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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Worst Christmas present

461 replies

Bookworm512 · 25/12/2023 20:40

I feel ungrateful but also very disappointed. My husband is crap at gifting but this really takes the biscuit. I am a 53 year old woman and we have been together for 26 years. He bought me a periscope. Am I being unreasonable to be disappointed and ungrateful?😓

OP posts:
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6
kittylion2 · 27/12/2023 22:11

Yearsandyearsandyearsandyearsago - before we were married (and we have been divorced 20 years now) ex bought me a .....

pogo stick. 😕
(I honestly have no idea why - even to this day.)

Does that make you feel any better OP?

Shuggie1234 · 27/12/2023 22:08

I just buy a few things I fancy in December so I’m never disappointed by gifts from others as I’ve already got what I want! This year a lovely KG bag, a Barbour jacket, 5 dresses and a couple of jumpers Merry Christmas to me 😃

SoOutingWhoCares · 27/12/2023 22:06

Thank you @HabitsDieHard & @SmileyClare your kind words mean a lot. And maybe my reaction to the PJs is telling me something and they are a kick up the bum in a good way.

Rubbishao · 27/12/2023 22:04

My husband bought me 10x radox bath soak. The ones that you’d usually just pick up in the weekly shop as you need them, nothing special. Also happens to be the same thing he got me for my birthday, of which 9.5 of them are still sat on the bathroom side because we have no storage.

thebestinterest · 27/12/2023 22:03

😂😂😂😂 OP, your husband has a sense of humor! 😂 I would have cracked up laughing SO DAMN HARD!

Sebsaloysius · 27/12/2023 22:03

LouMorris · 25/12/2023 20:51

Periscope 😂😂

I got a horse calendar, I’ve got nothing against horses but that’s as strong as my feelings on the subject get 😂

The periscope made me laugh, but this just finished me off 😂

BreakfastAtMilliways · 27/12/2023 22:02

I remember the ex at uni who bought me a book called ‘The A-Z of Superstitions’ for Christmas. All very well but the last thing I need is some random rhyme in my head telling me what days I’m allowed to cut my fingernails. He was the one who bought me, for my 21st birthday, a set of gold-coloured costume jewellery (not gold, or even gold plated). I mean, it had its uses for student parties, but as a present it was tacky.

Bitchassmosquito · 27/12/2023 21:58

I was wondering where this years “my present wasn’t good enough” thread was. A periscope though, that’s hilarious 😂

Lube is just grim 😬

Mikimoto · 27/12/2023 21:56

I expected this thread to be rubbish, about "furry slippers", but
periscope is BRILLIANT!!!

OptimisticMermaid · 27/12/2023 21:50

My ex, on our first christmas together, wrapped up a small mysterious present and hung it on the tree. He encouraged me to squeeze the package and hinted at nice jewellery. It turned out to be a packet of revels. I was a bit disappointed but then realised that I had only got him a toilet brush as I knew he badly needed one.

SmileyClare · 27/12/2023 21:46

SoOutingWhoCares · 27/12/2023 21:13

This is going to sound really ungrateful, and I am sorry as I'm sure the giver meant well...

I am in my 30s and over the past couple of years became a carer for my newly disabled mother who is in her late 70s...I love her very much but I have given up a lot and feel old before my time. I go to work and am a carer and that's pretty much it. No room for a love life or much fun.

Anyway, we were both given matching button up unisex flannel pyjamas by a friend, sort of a grandfather style. For some reason, it's upset me. Old, sexless, unfeminine, have basically become one with my mother as she can do very little without me - they just feel like a symbol of how life is and I hate those bloody PJs. My Mum isn't too keen on them either! I'd bin them but the friend would know and has already been asking if we're wearing them.

I've also been given a shit ton of candles.

Oh god I’d hate that gift too! Don’t feel bad about chucking those flannel pyjama to your nearest charity shop and buying yourself something trendy instead! Don’t give it another thought.

Hats off to you for making such huge sacrifices for your mum. Don’t ever lose yourself Flowers

HappyHen17 · 27/12/2023 21:39

I got an Asda basics lady shave from my BIL! Thankfully I opened it when he wasn’t there as my face doesn’t hide my feelings!

BooneyBeautiful · 27/12/2023 21:39

This thread is making me cry with laughter! The trouble is I tested positive for Covid on Christmas Day and my ribs are sore from coughing. Every time I laugh, it's so painful!

