they do send a thank you text, pm, email, note or phone call.

In your case, @Dutchess_III, I do agree I’d be wondering whether or not they received it and I’d feel like the least they could do is a text, pm, email or some way of telling me they’re thankful.

They don’t “owe” me but gratitude is a nice thing and it’s for that reason I try to be thankful when someone gives me something. If I want to continue to receive things, I know it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort on my part to be thankful. If I want to be haughty about it and not thankful, they might discontinue their generosity.

Right. I feel the same way. My Dad’s wife sends presents via the mail a few times a year. I call her the instant I get it to let her know it arrived, even if I haven’t opened it yet, and to thank her.
Then, after I open it, I made a second call to thank her specifically.

To me, it’s just simple good manners. Seems like many people think we just don’t need them any more, and I don’t know why.

Yes

@chyna No, I have been working up the courage to call.

I know how you feel, Dutchess lll. Imagine sending international gifts. I’m talking nearly $100, just in shipping! I sent these types of gifts to two different people, one of which I thought was a really good friend. If someone had sent me such an expensive package, which happened to be a bracelet that time, I would’ve taken a picture of me wearing the bracelet. Like “wow, thank you, I received your gift.”…even if I disliked it. It’s a sure fire way to tell someone is over the friendship when you are thoughtful to them and they couldn’t care less. Cost/what the gift was is irrelevant. It’s that you were nice and they didn’t care.