DH has had a strained relationship with MIL since he was a teenager. She was largely an absent parent, even when DH was much younger, and preferred hanging out at bars leaving DH and his brothers home alone. DH eventually moved in with his dad (around 10 years old) and never lived with her again. As a teen, he began to realize just how messed up the situation really was.
DH is military and hasn't lived in his home state for about 9 years. We've been married for almost 7. He has maintained very, very sporadic contact with her--maybe 2 or 3 phone calls or texts per year, and meeting for lunch once when we visit every year or two.
She will very occasionally send a box of random shit for Christmas or his birthday. When he was stationed overseas, for example, she sent him a box full of expired bar snacks along with a card signed by all her patrons--none of whom he has ever met. Just last week, we received a belated birthday box, filled with useless Avon shit, a really ugly sweater, and some sort of handheld massager. All junk. And she is a chainsmoker, so it all reeked. We immediately bagged it all up and put it in the outside trash.
Here's the dilemma. DH just wants to be completely done with her, and I agree. I have never had a relationship with her, and he really doesn't have one either. He was thinking of sending her an email to tell her to stop sending things, but I'm afraid that might invite drama.
So, wise DWILers, how would you handle this? Just continue trashing anything she sends, letting her waste her money? Or (DH) send her an email basically telling her to fuck off and essentially making very LC become a CO? Or something else?
DH is military and hasn't lived in his home state for about 9 years. We've been married for almost 7. He has maintained very, very sporadic contact with her--maybe 2 or 3 phone calls or texts per year, and meeting for lunch once when we visit every year or two.
She will very occasionally send a box of random shit for Christmas or his birthday. When he was stationed overseas, for example, she sent him a box full of expired bar snacks along with a card signed by all her patrons--none of whom he has ever met. Just last week, we received a belated birthday box, filled with useless Avon shit, a really ugly sweater, and some sort of handheld massager. All junk. And she is a chainsmoker, so it all reeked. We immediately bagged it all up and put it in the outside trash.
Here's the dilemma. DH just wants to be completely done with her, and I agree. I have never had a relationship with her, and he really doesn't have one either. He was thinking of sending her an email to tell her to stop sending things, but I'm afraid that might invite drama.
So, wise DWILers, how would you handle this? Just continue trashing anything she sends, letting her waste her money? Or (DH) send her an email basically telling her to fuck off and essentially making very LC become a CO? Or something else?