[Cadaverous Pallor]

My mom likes to make stuff. When we don't tell her what to buy us for birthdays or anniversaries, she makes us things - horrible things.

Right now I have two such gifts in my closet. They're both in picture frames. One is sewn, the other involves colored sand, glitter, and those tiny fabric roses. One is burgundy and harvest gold, the other is neon green, pink, and royal blue.

It's sad, really, because I know she does these things out of pure love. I know it took her forever to make them. But they're truly ugly, awful things, and neither will ever be hung from my walls.

When she gave me the second one she said something like "you could hang it on the wall, or you could just put it in your closet, I know it might end up there." She laughed while she said it but I could tell she was really saying "It's ok that you hate it and you'll bury it away so no one can see it." I do my best to pretend I like the gifts but it's really, really hard.

I've had other awful gifts from my parents - bad DVDs, tacky items my mom got at the Salvation Army - and those I have no problem tossing. But can I throw out the homemade stuff? Am I cursed to keeping it in a box hidden away? Do I really have to move them to my swanky new digs?