HabitsDieHard · 27/12/2023 21:36

@SoOutingWhoCares
Ugh sounds well-meaning but very upsetting and like the nighties are symbolising all the difficulties you're dealing with. Who gives matching nighties to adults, what an eejit. Sorry you're having these struggles, hope something good happens for you soon

favouriteyellowsocks · 27/12/2023 21:22

My DH gifted me a brown bath towel

AudibleListener · 27/12/2023 21:19

Sorry just realised I put that on your thread instead of starting my own. I’m new here!

AudibleListener · 27/12/2023 21:17

AIBU? We spent Christmas at wife’s parents’ this year. We swap each year so next year will be at my parents’. Got to my family on Boxing Day this year to find that they had opened all their Christmas presents from me and my brother on Christmas Day when I wasn’t there. I ordered/shopped for all the gifts. They’ve never done that before and, on the years we’ve not been at theirs on Christmas Day, they’ve always waited til we get there Boxing Day. Plus they didn’t actually talk to me about when to come over even though I asked. When we got there my brother was already there so there had been some communication between them just not with me. I’m feeling very hurt by it and I’m feeling like my wife and I are just an after thought.

SoOutingWhoCares · 27/12/2023 21:13

This is going to sound really ungrateful, and I am sorry as I'm sure the giver meant well...

I am in my 30s and over the past couple of years became a carer for my newly disabled mother who is in her late 70s...I love her very much but I have given up a lot and feel old before my time. I go to work and am a carer and that's pretty much it. No room for a love life or much fun.

Anyway, we were both given matching button up unisex flannel pyjamas by a friend, sort of a grandfather style. For some reason, it's upset me. Old, sexless, unfeminine, have basically become one with my mother as she can do very little without me - they just feel like a symbol of how life is and I hate those bloody PJs. My Mum isn't too keen on them either! I'd bin them but the friend would know and has already been asking if we're wearing them.

I've also been given a shit ton of candles.

Mothership4two · 27/12/2023 21:07

@Fannyfiggs

OP, do you think your real gift is on the roof and you need to use the periscope to look for it? Like a weird treasure hunt.

😆

Is he a fan of Taskmaster?

Stressybetty · 27/12/2023 21:07

mauvish · 27/12/2023 20:36

OMG that mask is even better/worse than I'd imagined!

Did you keep a straight face? Well, I guess it wouldn't matter if you couldn't, you could always put the mask on to hide your true feelings ---

Show quote history

To be honest I was speechless. Then he ran off and came back
in with the Labrador one on. Got me to put mine on. Says on Amazon that the eyes are transparent but actually they aren't and there's just a small gap either side of them to try and peer through. Neither of us could see out so hopefully that's ended that idea!

Fannyfiggs · 27/12/2023 21:01

OP, do you think your real gift is on the roof and you need to use the periscope to look for it? Like a weird treasure hunt.

Fannyfiggs · 27/12/2023 21:00

ireallycantthinkofaname · 27/12/2023 20:56

My crap present is actually turning out to be stupidly useful (a rechargeable torch). I was so disappointed when I opened it but nope, it's been really handy 😆
(Bit sad of me i know but still).

I got a headtorch and it's great so I agree, a torch is so bloody useful 😁

Mothership4two · 27/12/2023 20:56

@loveulotslikejellytots read your post and spat out my Baileys. The thought of a useless multipack of brown knickers that you could tuck my tits in really tickled me

ireallycantthinkofaname · 27/12/2023 20:56

My crap present is actually turning out to be stupidly useful (a rechargeable torch). I was so disappointed when I opened it but nope, it's been really handy 😆
(Bit sad of me i know but still).

Zebracat · 27/12/2023 20:55

I got an alpine trough. Absolutely thrilled. I had salivated over them at the garden centre a few months ago, but did not know he noticed. Really difficult thing to be clandestine about too.
we think of gift giving as an innate talent, but it isn’t, it’s learned behaviour. We have always tried to surprise and delight, or to meet a need.We also gave our children a budget and as much help as they needed to get gifts for everyone in the family, from a really young age. We never had a massive budget, but gifts were expected to be thoughtful, personal and nicely wrapped. I feel really sad when I hear of families where only the children are bought gifts. Surely everyone deserves a recognition, and to experience the joy of giving . Having said that, bad gifts make great talking points. My ds was once given 7 slices of beautifully cooked bacon.