Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Come on then, which gifts are going to the charity shop?

164 replies

lemonsherberts6 · 25/12/2025 23:09

2 soap and glory gift sets. My skin is sensitive, so I can’t use anything like that.
Baylis and Harding hand set - same deal.
A candle - never use them.
Pink gin - don’t like and never drink it.

It’s always the same people, no thought put into it. I think they just grab random bits from the 3 for 2 at Boots. I’d never say anything, of course, but it’s the same stuff every year and it gets a bit disappointing as I always make an effort to buy gifts that people actually enjoy or will use. Honestly, I’d prefer if they just saved their money.

What has everyone else had?

OP posts:
LokeyCokey · 26/12/2025 23:04

Every year my in-laws get us one of those “experience” voucher things, there is never anything I want to do and/or that’s local so it seems like a massive waste! I so wish they’d just do a voucher for normal stuff! Grin

AmyDuPlantier · 26/12/2025 23:02

A pair of jammies which are cosy and soft but look like a 70s sofa. I feel awful but they are terminally ugly.

Dontgochasingrainbows · 26/12/2025 22:58

therewasafishinthepercolator · 26/12/2025 22:57

Temu slippers and socks. 4 pairs of each.

Is it OK to send to charity? I've read that Temu stuff does not meet safety standards so we don't want it but I'm not entirely sure what to do with it. It's so wasteful to bin it but I don't want to pass on potentially unsafe items...

I really wish SIL would stop present buying. Every year with the Temu stuff. So wasteful. And i hate her wasting her money. We have tried. We agreed no presents from now on as our kids are all adults but then she sent a pile of presents down to us via MIL anyway.

I'd bin the Temu stuff to be honest.
it is actual rubbish.

Dontgochasingrainbows · 26/12/2025 22:57

lemonsherberts6 · 26/12/2025 22:27

I’ve never told them directly, because it does seem rude, but I have talked about how I’m not a fan of candles, don’t drink (and if I do, it’s not gin), have sensitive skin, and so on infront of them. It seems like people either don’t pay much attention or just don’t care. For the past 4 Christmases, I’ve received a candle from the same person. Honestly, I wish she would just save her money. Next year, I’m definitely going to cut back, or I might just say I’m not doing gifts at all. I think that would be easier

Show quote history

I did this with a close friend.
We always bought for each other but our tastes are very different.
She tended to buy me ornaments or pictures for the house. I don't display ornaments and pictures are very personal in my opinion.
I bought her practical gifts or pieces of jewellery. In hindsight we bought bought we liked ourselves.
We stopped and buy for each other's kids now. But the kids are getting older and its a bit pointless as we are just swapping vouchers for the same amounts and hoping we got the shops right.

therewasafishinthepercolator · 26/12/2025 22:57

Temu slippers and socks. 4 pairs of each.

Is it OK to send to charity? I've read that Temu stuff does not meet safety standards so we don't want it but I'm not entirely sure what to do with it. It's so wasteful to bin it but I don't want to pass on potentially unsafe items...

I really wish SIL would stop present buying. Every year with the Temu stuff. So wasteful. And i hate her wasting her money. We have tried. We agreed no presents from now on as our kids are all adults but then she sent a pile of presents down to us via MIL anyway.

Dollybantree · 26/12/2025 22:45

Some pyjamas I won’t wear (I only wear the stretchy jersey type material) and a necklace dh bought me is being returned (not to the charity shop). I had seen it online and coveted it but it’s arrived and is unfortunately a really weird yellow-y gold colour - it looks like it fell out of a Christmas cracker yet cost over £200!

RyanFudgingMurphy · 26/12/2025 22:42

Not Christmas but my birthday was a month ago & I got one of thise awful B&H sets. They just scream: I don't really know you/can't be bothered to try.

Christmas was ok, because I got nice things that I will keep. Although someone bought me a Crazy Cat Lady coaster. I inherited a cat against my will, and we tolerate each other, but I prefer dogs.

MumChp · 26/12/2025 22:40

None - kids can eat the sweets and chocolates. No big deal.

Original poster
lemonsherberts6 · 26/12/2025 22:36

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 26/12/2025 09:16

Do you think none of your oh so thoughtful gifts don't end up in the Charity shop?

Undoubtedly. Nobody gets it right every time, I hope when I get it wrong the presents are passed on accordingly.

I think getting it wrong once in a blue moon is slightly different to getting it wrong every year though (in my opinion)

OP posts:
BunsBoots · 26/12/2025 22:35

A purse, a xmas plate, a candle and a makeup bag.

