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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
HoppityBun · 26/12/2025 16:07

BonneMamanAbricot · 26/12/2025 13:07

Please say this was from a child!

Please say it wasn’t 🍿

tabulahrasa · 26/12/2025 16:04

I got a 2 ft inflatable velociraptor… with a slow puncture 😐😂

HoppityBun · 26/12/2025 16:02

HopelesslyNaive98 · 26/12/2025 10:11

DS (autism/PDA) got a guitar the right size for him which I had lovingly decorated with stickers of things he likes. This ‘ruined Christmas’ because a) he already owns a guitar (full adult size - too big for him to comfortably play), b) he cannot possibly own two guitars, and c) the stickers are too nice and he will be sad every time he looks at it because his ‘old’ guitar doesn’t have the same stickers. Despite me just offering to buy him the same stickers again. And get rid of the new guitar. This is an ongoing source of distress.

DS also got a ‘foil fun’ art set. In theory a great idea. In practise he found it too fiddly and it caused a three hour meltdown.

That’s really tough on you @HopelesslyNaive98 It really brings home the realities of parenting autism and PDA. Perhaps in time your son will get used to the guitar that fits him

Appalonia · 26/12/2025 15:55

Ooh that sounds really interesting! Could you share the name of that podcast please?

Appalonia · 26/12/2025 15:41

My birthday is a few days after Christmas and one year my sister gave me a cuticle set which had been given to HER as a present. And she was very proud to tell me that too! ( which is one reason why I didn't go stay with her for Christmas, especially as they don't ' do ' presents anymore).

So I saved the money on the train fare and yesterday bought myself a lovely dress in the Monsoon sale!😂

ElatedFox · 26/12/2025 15:39

Pinkwhales · 26/12/2025 07:52

You win, that is horrible

No it isn't !!

AngryLikeHades · 26/12/2025 15:38

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.

Does it show a brand? I'd love to know how it's listed online.
Could it be from Temu?

CountryMusicFan · 26/12/2025 15:36

JollyMintWasp · 26/12/2025 15:32

The 200 ml cologne for someone who flies every week wins for me. That’s pure chaos energy. Runner up is the bike phone bag for someone who doesn’t ride anymore. At least the chocolate can be re gifted and the coat might fit someone else. The cologne is just aggressively impractical.

Yes. Did they ask for the 100ml? Pretty shit if they were then bought the 200ml if the gift giver knew it was for travelling, 😬

Calliopespa · 26/12/2025 15:35

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

So much to unpack here ...😬

Digglesthedog · 26/12/2025 15:34

I got chocolates with nuts in them from two different people. I am allergic to most nuts. They were from close family members who really should know better 😂

JollyMintWasp · 26/12/2025 15:32

The 200 ml cologne for someone who flies every week wins for me. That’s pure chaos energy. Runner up is the bike phone bag for someone who doesn’t ride anymore. At least the chocolate can be re gifted and the coat might fit someone else. The cologne is just aggressively impractical.

CountryMusicFan · 26/12/2025 15:31

@NeverDropYourMooncup She likes cats and dogs, she just doesn’t see cows, pigs, sheep etc in the same way. Her choice. I’m not interested in pissing her off and joining in with her pathetic games and passive aggressiveness. Anyway, lighthearted thread, let’s not derail further. Voucher will be binned, that won’t be changing.

Sheeppig · 26/12/2025 15:30

My MIL bought me some bathroom scales despite us already having a perfectly good set. Oh and I was 7 months pregnant (and huge) at the time...

ElatedFox · 26/12/2025 15:29

Palaminoponyclub · 25/12/2025 22:01

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

What's wrong with that?
The one shown is a nice colour (I'm not sure about pink though.)
It's a good length and has nice deep pockets. 🙂

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/12/2025 15:16

CountryMusicFan · 26/12/2025 15:04

No.

It would probably really, really piss the giver off if she were told you gave abandoned kittens food for a month with it, though.

Because it's about animal welfare, isn't it?

Purpleandredandyellow · 26/12/2025 15:15

We got tummy bug with one child in middle of night followed by second child 2 hours later!!

