How do you handle glutenous gifts?

[GodsGal]

Hi Everyone! I hope you are having a happy new year.

I just got diagnosed with celiac disease last February. So, this was my first Christmas season post diagnosis. My family often gives homemade gifts like bread, cookie mixes, soup mixes, jellies, jams, pie fillings, etc.

Most of the food gifts I received, I wound up accepting the heart behind the gift while passing the actual gift on to someone who could enjoy it. It was hard. My mom heard me sigh once when I was out of the gift giver's earshot, and gave me some encouraging words and a hug.

So, I am curious...how do other people handle these things? What is the most polite way? I am the only gluten free person in my family. So, I am blazing a new trail!

Any additional advice?

[BuddhaBar]

Glutenous gifts from your family a year after diagnosis seems a bit weird and disrespectful to me. Do they know you can't eat gluten? I didn't even get the annual Christmas gluten cookies from work, but a box of figs instead. 

 

[ravenwoodglass]

I'd rather they give me obviously gluteny gifts than try and do gluten free for me. That can be even more difficult. I think you handled it well by simply giving them to someone who could use them. Perhaps your Mom could talk to close family members about gifting you something non-edible or a premade store bought gluten free goody.

[GodsGal]

2 hours ago, BuddhaBar said:

Glutenous gifts from your family a year after diagnosis seems a bit weird and disrespectful to me. Do they know you can't eat gluten? I didn't even get the annual Christmas gluten cookies from work, but a box of figs instead. 
 

Some of them may not know or remember. The pandemic has limited contact with some of them. I don't think that they are trying to be disrespectful. I think that they just don't yet understand all the ins and outs of celiac. Some of them who would normally have given glutenous gifts gave other things instead. And they "rescued me" when I needed it. My parents even went so far as to switch out a bad gift for a good one. And being swarmed with hugs from the nieces and nephews who received the chocolates I couldn't eat was pretty incredible!

[RMJ]

I give them away, although that’s pretty easy since my husband eats gluten!  When I was working, anything he didn’t want I took to work to give away. 

Someone gave my dog a very large biscuit for Christmas that not only had wheat flour but “vital wheat gluten.”  My dog isn’t gluten free but I still didn’t want crumbs from that around so I gave it to a neighbor with a dog. I told her that someone had given it to me and why I was giving it away and she understood.

I think it’s great that your mom supports you with hugs.

[baby.alpaca]

I give them to my family or friends. 
Because of work I receive a lot of gifts from people that only know me on a professional level, not personal. I just pass them on to someone who will enjoy it.