Presents You'd Rather NOT Receive?!

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People take my slight interests to far... I end up with lots of cupcake themed niknaks...etc.

I'd much prefer some clothing vouchers... or certain items that I know I definetly want. I'm guessing it would be too rude to create a list?

Does anyone create a list?

Saturnalia

Anything floral-scented. I prefer more masculine fragrances, although fruit-scented stuff is okay.

Ornaments - I have limited space to display them.

Soft toys - I have enough! There are a couple on my bed that I really like, and my mum gave me a cuddly Mandeville last week that I'd been admiring in a gift shop. But any other teddy bears will be left in my old bedroom at my parents' for my nephew to play with. He loves telling people he stayed at gran & grandad's and slept in auntie Sat's bed!

Anything big or fragile. I spend Christmas at my parents' and travel back by train, coach then tube and my case gets bumped up and down steps. I'm always having to leave something behind and collect it later in the year.

Cookbooks. They are a waste of the giver's money as I'm such a fussy eater I wouldn't make 90% of the recipes in it, the ones I would like to try often involve pricy ingredients or a lot of prep & cooking time, and I look up recipes online anyway.

Tat with pictures of stilettoes on it. Whyyyyy? I don't like clutter and I'm a DMs girl! Now if it were stiletto daggers, I'd like that. But no it's pics of shoes! See also: stuff with dogs on (I'm a cat person) and stuff with flowers on (I like abstract, geometric and calligraphy)

Vouchers, unless I've asked for them to put towards a specific purchase. Usually when I get vouchers it's for a shop that isn't to my taste at all, or I find I could buy the item I want cheaper at another shop but obviously can't use the voucher there.

Nighties. I don't wear them. Pyjamas are good as I wear them to lounge around in. And hats, scarves, gloves & umbrellas, I have plenty. Socks, pants & black tights are always welcome though. (I love getting socks, my boots wear them out pretty quickly and is anything nicer than a fresh new pair?)

This one has never happened to me but I know plenty of women who have been given pierced earrings when they don't have piercings! I would have thought you'd check that out when you were thinking of buying someone earrings, but clearly a lot of people don't!:doh:

Saturnalia

Oh dear, I've thought of another couple!

Solid soap. I have a communal bathroom so it's a shared liquid pump for the sink and I use shower gel in the bath and shower. Plus the water here is so hard that soap makes scum rather than suds.

Diaries with an inch of space for each day. I'm a compulsive timetabler & list-maker and my blood test results, bank balances, how much is left on my travelcard, how many hours work I've done where and for what wage all go in my diary. I need a full day to a page!

abailey54

I love pressies

I don't really like receiving body lotion, as I don't use it and am allergic to something that's often in them, I'm also allergic to cheap jewellry so unless it's 18ct then forget it (it's nickle I'm allergic to)

I once received a thong from a boyfriends mother and another year one off my sister that apparently her 1st husband had picked out for me - how inappropriate :eek:

I don't really like things like perfume & make-up and buying clothes for someone can only be offensive unless you know the exact size (too big and they think you look fatter than you are and too small and you feel fat because you can't get into it).

I love receiving practical gifts - anything I can use around the house or in a hobby, vegetable seeds are especially nice. Any edibles or drinkables always go down very well, and if I was lucky enough to receive a homemade gift I'd really love that

Someone we were friends with used to regift stuff we'd seen around her house and then give us a list of expensive things we'd have to buy her - I'm perfectly happy with regifting, but would rather have the honesty about it or an agreement that we would both do the same (especially as at the time we were practically living hand to mouth)

Gosh what an ungrateful cow I am (female 32)

feefeefalloo_2

I do love Christmas and presents but there are a few things I'd rather not receive this year!

More cookery books, (I am a chef and have literally hundreds already) any other books I have not specifically asked for (I love to read but am very fussy) Cadburys or nestle chocolate (I am a bit of a food snob and like the posh stuff!) hair products that are not John Frieda (nothing else works on my crazy frizzy hair!)

I would love foody gifts like flavoured oils and vinegars and posh pasta and sauces but no-one ever buys me these as I'm such a fussy eater and I think they worry they will get it wrong! I also love kitchen stuff - gadgets, pots, pans, serving dishes, baking stuff etc.

Pretty much anything else is ok - I love candles, socks, anything xmas related, slippers, most bath and shower stuff (except bars of soap which I hate) I have actually asked for vouchers from some people this year as money has been tight and treating myself in the sales will be lush.

female, 25

SugarSpun

nikkiuk wrote: »

I work in a school and quite often am given homemade cookies etc for Christmas. As much as I appreciate the thought and I always make a big fuss, say how delicious they look and can't wait to try them, they won't get eaten! I have never met a teacher/teaching assistant who feels differently (although I'm sure there are some out there!) we've seen where those little fingers roam and dig and unless I knew the parent really well and knew they were really clean, I just wouldn't take the risk!

I don't work with kids, but a patient at the hospital once gave us all individual bags of HM cookies - he had no sense of smell and overcompensated with products to ensure he didn't have BO and his cookies tasted of Lynx _pale_

p-pincher

Ha ha, this thread has really made me laugh.

Its amazing how many people, including me, who do like to get the toiletry gift sets. Im not really fussy at all but i like sanex for shower gel and deoderant so it such a waste. I admit that I did buy these a good few years ago but since then Ive made a pact with myself that I will try hard to but present that the recipient will love.

Another vote as well for nic nacs. Oh's grandma one year gave me a very 'traditional' heavy glass swan????? It was hideous. I also dont like perfume. Unless you really no some one well how can anyone else pick you perfume. Ive just been christmas shopping with my mum and she picked all the grandkids perfume and her dil a purse. I asked her how she could possibly know without asking what perfume the grandkids would like and what kind of purse somebody could like but her reply was she knows them very well so she thinks she can pick a perfect present for them.. I asked for vouchers for a shop I liked very quickly after that.

SugarSpun

It's impossible to buy a new perfume without checking it on your skin first. I remember sniffing a scent on a sampler and loving it, but once it was on my wrist it smelled like an Indian restaurant carpet on a Sunday morning after a stag do.

Saturnalia

SugarSpun wrote: »

It's impossible to buy a new perfume without checking it on your skin first. I remember sniffing a scent on a sampler and loving it, but once it was on my wrist it smelled like an Indian restaurant carpet on a Sunday morning after a stag do.

I agree with you, the number of perfumes I've thought smell nice in the bottle but smell rancid on my skin. Anything sweet or floral especially.

Lilyplonk

You are all oh-so-right about perfumes.

My sister loves 'Tweed' and has worn it regularly for over 40yrs - ever since she was around 19yrs old. I adore it on her - but on me it smells simply awful !

When we were younger my favourite was 'Topaz' from Avon but it appears to have been discontinued quite a few years ago. I also loved 'L'aimant' by Coty - but now only ever seem to see the Body Spray in all the 'cheapie shops' lol.