What is the worst present you received this Christmas..and why?

freyasmum

Mine is not a bad present, more a bit inappropriate - as a joint present with OH, I got a bottle of prosecco and a tray of ferrero rocher - but, neither of us are drinkers and I'm pregnant. I'm also not overly fond of ferrero rocher; I don't really have a sweet tooth... cheese and crackers are right up my street though!

Inappropriate as the above may be this year, it will never be beaten by the valentines day present I received from an ex of a weightwatchers ready meal. And, to add insult to the already sizeable injury, it was a frozen Farmfoods special, not even a more expensive chilled version :rotfl:

Edited to say: I was very, very lucky and thoroughly spoilt this year and cannot claim to have received a bad present.

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

I got a bagload of Sainsbury's Basics Chicken Curry in Tins.

Actually it was Sainsbury's Basics Chicken Curry in Tins that had been reduced for quick sale. :rotfl:

They are genuinely appreciated (as in I will eat them) but they're quite low down on the festive scale.

They could at least have plumped for turkey curry! :rotfl:

Flat_Eric

I had a few gifts this year that are not "really me" so either I'll donate to the charity shop or regift. One gift came with the receipt (by accident I think) so told me what the gift was without even needing to unwrap. The gift was awful. And bought no doubt because it was "on offer". It wasn't possible to get it refunded due to the refund policy of the shop concerned who wouldn't refund beauty products. Other gifts I got were mostly token gifts that were nice enough but not really my cup of tea. Toiletry sets that I might use if push comes to shove but I'd rather regift or donate to a new home.

sillyvixen

mmmsnow wrote: »

My beloved gran who passed away a few years ago was the absolute worst at buying presents. Reading all these stories actually brings a tear to my eye as I'm reminded of her. The worst of it was, she used to spend the entire year buying stuff.

Because of her severe arthritis, I'd wrap all the presents (bar my own) under her watchful eye. I became very skilled at wrapping bottles of Baileys and tins of Quality Street. In return, my Christmas presents were weirdly shaped, tape covered mishaps and I absolutely loved that because it meant she'd done it herself, despite the struggle.

Over the years, she bought me:

* Winnie the Pooh pyjamas (separates) with a size 22 top and a bottom that was an 8.
* A gaudy fake gold and diamond chain that looked like a rapper would wear it. It had a giant M pendant as well, which is my initial. I don't even wear jewellery.
* Chocolates that had expired several months previously (as I said, she bought these throughout the year and that's not the only thing she gifted that was expired).
* An Alison Moyet CD (she managed to mix up ALICE COOPER with ALISON MOYET). After my confusion opening it, she said, "That's the man with the funny name that you like, isn't it?" Poor Alison Moyet.
* Men's boxer shorts (small), men's football socks (the ones that go up to your knees) and a Lynx Africa set (I don't know if she thought I was transitioning that year).

In 2009, we struck an agreement thrat she would just buy me socks (women's socks, I was specific) and after that, I would get 50 of pairs of them a year. What a woman.

Ah bless, my nan had her eccentricities, but not over Christmas as she always gave my mum money £× per person to buy presents, untill I was 14 and was charged with purchasing mums present (up to that point mum had always chosen her own). Nan lived in the back and beyond and the only shops were basic. One year my mum got my dad a jumper from M&S from nan. It was turkoise with pink diomands on it... dad was like 'only your mother would choose this' he never found out the truth.

moneyistooshorttomention

Thank goodness that even those living "in the back of beyond" now have quite a bit of access to full range of goods to buy - courtesy of internet shopping. Now I'm in a much smaller place Amazon is my new "best friend":rotfl:.

Personally - I wouldn't re-gift presents. To my mind - it's difficult enough to find exactly the right present for someone when specifically buying for them. It would be real "needle in haystack" situation to be able to find the exact right present for someone from unwanted gifts that one was planning to re-gift - and they could land up going round in circles. From person A specifically choosing them for person B. Person B didn't like - so re-gifted to Person C (who didn't like it) - who then gave it right back around to person A (that hadn't liked it in the first place - but it had been the cheapest/easiest thing they could find to buy and look as if they were trying....:cool:).

Hence I wouldn't dream of buying presents "as and when" during the year for "A.N. Anonymous Other" and any unwanted presents I receive just get handed straight over to a charity shop. I'd much rather head out (or these days to the internet...) with a little list in my mind of points like "X has the following interests and the following tastes" fixed in my mind and then try and figure out what they would like from that. Stray comments made about their personal likes throughout the year are mentally registered and remembered and, for instance, one of them was about liking a particular style of ornament (mentally got registered as "Yuk. They're horrible. But they really like them" and the look of pleasure at Christmas when I duly handed them one of that style of ornament - when they'd totally forgotten they made one stray comment once about them).

horse76

I got an old fashioned style counter bell, like the ones you'd find in an old hotel on reception - it's new, but I've no use for it whatsoever, and like I need any more carp in my already over cluttered house! :eek:

Also received numerous candles, I have candles coming out my ears, and I hate burning them as it sets off my asthma :mad:

Apart from that my gifts were lovely and well received.

VintageLady

This Christmas I received a book about crafting with cat hair from my parent's in law. Aside from the fact the Maisie Bones doesn't shed much hair why on earth would I then gather it and felt it? Who has time for that? I think they bought it as a bit of a joke gift but it may be re-gifted quite soon.

tallyhoh

VintageLady wrote: »

This Christmas I received a book about crafting with cat hair from my parent's in law. Aside from the fact the Maisie Bones doesn't shed much hair why on earth would I then gather it and felt it? Who has time for that? I think they bought it as a bit of a joke gift but it may be re-gifted quite soon.

I have some crazy dreams due to medication but I wonder what fevered imagination dreamed that one up???

LameWolf

horse76 wrote: »

Also received numerous candles, I have candles coming out my ears, and I hate burning them as it sets off my asthma :mad:

It just proves, choosing gifts is an art in itself; many years ago, my next-door neighbour bought me a box of 50 candles, and I couldn't have been happier, as I use loads of them. She even put thought into what colour to get - orange, which is supposed to help with low self-esteem.

cornishchick

Maybe we should arrange a gift swopping session!:j:T

rev229

My brother-in-law asked the mother-in-law for a mandolin (food slicer) and got a mandolin musical instrument and book on how to play it!! Priceless:rotfl::rotfl: