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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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
Skybluepinky · 29/12/2025 22:35

Just got to say, this post has kept me giggling for hours, some really terrible presents. Mine are lovely in comparison.

Skybluepinky · 29/12/2025 22:34

OneHangryRedTiger · 28/12/2025 11:58

Ii had a pair of PJs that i bought myself. From SD i had a £4.99 diffuser while her dad had amazing gifts. Am i wrong to be upset

You bought something lovely for her parent you just happen to be with her parent, you were lucky she bought you anything.

Skybluepinky · 29/12/2025 22:31

BeBlueBiscuit · 28/12/2025 19:37

Anti wrinkle cream from dil.Wasnt too happy about that as I was 62 and look 52.I guess she doesn't like me.

At 40 most use anti wrinkle cream, so no idea why at 62 you have an issue with it.

buckleberryferry · 29/12/2025 22:18

I got a themed gift…
The Nightmare Before Christmas chopping board….
The Nightmare Before Christmas baking dish….
The Nightmare Before Christmas spatula set….
The Nightmare Before Christmas mugs x4 all identical….

this would be a great gift for a teenager off to uni, or someone who’s VERY into Tim Burton… but they’ve been to our house, they’ve known me for 20+ years… not sure what the thinking was. Though the gift-giver does tend to get trigger happy during the sales and these items aren’t currently on sale.

I’m not ungrateful, its just not my cup of tea.

Pomegranatecarnage · 29/12/2025 22:12

Many years ago I was “gifted” a Sky Sports subscription by my sports-mad partner. I hate watching sport. The following year he bought me a voucher for a deportment lesson as he didn’t like the way I walked. I was also given an inter-Milan football shirt (size M mens-coincidentally his size) for a birthday-never liked football or expressed any interest in inter Milan.

LemaxObsessive · 29/12/2025 22:09

@SusanChurchouseThat’s appalling behaviour. I’m very familiar with ASD as my child has it but showing gratitude and graciousness is not a ‘demand’ it’s common decency. My DD wouldn’t dream of behaving like that and believe me she can be extremely challenging. Your DS owes you one hell of an apology

Potterurotter · 29/12/2025 22:08

I got my own gift given back to me which I only gave a month ago 😁

LemaxObsessive · 29/12/2025 22:01

Dollybantree · 27/12/2025 22:46

No. At the risk of sounding like an arse - I am wealthy. I could afford to buy only Penhaligan’s Halfeti hand wash if I wanted to (and I do occasionally to be used just by me!)- but quite honestly why would I waste the money on something that gets literally washed down the drain?

It doesn’t matter which hand wash you buy, it cleanses your hands and the smell is gone after 5 minutes. There seems to be some weird kind of snobbery around B&H on MN like “ooh, it’s SO rubbish and a sure sign you have no taste” it’s like some kind of moronic, collective Hyacinth Bucket type mentality where all the B&H mean girls gang up together to prove how none-chavvy they are.

Its weird. It’s just hand-wash guys! And some of them smell very nice and are perfectly fine to be used in the downstairs cloakroom of my £3 million pound house 🤷‍♀️ who gives a shit?

It’s really sort of wannabe-bourgeois. I find it very interesting actually 😂

I love how you’ve dropped in the value of your house! 🤣🤣🤣🤣👏🏻

LemaxObsessive · 29/12/2025 21:49

I got a spider catcher. That’s it! That’s the grand total of my gifts!

Skybluepinky · 29/12/2025 21:48

VipersKiss · 26/12/2025 11:32

I got a probe which gives the clit an electric shock, I wanted jewellery, still time will tell and I might end up never leaving the house.

😂oh my, not much difference

Gettingbysomehow · 29/12/2025 21:27

I remember some years ago I asked my .notoriously tight ex husband to get me some jewellery as Id never had an engagement ring from him.
I got this metal bracelet, just some nasty tin type stuff that made my skin go green with some dyed rose quartz that may have actually been some kind of paste that had been stuck on to it with a glue gun and you could see all the glue around the stones.
It cant have cost more than a pound.
I bought myself a divorce within the year.

ismiledather · 29/12/2025 21:13

@LateLifeReturnee

Did it not occur to him that if you were a fan you'd have had some of their music already?!

Nikkidolphin · 29/12/2025 18:57

I got coat hangers from my husband. They fold up and he thought they’d be perfect to take away on holiday 😂. Luckily he also got me a couple of gifts that I’d asked for or he may have been in the dog house.

OVienna · 29/12/2025 14:49

iremembersnappedandfarted · 28/12/2025 00:01

I spent about £3k on the ‘perfect’ Christmas; trips to see Santa, decorations, food, gifts (probably more for his side than mine), organised 95% of what needed to be done, who was getting what etc etc and got him a lovely gift from our DC. I got nothing.
I also work FT and pay 90% of all household costs.
Feeling so miserable I could cry.

Treat yourself to something lovely. And bin this melt off!

Crucible · 29/12/2025 13:53

Liveinthewoods80 · 28/12/2025 10:27

omg, this is so funny.

Do you at least own a cockerpoo?

rainbowunicorn22 · 29/12/2025 12:34

Hippolata · 27/12/2025 21:48

Off MiL, complete with charity shop price sticker still on ...

these are actually quite valuable and collectable

Rhaenys · 29/12/2025 10:57

I got money. The only physical gift I got were a pair of plain white socks, which I thought was quite funny

creamcakesintherain · 28/12/2025 21:51

Two waxed unrefridgerated cheeses. One was cheddar, one cheddar with Guiness. No one in the house likes Guinness. No expiry dates. Had been out of a fridge for a long time. Both in the bin.

Some people just seem to struggle with gift purchasing ? The cheese was from my MIL who buys really random gifts that we never like, such as flavoured gin (we both loathe gin), induvidual Radox bath soak from the supermarket (we both shower) Jack Daniels (DH doesn't like whisky) wrapped up free church leaflet books for DD (?), book on the human body for highly squeamish DS, reusable shopping bags, large ugly serving dish with an aubergine on it when we were just 2 of us and didn't host....the list goes on and on !

henlake7 · 28/12/2025 20:43

My mum, bless her, got so close this year....
A lovely scarf that is gold and sparkly and I couldn't realistically wear anywhere.
A new hot water bottle with an insanely difficult to get into cover.
And cosy bed socks that are trainer style (why would you want cold ankles?).
But the thought was there!

BeBlueBiscuit · 28/12/2025 20:28

Haha,that's what me and sis bought my dad...in 1972,he loved it and used to hang it over the bath taps.

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 28/12/2025 20:21

BeBlueBiscuit · 28/12/2025 19:37

Anti wrinkle cream from dil.Wasnt too happy about that as I was 62 and look 52.I guess she doesn't like me.

I've been using anti wrinkle cream since I was about 35! I don't think it means she doesn't like you.

BeBlueBiscuit · 28/12/2025 19:37

Anti wrinkle cream from dil.Wasnt too happy about that as I was 62 and look 52.I guess she doesn't like me.

BeBlueBiscuit · 28/12/2025 19:26

How about a jar of anti-wrinkle cream from my dil.I guess she doesn't like,never get on though for years

Diblin93 · 28/12/2025 16:38

I love coffee. I can live without food but not without coffee. Everybody who know me, know I like coffee. My sister in law bought me a box of organic tea bags.

linsey2581 · 28/12/2025 16:17

Pudmyboy · 27/12/2025 20:21

Next have other brands online, maybe you could use your voucher on a non-Next item?

It’s still giving money to Next, i’ll
give it to someone at work.