Re: Gifts for in laws
Yes, you should still buy gifts for your MIL. Based on my own experience and maybe even that of others, gifts such as formal clothes/perfume/jewelry/shoes/purses tend to remain in the closet or drawer or on the dresser until a special occasion comes up or the mood to wear strikes. Gifts and any kind gesture for that matter help to promote affection between rishtay. And even if the recipient secretly doesn’t like the gift or doesn’t use it as much, it still sends the message that you thought of them and that you value/care about them.
If you were to suddenly stop giving mil gifts then you risk standing out in a less than positive way especially if devrani continues to give presents. I have heard so many cases of in-laws that avoid/ignore/mistreat their bahus…and the fact that your mil looks forward to chatting with you when you return from work is perhaps a more telling indication of her equation with you than the gifts alone. That she looks forward to interacting with you is maybe more of a compliment to you as DIL. I’ve seen cases of relatives who can’t stand each others’ presence but expect gifts and despite fulfilling the formality of giving expensive presents…the relationship doesn’t have much substance. It’s MashaAllah commendable that you think of your mil as well when buying for your own mom; not ever DIL does that. I know it’s easier said than done but if you have an overall good relationship with mil, then don’t let this get in the way of that.