What were they thinking????

littleshrink

My husband (I just love saying that!) and I were married last week and I returned to work a couple of days ago.  I work in a really small office, only 3 of us, and there was a card on my desk when I got here.  Ah...love my office mates.  Inside the card is a hand done "gift certificate" for $50 to get some stained glass done in our house, by one of my office mates good friends.  I had mentioned the idea about a year and a half ago purely out of conversation and now I have this "gift" that I have no idea what to do with it.  The gal that does the stained glass said to do our front door, which is what we were talking about, would be about $400.  Ah...ok. So that's not anywhere in our budget right now.  This feels like one of those really odd gifts you got as a child that you kind of just want to toss to the side and forget about.  But my office mate asked me about it yesterday as to when are we going to meet with her and figure something out.  How do I respond to this?  I feel like this more of a gift to her friend than to H and me.  My H just looked at it and said that is a really bad gift.  What are we supposed to do with this thing...come up with something/anything and then say "pay the lady"? I wish they would have just given us a card and said congratulations. 
Please don't think I'm ungrateful, because I'm really not.  I'm just confused on what to do with this gift.  Thoughts, ideas?

kmmssg

Just say "Oh, we haven't really decided on anything just yet.  We are working on some other projects.  Did you see American Idol last night?"

amandad18

She doesn't have to do your front door- Is there a smaller space in your home you might want done? Or can she make a stand alone piece of stained glass- Like a sun catcher or something like that?

kristy888

Yes, I would inquire about what is available that actually costs $50, such as a small stand-alone piece as pp suggested. That way you will use the gift card and make the co-workers happy but not have to pay anything out of pocket.

You could also be honest with your co-worker (if you feel comfortable) and say that after just paying for a wedding anything larger is not in the budget right now.  

Summer2011Bride

PPs all gave great advice. I'd be honest because putting off the conversation will only put it off for a few more days and she will probably ask again.

You can ask her suggestions on something that costs less (give her a budget). Just let her know that as much as you'd love your door done, that is not in your budget right now, but if you decide to do it in the future, you'll be in touch with her.

Regardless of whether or not you use her "gift card" right now, don't forget to still send a TY note

Kedove23

I know of some friends that received a lantern like piece with stained glass on all sides as a wedding gift.  She is Irish and the piece had a celtic cross on 2 sides and and Irish love knot on the other 2 sides.  Maybe have this person incorporate some symbol or other that you both love on a couple of the sides.  Or have her do a small suncatcher with your new last initial (if you took his last name)  It could be framed and put on a shelf with a light or something behind to show it's beauty.

epona225

Suncatcher, or maybe a stained glass jewelry box!