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Original poster

Who got the worst gift?

489 replies

arcticpandas · 25/12/2025 21:47

Very very lighthearted. Some people are starving so no whining about not getting the perfect gift. Instead looking at it from a humoristic perspective: who got the worst gift in our family? Please add yours as well..
In our family;

  1. DH got 200 ml cologne while he wanted/needed 100 ml to bring with him on airplane (travels every week).
  2. I got fine chocolate with alcohol from uncle again (everyone has told him I do not like it but he just can't get it). He even added "I know you can't get enough of those". Not passive aggressive- that would be sinister. He really likes me and is convinced I like them.

Also got a large hand bag from DH. Not wildly expensive but still- the cords are too thin- I keep loads of stuff in my handbag. He bought it 3 months ago so can't return it.

  1. DS1 got a sort of a travel bag for mobile Phone to attach on bike from an aunt. He hasn't been riding his bike for years.

4.DS2 got a shirt of his favourite team that was so large on him it looked like a dress. Can't return it. Bil said he will grow in it😅

  1. Dh got Mil a a stylish coat size L. It was too small. Yet Mil isn't a big woman. I'm a medium and it was perfect on me but she's got bigger breasts. She wasn't happy about large being too small.. didn't say anything because very polite but it was obvious she was unhappy.
  1. Aunt got a big box of chocolate. She's on wli and barely eats anything. Def not chocolate. She discreetly passed them on to dh.

So who wins?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Liveinthewoods80 · 26/12/2025 09:01

Following with interest.

HungreeHipp0 · 26/12/2025 09:01

An enormous Limoncello panettone 🤢

evilharpy · 26/12/2025 08:57

My 11 year old daughter loves baking and cooking. My elderly mum gave her a toddler's chef's hat that would maybe fit a 3 year old if they were small for their age.

Mum2Fergus · 26/12/2025 08:53

arcticpandas · 26/12/2025 07:02

Ouch... are you a Mil?

Show quote history

Nope. It was from SIL.

AhBiscuits · 26/12/2025 08:48

No particularly bad gifts in my family. Probably the the least useful one was some flavoured coffee syrups that DH got from MIL. I literally threw out a set nearly the same a few weeks ago that had been the cupboard for about 5 years. We just don't use them.

AnAudacityofinlaws · 26/12/2025 08:44

@GrinchoftheNorth wins. I laughed out loud at that one.

santasbaubles · 26/12/2025 08:41

I got a big Lego set as my gift from DH. I wouldn’t mind but he also got Lego as my only present for my birthday a few months ago, and while I don’t hate Lego, I’m not the world’s biggest fan of it either! We haven’t even really got room for it in our house. We have two kids under 7 so the house is already brimming with toys.

He was so proud to give it to me, bless him.

Wishimaywishimight · 26/12/2025 08:37

GrinchoftheNorth · 25/12/2025 23:43

A romantic weekend away in London with partner, lovely I thought, because I usually have to take charge of booking everything when we go away.

Turns out he's booked us in a 'capsule hotel'. So separate rooms, in separate areas of the building. The room itself is actually just a bed you crawl into and a shutter you pull down. Like sleeping in a self storage facility. Don't worry though, apparently he'll buy me a combination lock so I can lock myself in and feel safe...... FML

Sorry but this made me laugh! I have never heard of this sort of hotel but it sounds hideous.

WinterWonder · 26/12/2025 08:36

MerryChristmasFilthyAnimals · 26/12/2025 03:36

3 Baylis & Harding gift sets…

Knowing how much mumsnet hates them I’d say I’m in the running to win.

One was off a neighbour, one from my friends daughter which was really sweet but the 3rd one was (amongst other lovely gifts) from my DP.
He was so proud of himself saying he’d got the brand I always use and got it at a really good price as I don’t normally let him use it and say it’s too expensive.
I use Molton Brown and can’t bear to tell him and hurt him so I’ll be using the B&H stuff as quickly as possible so I can replace it!

It occurred to me this year when I was buying my DD a B&H gift set, that maybe I should pay up and go for Molton Brown. As a kid my Mam bought Molton Brown for us & I knew the difference. My DD does not, and she believes B&H are really good, so I bought it and congratulated myself on keeping her expectations reasonable! (Though she has made up for it in other gift choices!)

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 26/12/2025 08:35

PeeledOranges · 26/12/2025 06:18

I got some old lady slippers and a super warm blanket from my DP and a few generic bits from my Amazon wish list which I mostly keep updated for the dcs to choose gifts from.
Overall he spent less than £100 on me - I'm not bothered about the amount of money he spent. However I know he's spent £450 on the other woman which I've recently discovered. He's booked a weekend away in a beautiful cottage for them both. They are going this weekend. He doesn't know that I know but he will when he gets back!!

I'm sorry, that's shit.💐

How are you going to tell him?

I hope you have your proverbial ducks in a row.

MumoftwoNC · 26/12/2025 08:35

This is the thread I needed. I'm firmly giving my head a wobble - I got given some plates and bowls, which I asked for as our old ones are from student days (15+ y old). They are from a nice brand. Sadly, I think they are very ugly and I'll wince every time I use them. (If you have heard of trypophobia you'll understand what I mean!)