Original poster
lemonsherberts6 · 26/12/2025 22:27

Happyjoe · 26/12/2025 00:29

Without you telling them that you don't like the presents/can't use them then they are probably thinking the same thing as you - that they're being thoughtful and getting you something you like and use! Each year you probably say 'how lovely', pretend to be pleased.... and the cycle continues! 😀

Show quote history

I’ve never told them directly, because it does seem rude, but I have talked about how I’m not a fan of candles, don’t drink (and if I do, it’s not gin), have sensitive skin, and so on infront of them. It seems like people either don’t pay much attention or just don’t care. For the past 4 Christmases, I’ve received a candle from the same person. Honestly, I wish she would just save her money. Next year, I’m definitely going to cut back, or I might just say I’m not doing gifts at all. I think that would be easier

OP posts:
Original poster
lemonsherberts6 · 26/12/2025 22:26

I’ve never told them directly, because it does seem rude, but I have talked about how I’m not a fan of candles, don’t drink (and if I do, it’s not gin), have sensitive skin, and so on. It seems like people either don’t pay much attention or just don’t care. For the past 4 Christmases, I’ve received a candle from the same person. Honestly, I wish she would just save her money. Next year, I’m definitely going to cut back, or I might just say I’m not doing gifts at all. I think that would be easier.

OP posts:
Original poster
lemonsherberts6 · 26/12/2025 22:17

EchoedSilence · 26/12/2025 08:30

Nothing, I love any bath and shower gel sets. They go in the bathroom and all get used.

Do you think none of your oh so thoughtful gifts don't end up in the Charity shop?

That's great for you! I don't have a choice though, I can't use body sets due to sensitive skin so it’s not a case of me being ungrateful.

Sure, there's a possibility that some of my gifts could have gone to charity, but I doubt it. I say this because I have a pretty good memory and I pay attention to what people say in conversations / take note of their preferences. My mum was the same (remembers little things) and people have always commented on her gifts, how she remembered something, etc. Not everyone does that though or remembers (or even cares really)

OP posts:
Olderbutt · 26/12/2025 12:53

Three things from one friend, sadly, no thought whatsoever but is very picky about what she receives. One of the items is a complete mystery and even she doesn't know what it is!

PhantomOfAllKnowledge · 26/12/2025 12:38

ElevensesKing · 26/12/2025 12:18

There used to be a long running thread years ago on mn where people did that and passed on unwanted gifts or swapped with others. I think it stopped due to covid but I certainly remember this thread. Does anyone else remember it?

Edited

Yes, I remember it. As well as Covid, as the site grew larger, the thread started to attract scammers - people were sending off their gifts to swap, and getting nothing in return. I never participated as I only receive a few gifts from immediate family, but I enjoyed lurking on the thread.

ElevensesKing · 26/12/2025 12:18

There used to be a long running thread years ago on mn where people did that and passed on unwanted gifts or swapped with others. I think it stopped due to covid but I certainly remember this thread. Does anyone else remember it?

Sartre · 26/12/2025 11:52

MIL got us disgusting matching pyjamas with King and Queen on the shirt. We pissed ourselves laughing once she’d left. My Mum got us really random weird presents too, I’m not entirely sure what she was thinking with some. A salt lamp for example? I don’t know why anyone wants a lump of salt with a light in it.

AuntieDolly · 26/12/2025 11:51

Most of them, but that’s where they came from! We buy £5 charity shop items for the adults and re-donate what we don’t want to keep

Gcn · 26/12/2025 11:42

One of these. It's a calendar, that you need to change manually every day (so need to know the date???) it's big and pointless and the latest shit gift from dsil. I think she thinks it's funny to get shit gifts, but what a waste of money...

Come on then, which gifts are going to the charity shop?
SparrowFeet · 26/12/2025 11:35

Nucleus · 25/12/2025 23:29

My Avon room scents Advent calendar from MIL that she says lots of people recommended it to her as a perfect Christmas gift. Can someone make it make sense to give an Advent calendar as a Christmas present?!

I get migraines from room scents/air fresheners etc, so I cannot use it, which she does know. I am also pretty sure it is from last year as it says packaged in 2024 on the back and that she probably got it as a tombola prize. It would not be the first time she has done this.

If it's one of those 12 door ones then it's meant for between Christmas and epiphany. No idea why they call it Advent as it's a 12 days of Christmas one!

Missing the point about the fragrance giving you a headache there ...

JustAboutMuddlingThrough · 26/12/2025 11:11

Nothing. I always appreciate every gift I’m am given

Sharpzebra · 26/12/2025 10:31

Nothing but then I don't do Christmas presents or receive we prefer not to tbh

Flibbertyfloo · 26/12/2025 10:21

Coffeeishot · 26/12/2025 08:13

I have chocolates that i don't like, I can't even charity shop those,

Food bank

BabyLikesMsRachel · 26/12/2025 10:11

Actually I don't think anything from this year but we don't get many presents all. The children got a couple of duplicates though so those will be probs be regifted.

SimplyBudgie · 26/12/2025 10:07

Nothing.

But the selection of bath and body giftsets I get from dh's siblings and a couple of elderly aunts keeps me in school raffle donations all year 😂

Swipe left for the next trending thread