I feel your pain. My mom starts asking for what the kids want in October claiming she doesn't want to wait. When the kids eventually have lists to give her she then complains of aches, pains, too tire, too cold out, etc and waits weeks to go get the items. This year I found her specific things that were in stock at stores very close to her to make it super easy. Did she go buy them? Nope. So I ended up having to order them online, pay for them myself (because she refuses to online shop because she's too nervous about identify theft), have them shipped to her house, and then have her write me a check for how much they cost. I did her gift shopping for my kids, me, and my brother's kids! Then my ILs don't even bother to ask for lists, just wing it, and my kids always end up never using or wearing half of what they are given because my ILs are out of touch with what they like.
Neither set of grandparents will give them GCs or money because they claim they like shopping for them and watching them open something and yet neither does a good job at it. Sigh.
Mom to two amazing DDs ('07 & '09) and a fur baby.
Gluten free since Nov '11 after non-celiac gluten sensitive diagnosis. Have had great improvement or total elimination of: migraines, bloating/distention, heartburn, cystic acne, canker sores, bleeding gums, eczema on elbows, dry skin and scalp, muscle cramps, PMS, hair loss, heart palpitations, fatigue. I'm amazed.