Seriously? He tells you you need financial advice and that you give too many gifts and then he says a few days later you should still give his family gifts you made that you could sell otherwise? SERIOUSLY? I'm sorry, but no. Grr.

ETA: x-posty with Jen.

But, didn't you know, the fact that I'm a considerate person is what he loves most about me.

It is head-explodey. It really, really is.

Oh, but I'm eating a ham and cheese sandwich, and for lunch I had a pulled pork sandwich. I imagine in a few days I will get caught up on all the pork (except for bacon) that I've missed out on in the last six months. Goodness, pork is YUM.

I'm with everyone else--sucks to be his family, but they can eat it. No one should *expect* gifts from an ex-girlfriend. Hell, no one should really expect gifts from their kid's girlfriend of only six months, especially one who is struggling financially. Ass 'em in the ear. And kick him and his stupid guilt trip in the ass. Because that's what it is. And if you had a present for him, I sure as HELL hope you didn't give it to him to be nice.

Well, he did insist that I keep my Christmas present (which is actually a really nice, fairly expensive piece of cookware from Williams and Sonoma), so I'm probably going to send him one of his gifts, since it's almost finished. But, I told him I wasn't going to do his big gift, because I haven't started making it yet, and I just don't have the heart to do it any more.

Pix, my sistah.

It is, vw (ETA: head-explodey). I wish you... whatever it is you need so that you can do what's right for you.

Quite frankly, after seeing him tonight, I think this is more that he is having a crisis of identity than it has anything to do with me. He just has the convenient excuse that he's been with me for the past six months, so clearly it must be me.

I'm totally going against the grain here, and forgive me.

I was pretty close to my ex's sister and for years after we broke up, we exchanged gifts and it was really nice. We did this because we liked each other, not because of any ties to my ex-boyfriend. Sometimes we meet people in life and we like them and the way we met them just starts to not matter. You've known his family for 6 months. That's enough time for people to start caring for each other. You hand made gifts for them.

It's completely up to you, Val, but if you want to give his family their gifts, I think it's a lovely gesture. After all, THEY didn't break up with you! They might really care for you and wish the best for you and think Aaron is an ass for the way he treated you.

I met my ex's sister ONCE in person (she lived out of state) and yet my relationship with her flourished long after Woods and I broke up. Anyway, my two cents. Do what feels natural to you.

If they're not finished it feels weird to me, thinking of you finishing them. I'm not a crafter, so when I make a gift it's deeply personal. I agree with everyone above who said it's your decision to make.

edit: I whittled this down from a much longer post. I can't seem to articulate exactly what I'm feeling.

I think maybe this is one of those scenarios where advice is useless. VW should only do what she feels like doing*. It doesn't have to be political or a symbol of dynamics or anything.

* which could be called advice. Heh.