“As her birthday has gotten closer she will often talk about how excited she is to get these things, they’re only little bits and pieces but she’s waited so patiently for them.”
All of this build-up is to really drive the point home that these are the specific gifts that DD wanted, then cue her in-laws who have been wanting to cultivate a better relationship with the young girl.
Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/birthday-wish-list-ignored