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To think this "friend" was really unpleasant about the gift I gave

111 replies

Gaballout · 14/01/2019 10:38

Starting my own business and it's been a very tough few years, financially and long working hours.

Drove a significant distance to visit a friend's new flat for her birthday.

Said friend is very frugal, won't go out for dinner unless at a reasonablly priced chain and just complains about how expensive it is and how it's cheaper to eat at home. She buys all her clothes from tk max or on sale, really does love a bargain.

So I gave her a little box of Aldi Christmas chocolates that did pay half price for. She is always shopping at the outlet village hotel chocolat shop near me and the chocolates looked good.

She opened them infront of everyone and shouted out "omg did you buy me chocolates from Aldi?!", Then after seeing the snowflakes on the package shouted "these were half price?!". Didn't say thanks or anything then said through gritted teeth "I will eat them".

Then opened the next present from someone and it was hotel chocolat chocolates and she said "yes! The real thing!" And thanked the other person.

I was never going to spend much on her because I don't have much and she bins (not even gives to a charity shop) presents that she gets and doesn't like - which is most of them. She only values things if they are expensive, will automatically say she thinks something is better if it's more expensive.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 14/01/2019 10:39

What a bitch

Reaa · 14/01/2019 10:40

Ignore and don't bother buying for them again.

Nothisispatrick · 14/01/2019 10:41

Yes very rude. However I will point out just because someone likes a bargain for themselves doesn’t mean they like cheap gifts, but obvs very rude to say

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Gaballout · 14/01/2019 10:43

I know what you are saying, but they weren't that cheap really - it was a very nice looking deluxe branded and still more expensive than celebrations and all that. It wasn't like a manky cheap chocolate father Christmas for 9p

OP posts:
NWQM · 14/01/2019 10:44

She was ungracious, yes. I’d scrap swooping presents. I might be inclined to say why with an unmeant pointed apology that highlights that Aldi chocs get good reviews. Suggest that you drop swopping presents in 2019 as you ‘don’t want to upset her on her birthday again but it was all you could afford and all very embarrassing’ etc.

bobstersmum · 14/01/2019 10:45

I would have taken them back, ungrateful cow.

Katisha · 14/01/2019 10:48

I've had those Aldi chocolates and a box from Hotel Chocolate. The Aldi ones are nicer. Which she won't be able to bring herself to admit if she agrees!

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 14/01/2019 10:51

So she wont part with her money but is a cow when you dont spend a lot on her?.CF

Butteredghost · 14/01/2019 10:52

How mean, nothing wrong with a little box of chocs. We only did token gifts for our family secret santa this year and I got my secret santa wine from Aldi. It's nice, so why not?

Celebelly · 14/01/2019 10:52

What a rude individual.

AutumnCrow · 14/01/2019 10:58

Do you mean branded as in, didn't have 'Aldi' written on them, but she knew they were from Aldi straight away? So she must shop there, then.

Manners in the gutter, anyway. I'd detach.

MorningsEleven · 14/01/2019 11:01

I see your point but when you have a January birthday receiving Christmas themed presents can make you feel a little undervalued.

regmover · 14/01/2019 11:02

Miserable git! The Aldi chocolates will be better quality than Hotel C anyway. Is she a friend you want to stay in touch with?

Grace212 · 14/01/2019 11:02

how did others respond to her behaviour?

ApolloandDaphne · 14/01/2019 11:03

She was very rude.

One of my friends can be very tight. She works in a school and gets lots of chocolates at Christmas and end of term but she doesn't really like chocolate. She once gave me a box for my birthday that was over a year out of date which she must have taken from her stash. I said nothing and just binned them when i got home.

MatildaTheCat · 14/01/2019 11:03

Very unpleasant but I don’t think you can call Aldi deluxe. Don’t buy for her in future, she doesn’t sound very nice anyway- how good a friend is she really?

TopicalUseOnly · 14/01/2019 11:05

Why are you friends with this person?

She's very nasty.

Also Aldi chocolates are very good, not that that's relevant.

DarlingNikita · 14/01/2019 11:07

Ungracious and rude. Forget buying her stuff again. In fact I'd be tempted to forget the friendship, especially if maintaining it generally involves you driving a significant distance.

Did anyone else present say anything?

Narya · 14/01/2019 11:08

I see your point but when you have a January birthday receiving Christmas themed presents can make you feel a little undervalued

Have to agree with this tbh.

Gaballout · 14/01/2019 11:09

Unbranded so yes she must know that Mr rogh or whatever is aldi. Yes Aldi do do delux, just how Tesco do finest. It often comes out higher than m and s and f and m in tests from what I've seen.

They weren't that Christmas branded - just a few snowflakes and I checked the best before date and they still had 10 months.

Honestly I'm not that close to her anymore, she's totally changed and it was one of many things she did that makes me not want to be friends anymore.

OP posts:
Gaballout · 14/01/2019 11:10

Other people just looked uncomfortable.

OP posts:
SnuggyBuggy · 14/01/2019 11:11

Tightfisted people do also tend to have plenty of other really negative characteristics in my experience. I would reconsider whether she is doing you any good as a friend

LisaSimpsonsbff · 14/01/2019 11:13

Tbh I do think giving Christmas chocolates in January is pretty crap - it would have been fine if it was a random 'thinking of you' present or something ('happened to see these reduced and thought you'd love them!') but it really isn't the best birthday present. BUT that's absolutely no excuse for her incredibly rudeness - I think she'd have been justified in a little internal 'really? That's what she bought me?', but to say what she did out loud, to you and in front of other people, is beyond graceless.

werideatdawn · 14/01/2019 11:15

I wouldn't have given Christmas chocolates for a birthday. She was rude though.

MargoLovebutter · 14/01/2019 11:15

Your friend was really rude and graceless but I'm not sure your gift was in much better spirit.

When you gave the gift you thought about how frugal and penny pinching your 'friend' is and decided that half price Christmas chocolates were appropriate.

I appreciate that you may be hard up and time poor, but how would you feel if you'd been given marked down Christmas chocolates for your birthday in mid-January?

I wonder if perhaps your friendship is not really a good one?

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