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

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.

A relative who’s known for very bizarre gifts has outdone herself this year. Not even the charity shop would want it!
I dug out her previous contender for worst gift and my DC’s couldn’t decide which was the ugliest. This years is certainly the heaviest. I’m going to keep it in case we get burgled as a weapon (for self defence of course).

Nothing here. I always get money so I bought 2 pairs of lovely boots and an item Id been coveting off etsy for ages.
DiL always gets me makeup which I wear a lot of so apart from the red lipstick which doesn't suit me at all I'll use all of that.

Our diaries are also bagged up to go - have never in my life used a paper diary but MIL still buys me one every year.

My in-laws seem to have downgraded our usual boots 3-for-2. Instead of soap and glory we’re on weird made up branded bath sets which are bagged up already to go straight to the charity shop. They’ve also discovered temu this year 🙄

We also wish they just wouldn’t spend the money - just makes us feel rubbish about little thought or care goes into it when it’s bags and bags of unwrapped generic poor quality “stuff”.

We don't go overboard with presents so nothing for the charity shop but I seem to have bought excessively in the biscuit and cracker aisle so they may need to go to the food bank.

I am keeping an eye on vinted for cashmere gloves or scarf and good wool socks.

Definitely. Loads of people like a traditional diary still, that's why they sell them.

Just a box of Milk Tray will go to the food bank collection point.

Would a charity shop appreciate a National Trust diary?

MIL gets me one every year, despite me mentioning how fab it is to have a diary on my phone at every opportunity. I have no use whatsoever for a paper diary.

Nothing. Am keeping the fluffy socks and the body wash too. I am very easy to please!!

Surprisingly nothing this year - family stuck to lists and what we agreed to get. Lots of experience tickets so looking forward to 2026 with more money in our pockets and less guilt!

Not the charity shop but I am going to have to fob the pack of Ferrero Rocher I got off on someone who does not have coeliac disease

I got a very generous and lovely gift voucher from BIL and SIL, but also inexplicably a load of socks which came vacuum packed - I think they wanted me to have something to open. I’ll bring them to the homeless shelter in the new year.

I’ll be having my boots 3 for 2 portion of Christmas at the weekend when we see the in laws. I do really wish they wouldn’t bother, for their own finances more than anything. We come home with bags and bags of stuff like fluffy socks and gift sets and it takes an age to go through. It’s buying for the sake of it and never personal. Also my MIL smokes in her house so we have to drive home with bags of stale smoke smelling gifts and then I have to wash or wipe everything. Can’t wait.