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Thank you all for your suggestions!! I appreicate all the advice.
My kids do know my father. We use to go over and visit, the kids would occassionally stay over there (it was rare!). I live 20 minutes from my father-- we are on that side of town all the time. There is a movie theater not too far from my father's house. My 7 year old asks all the time "when will we see your dad" (note, he doesn't call him grandpa).
My dad has been crappy to me forever. He didn't think he should pay child support, the divorce decree and child support state he was to pay half of my college- I got one $250 check! I was starting to live with the fact that he won't be who I want. But I can't handle that getting passed on to my kids. Three Christmas' ago my oldest son wanted "horse stuff" as he was aspiring to be a cowboy-- he got purple my little pony dolls- the kid was crushed. Two years ago- people there commented on the amount of presents my step mothers grandkids got compared to mine-- it was unreal-- last year was better.
I tried to call for the first 3 months of the year with no returned phone calls and the kids birthday ignored.
I am in a position that I know I won't have that opinion where I think my dad is the greatest thing ever- but I am moving beyond "hurt" to "mad" since whatever his issue, it is now involving my children.
I will keep the gift cards. The kids don't need any toys right now, but I will keep them and let the kids pick out stuff. I am going to have them call him tonight and say thank you.
And to me the whole gift card is a slap in my face-- it is like the final realization that we won't be invited for the holidays. Oh and the cards (the hallmark they signed) were signed with their names, just their names-- no "love" or anything like that either!
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