If asked for something edible for Christmas, what would you take that to mean?

[AGHHHH]

Would you think I meant chocolate, biscuits or a hamper or something?

Or a few own brand tins of Lidl baked beans and spaghetti loops etc...

Because the latter is what I got from my sister. I prefer to give and never expect anything but she asked what I wanted so I just said don't worry about getting anything big, just something edible will be fine.

I feel I should have been more specific but never expected it! A box of Maltesers would have felt more Christmassy than tins of baked beans. It's the only thing I had to open and it was a bit of a shit day anyway, not to sound ungrateful... and I thanked appropriately.

Anyone else get something a bit... Off?

[Trills]

Depending on who you were I might have thought you meant an edible

(with marijuana in it)

[mortifiedmama]

My nana gives us all a can of tuna for Christmas, every year.

There's other presents too.

The first year with no tuna will be a sad one.

[Stompythedinosaur]

That's bonkers! I would say your meaning was perfectly clear.

[Stompythedinosaur]

Can you get your mum or someone to find out what she was thinking?

[Mybatteredchair]

Are we related , op ? 😆

I received a huge cardboard box as a joint gift from my mum and auntie , inside it was basics range beans , spaghetti , sweetcorn , mayo , hotdogs , noodles and soup . It's the only gift I had from my mum / auntie . Neither of them are hard up , they have numerous holidays abroad , drive expensive cars and it seems they bought my siblings and cousins expensive gifts individually , not joint !
I'm not hard up either so no idea why they thought I'd need tinned food , but never mind .
I was very confused but graciously said thank you , how lovely ect ....

[AGHHHH]

Any bad history betwern you two? It's absolutely bizarre to choose cheapest items she could find. Like she's making a statement?

Nah, no rift, but it certainly looks like a statement. I simply won't make an effort myself next year.

Is it possible that she was trying to be nice / helpful ?

Possibly, I just think it was a severe misunderstanding. I just can't wrap my head around how she managed to go around a supermarket while thinking "ill get my brother tinned ravioli for Christmas!"

Surely they have to be (deep gravelly voice) Marks and Spencer baked beans

😂😂😂

Does she think maybe that you are short of money

She may has her worries as we don't see each other much but she's never had any real cause for concern about my finances ever. I've been away a few times this year, nothing exciting but no reason for her to believe what I need for christmas is beans 😂

@theoldtrout01876 that sounds great! Feel free to swap.

Are we related , op ?

We must be! That sounds equally horrific. I couldn't bring myself to say it was lovely, I just gave a standard thank you. I had to stop myself from asking why I was given baked beans for Christmas day.

Can you get your mum or someone to find out what she was thinking?

I wish I had someone else to ask but she doesn't bother with many from our side of the family.

[AGHHHH]

@mortifiedmama oh yeah that will be sad. A tin of tuna on its own would be bizarre, but as part of other presents and it being a tradition from your nan makes it special. :)

[AGHHHH]

She might have at least got you a loaf of bread so you could make toast to go with them.

@RaiderOfTheKitchenCupboard That's what I was thinking earlier as I was microwaving my spaghetti loops 😂

@Trills haha not for me but it would have been more interesting!

[XmasPostmanBos]

Good thing you didn't ask for smellies.

[AGHHHH]

oh my god.

She would have shit in a box and couriered it to me on Christmas morning.

Service with a smile.

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

That's what I was thinking earlier as I was microwaving my spaghetti loops

I guess at least they were useful and no longer taking up space. Maybe this is the holy grail of adult gift giving and your sister is a trend setter!

[MissWilmottsGhost]

sorry ARGHH but that is hilarious.

DHs family mostly give edibles. Homemade cakes, jams and chutneys, various hampers, posh meat or fish (not wrapped and under the tree obviously, that would be grim).

So far, no spaghetti hoops. Although DH would be quite chuffed to get some of those

[Scoose]

Clutching at straws but do you think maybe she thought you wanted things that you could donate to a food bank in lieu of a present? That's the only feasible explanation

[Ethelswith]

DSis and I often give each other bad taste presents (indeed there's considerable rivalry about finding the most apposite worst). But we know we're playing a game.

So I'd find it funny. I also know most people aren't weird like we are, and for normal people it wouid be the 'good' version of something nice (not utilitarian) - posh crackers, florentines, olives/olive oil, chutney, baklava, maple sugared almonds, Turkish delight

[AGHHHH]

Clutching at straws but do you think maybe she thought you wanted things that you could donate to a food bank in lieu of a present?

No I'm afraid they were intended for me.

[BasiliskStare]

Put it down to experience and just laugh. My SIL gave me once a picture she had made , not to my taste , but kind of her to take the time , but it was a thing with names on and mine was spelled wrongly. I thanked her kindly - it has gone the way of all flesh - I would rather have had baked beans - always useful.

[flapjackfairy]

My friend was mortified when she took home her husband to be to have his first Christmas with her family.
He was unsure what to buy and wanted to get something the family could share so he bought .... ( drum roll )
A sack of spuds !

[BasiliskStare]

@flapjackfairy - that's hilarious. I now have in my mind the drum roll before presentation of the sack of potatoes.

Did he check they had somewhere dark to keep them so they did not sprout. ? - That is his only mistake

This is just getting funnier the more I think of it - "Yes "friend's family" Thank you for welcoming me , and I have bought you "Ta Dah" - all the potatoes you could ever need ( and then whispering , could you give me a hand to get them into the garage) - Oh it's a kind thought . I hope they did not have a little flat with nowhere to store said spuds.

[flapjackfairy]

I know we have been friends for years and i still roar with laughter every time i think of it ! She nearly died !
But they have been married a long time now so no harm done !

[HoppingPavlova]

Meh, one of my (adult) kids would do this. They have Aspergers and if I said something edible they would immediately think something we usually eat. They would think it improbable to wrap a refrigerated item so no doubt would get a tinned or packet item. I’m pretty much thinking they would go for rice or pasta . They would actually be chuffed with themselves about such a ‘wanted’ gift. If I wanted edible and festive I would have to specify this along with appropriate examples or it would definitely be rice/pasta.

[Skittlesandbeer]

We asked for ‘edible gifts’ this year too. We got a small hamper of biscuits (shortbread, etc), and bottles of fancy vinegar, Bitters and sparkling wine. Oh, and a jar of fig and fennel paste- I presume for a cheese platter?

I gave my neighbours jars of home-made preserved lemons, and punnets of new season cherries.

I’d consider ‘edible gifts’ to be a wide and diverse category. But it does not extend to canned goods, unless it’s caviar!

[WaterBird]

Anything that is not refrigerated or frozen.

[Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark]

Clutching at straws here too but she or you are not Slimming World members are you? I'm thinking it sounds like a Slimming World hamper.

[DuggeesWooOOooggle]

You said you opened it in front of all your family and yet it was the only present you had? So no one else gave you anything?

What a horrible lot!

[Didiusfalco]

Im sorry op, but I laughed a little at the idea that you thanked her appropriately what are appropriate thanks for own brand beans as a gift? You’re a better person than me if you pulled off any kind of thank you. Either way it’s shit for you.

I can’t believe anyone could be nt and think that was okay as a gift. A box of Maltesers is £1 fgs. I’d be more inclined to think she didn’t bother at all and grabbed some stuff out the cupboard at the last minute.