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Original poster

Have you ever received a present so shity saying thank you made you cringe?

408 replies

BlueMoonAndRedNose · 09/08/2019 07:40

I turn 50 at the beg of Sept. A friend asked to meet me for coffee yesterday and gave me a gift, she asked me not to open it there and then, but she didn't mean to wait for my birthday either.
This friend of mine turned 50 2 years ago and I gave her a stunning Becksondergaard scarf which she has worn a lot, I see her in photos wearing it all the time.
Got home, opened the present, it is a plain little milk jug. No tag on it, no label, looks unused but old, has a small chip on the handle.
I am not usually materialistic but I think that this is a thoughtless present and nothing, or a £5. bottle of wine would have been more appropriate.

OP posts:
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cooksomeeggs · 09/08/2019 07:42

Maybe that's all she could afford at the time?
I was a poor student for my sisters 30th but was doing better for her 31st and took her away for a spa weekend. Sometimes it's swings and roundabouts.

CadburySpira · 09/08/2019 07:46

Is it a hint for present to come? You don’t sound ungrateful as it is a bit of an odd gift unless you collect milk jugs or something

furrytoebean · 09/08/2019 07:50

My dm is TERRIBLE at gifts (and it’s not a money thing) she gave my sister an office chair for her 18th Hmm

My Dgm always gets me a small box of nice expensive chocolates for my birthday as I’m very much in the ‘I’d rather have a small amount of nice things than a large amount of not so nice things’ camp.
The year I turned vegan my grandma panicked and asked my mam to buy the chocolates. My mam went to Costco and spent the money on a HUGE box of those space invader sweets, you know the kind that are paper with sherbet in? There was about 1000 of them. I’ve never ever liked them, ever.

That year she also got me a random strawberry sauce to put on ice cream and a half used box of Japanese spice mix.

LizziesTwin · 09/08/2019 07:51

Just send her a thank you note/text saying you’d opened it and how you’ll think of her when you use it.

I’d find it hard to put behind me but would act polite.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 07:53

Maybe that's all she could afford at the time?

A pretty card with a heartfelt note about her friend would have been cheaper and arguably much more thoughtful. Or a framed photo of the two of them. Or a book she knew OP would like.

It costs pennies to be thoughtful. I thought those ^ up in the few seconds it took to start this post, it's not difficult.

YippeeKayakOtherBuckets · 09/08/2019 07:53

Are you sure it’s not an antique?

Show us a photo.

GoFiguire · 09/08/2019 07:54

O wonder she didn’t want you to open it in front of her.

bouncingraindrops · 09/08/2019 07:55

Maybe that's all she could afford at the time?

I always find this a weird response.

There is no need to give someone a gift that is spectacularly shit.

There are other ways.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 07:55

OP I once got one of these.

I'm not a diva, I don't have a special affinity for washing up, I don't use longhandled things like this, I am not even a special disco fan.

Thankfully it was a Christmas present so there were other people giving and receiving other gifts at the same time.

Have you ever received a present so shity saying thank you made you cringe?
GirlRaisedInTheSouth · 09/08/2019 07:56

I am not materialistic at all, but one year my PIL gave me a broken watch that they found in a box of rubbish. They hate me, though.

GirlRaisedInTheSouth · 09/08/2019 07:57

I love that washing up sponge!

cookieoclock · 09/08/2019 07:57

She’s obviously aware it’s a crap gift as she didn’t want you to open it in front of her.
I like lizzies suggestion for a thank you.

RuggyPeg · 09/08/2019 07:57

I'm an appalling, selfish, ungrateful gift receiver. I find it very hard to be gracious if im given a crap present 😬 My best mate is just awful at presents. I've known her for 30 years and yet she gets me stuff that she can't possibly think I'd like. I'd honestly rather have nothing.

GirlRaisedInTheSouth · 09/08/2019 07:58

And 1,000 vegan Space Invaders sounds like a great present!

Iggly · 09/08/2019 07:59

I know what you mean OP.

MY DH got me a 4ft*2ft picture of our ds. Lovely, except his face was smeared in food. Where on earth was I supposed to put it???

Bobbiepin · 09/08/2019 08:00

DH's auntie once got me a men's belt for Christmas. She got DH a shoe shine kit (he lives almost exclusively in trainers). Smiled and said thanks, and joke about it. No harm done even though as PP have said, it takes pennies to be thoughtful.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 08:00

GirlRaisedInTheSouth "I love that washing up sponge!"

Be sure to check charity shops near you in January then, because if they still make them you'll probably be able to snap several up Wink

ThomasHardyPerennial · 09/08/2019 08:00

I got a calender for my birthday a couple of years ago. Just a bog standard one from Smiths, very strange.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 09/08/2019 08:01

I wondered if it was an antique too.

It wasn't a bad gift, but I got an obviously second hand gift once. How did I know? Because I bought it in the first place. A work colleague was leaving so the department, from company funds, bought her a very nice voucher (I know because I organised it). She ended up moving role within the business so never left. When I left a year later, I was given the voucher...

EvaHarknessRose · 09/08/2019 08:02

If she asks before your birthday just say gushingly ‘I’m waiting to open it on my birthday because I know you will have chosen me something lovely, I’m so excited’ [and see if she cringes] . After your birthday I would send ‘thank you for remembering me on my birthday’.

[I may have stolen this cutting remark from MIL who responded to the flowers I sent with ‘its always nice to be remembered’ probably because I usually leave her gifts to DH and she expects me to do it].

furrytoebean · 09/08/2019 08:02

And 1,000 vegan Space Invaders sounds like a great present

Maybe for someone else, but not when your elderly mother has asked you to buy a small box of nice chocolates for your dgd with her money, and you go and buy the compete opposite.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 08:02

ThomasHardyPerennial "I got a calender for my birthday a couple of years ago"

Plot twist: is your birthday 31 December and it was for the current year? Grin

user1471441632 · 09/08/2019 08:02

I had for Christmas one year a free gift recipe book ( that had come with a bar of chocolate) and the ingredients to make a recipe out of it. The giver couldn't even remember what recipe it was for.

Herocomplex · 09/08/2019 08:03

I find presents in general very difficult to receive. I’ve had a few that have really hurt my feelings, but mostly I just feel sorry that the person has wasted their time and money on something I don’t want or need.

TSSDNCOP · 09/08/2019 08:06

I loathe receiving any sort of jewellery, but particularly earrings unless I’ve stated specifically my choice. People are always disappointed when you aren’t wearing them.

I have very short hair and a big head (it works honest!) but it’s a wafer thin line between looking ok and Pat Butcher with the wrong earrings.

I find it better to get this face Grin than this face Hmm so I like a gift list. Some may say grabby, I say better use of money.