But they were very well meant, by people I love. Not on a par with the capsule hotel...!!

Still I'd have rather had the pink night jacket or even the soap on the rope

WinterWonder · 26/12/2025 08:27

My DH got me a fake USA military medal (Purple Heart….with cluster!) for outstanding services to the family. I actually thought it was hilarious as we both like old Steven Seagal action films and always joke about this, but he says he tried a few times to explain to people before Xmas what he got me & it never landed. Judging by the baffled faces of our family yesterday morning, I don’t think I’ll be telling anyone else either

kshaw · 26/12/2025 08:26

My lovely nan has always been a bit crap with gifts and always an oddball included but this year 2 teatowels with 'tenerife' wrote on...she hasn't been to Tenerife for at least 6 years 😂 made me laugh

Doggymummar · 26/12/2025 08:25

Newsenmum · 26/12/2025 08:19

Am I the only one who thinks this is cute?

Show quote history

No they're great. Stylish and practical

Newsenmum · 26/12/2025 08:24

LittleMi55Nobody · 26/12/2025 08:03

i think thats sweet , swap your memory jar for my roll on deodrant x

Show quote history

Ill have another deodorant

Newsenmum · 26/12/2025 08:23

I was very lucky this year. Lots of lovely practical gifts.

Previously I have been given a box of out of date chocolates (that had also melted and then re-solidified). Also some 100% polyester pjs when I specifically asked for 100% cotton as apparently Im sweaty and find them uncomfortable these days.

Newsenmum · 26/12/2025 08:19

Palaminoponyclub · 25/12/2025 22:01

My mil got me an old lady house coat. Akin to the picture attached. But it’s pink. 😶

Am I the only one who thinks this is cute?

Toooldforlonghair · 26/12/2025 08:17

Great presents this year but then nothing is ever going to top the bag of cable ties that I got 2 years ago from my best friend!

WinterWonder · 26/12/2025 08:16

Muffinmam · 26/12/2025 05:58

I got a foot spa. You can only add warm water to it. You can’t add bath salts or any soap or detergents. It has no heating element. The “massage” element does absolutely nothing it’s just a bit of plastic attached to the plastic bath that clips in and sits there and does nothing. It’s not broken - it’s designed to do nothing.

It came with a pumice stone which appeared to be some sort of plasticised concrete. It started to break up in my dry hand as I opened it and realised it wasn’t actually a pumice stones. It is plastic and almost a clay type concrete.

I never ever indicated I wanted a foot spa. It’s one more thing I need to throw out.

Isn’t this just a bucket then? 😂

voxnihili · 26/12/2025 08:07

I couldn’t think of what I wanted so family decided to give money. Last week I saw a jacket on Vinted I loved and bought it. It was a good price but not a ‘too good to be true’ price. In my excitement, I didn’t check the seller’s reviews. Turned out to be a scam and I received 3 sweets. At least it solved the mystery of how you can scam someone on Vinted as they hold the money. The seller had somehow changed my name on the label and the door number - presumably so I would get delivered and I wouldn’t realise until after the 2 days. Luckily my Evri driver is on the ball and brought it to me as that’s the address it showed when he scanned the barcode. I’m yet to have a response from Vinted about getting my money back.

Nifty50something · 26/12/2025 08:04

I got a little plaque that says "if friends were flowers I would pick you." Not just tacky but...does anyone else find that a bit sinister? Pick a flower and it dies 😂!

Also a hand painted framed abstract picture by my MiL. She is not talented ..and we already have stacks of her "art" in the garage

LittleMi55Nobody · 26/12/2025 08:03

Mum2Fergus · 26/12/2025 00:35

Old coffee jar containing a (used) pen and open packet of Post-it notes…it’s a memory jar apparently.

i think thats sweet , swap your memory jar for my roll on deodrant x

Catsandcwtches · 26/12/2025 08:02

My worst one was a bath bomb and soap making kit I got for my 6 yo daughter. It was in the kids toy section and had kids style packaging. Opened it to discover it’s horrendously complicated and has lots of chemicals you have to be careful with. Worst thing is I only have myself to blame!

PonkyPonky · 26/12/2025 07:58

DS’ main request was Lego train tracks and a train. I got both but managed to buy the ONE Lego train that doesn’t fit on the tracks!

SapphireSeptember · 26/12/2025 07:55

Catladywithoutacat · 26/12/2025 01:31

Anyone who got any bath sets or lynx got the worse gifts

I buy myself those in the sales! Cheap way of stocking up on Soap and Glory. (I love Soap and Glory.)

My friend got me a bookcase! I don't have a lot of furniture, so I appreciate it, and last year she got me a stick blender/food processor thing, so I could make things for DS when he started weaning, (did get used a lot, I used to cook up loads of veggies, fruit and meat then freeze the purée in ice cube trays.) I need to try my hand at making soup, because I love soup, and I can make them low salt and sugar for DS.

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