PopTheKettleOnx · 26/12/2025 15:14

I got some lovely gifts this year, but it was the gifts for the kids what were questionable. My parents have a habit of jumping in before me to buy that the my children ask for.

My eldest got a tracksuit and trainers in totally the wrong size in both clothes and trainers - I was told they don't stock their size in either and as they knew they asked for this particular set they thought any size was better than nothing and they didn't have the recipts to return (in other words they saw both things in sht shop and grabbed whatever thinking that'll do) 😬 mother then fell out with me today when I went and bought the items in the correct size to fix it and cheer said child up, she suddenly found the said receipts after I had paid for the items... And called me underhanded.

Also my youngest, a baby girl, 3 months, received 5 blatantly boys outfits and the reaction to my face was "well I don't get to buy boy clothes because the entire family seems to be female, what's wrong with the clothes, girls can wear those too not just boys, you like cars and your an adult what's the difference"

As for me, I think the worst part was receiving pyjamas and clothes size 6/8 when I'm a size 12/14.

These were all off my own parents. Who see and spend time with my family several times a week.

I'm sure I'll laugh about it soon!

housethatbuiltme · 26/12/2025 15:06

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/12/2025 14:57

Donate it to an animal rescue, then? They could use it to feed the cats and dogs.

Interesting concept

Obviously cats need to eat meat and our local rescue rescues a lot of cats so I suppose it might be useful but they are also a vegan charity and is very strict on the policy that it does not accept non vegan donations so I wonder where this would fall.

CountryMusicFan · 26/12/2025 15:04

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/12/2025 14:57

Donate it to an animal rescue, then? They could use it to feed the cats and dogs.

No.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/12/2025 14:57

CountryMusicFan · 26/12/2025 14:27

Because I’m vegan and it goes against my principles. It’s not my responsibility to feed other people’s families, least of all something I don’t agree with.

Donate it to an animal rescue, then? They could use it to feed the cats and dogs.

Turtleyturtles · 26/12/2025 14:55

I got one of those plastic plate covers for the microwave to stop splashing from a good friend. I can't imagine ever remembering to use it. It makes me wonder if she has looked in my microwave and thinks I need it!

MumoftwoNC · 26/12/2025 14:51

JustMarriedBecca · 26/12/2025 13:19

Toilet brush.

This beats the balinese cat into third place, surely!

Was it, like, a Christmas novelty one...? A gold one?!

Or just a toilet brush!

Rantymare · 26/12/2025 14:41

Ihateslugs · 26/12/2025 09:31

My sister got me exactly what I wanted, the new Ninja mini chopper, a small food processor that will be ideal for chopping veg for salads, crushing ice for my drinks and making sauces in small quantities. My daughter works for Ninja/Shark so gets a fantastic staff discount ( my house is full of their products) so I assume she didn’t think she had spent enough so bought me another gadget. The cordless smoothie maker with a travel flask, very nice if you like smoothies ( I don’t drink milk or cream so smoothies are not my thing) and to all intents and purposes it works just like the mini chopper she also bought! It’s a bit odd for her as she is usually brilliant at buying gifts for me and that is not easy!

However, I’m thinking if I crush ice with frozen berries it will make a really tasty mixer for my gin! I go to a monthly gin club where we sample different gins and enjoy a chat and I’m sure it will go down a storm if I take it with me! The range of interests in my WI is extensive, it’s not just jam and Jerusalem!

I dont drink milk or cream either but you can make fantastic smoothies with frozen berries and fruit juice, maybe some plant milk substitute if you like that. Nut butters work well.
Don't try it as an alcohol mixer😆! It doesn't really work, all the alcohol sticks together and sort of floats on the top. A friend told me this obviously

Pandersmum · 26/12/2025 14:27

Sugargliderwombat · 25/12/2025 22:18

Oh I feel for MIL. I'd be embarrased if I were her.

We had the same. Told DH what to buy for his parents. He went shop for a size 10/12 item for his mum. Came home with a size 8, as shop assistant said they were big fitting. It wasn’t. Awkward on Xmas day - MIL who is not big, was then upset!