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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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6
Drum2018 · 09/08/2019 10:13

Ask her if she still has the receipt as there is a chip in the handle so you thought you would return it for a non damaged one.

HappydaysArehere · 09/08/2019 10:13

She is your friend. I would chuckle a bit and not hurt her feelings. Just say thank you and say that it is useful. You then don’t need to buy any more expensive gifts.

Crinkle77 · 09/08/2019 10:14

Oh and my mum did buy me a little jug for mint sauce once but I didn't mind that cos i love lamb and making my own mint sauce.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 10:15

I cringed as I gave it but it was bought with my last £8 and I didn't have any money for food or full for a week

I'd be horrified if someone used their last few quid for that, instead of just calling or visiting to wish me a Happy Birthday. What on earth made you feel obliged to do that over a nice card or a bunch of flowers? I'd feel sad every time I used the jug Sad

feelingverylazytoday · 09/08/2019 10:17

I agree with the PP about not buying adults presents. The only adults I exchange presents with are my kids, and then we ask each other what we want beforehand. That way, no money is wasted, no feelings are hurt and no useless tat which has to be disposed of is given.

Justaboy · 09/08/2019 10:18

Aww .. perhaps thats all she could afford, or simply thought it looked nice, was rather sweet, and thought you'd like it:)

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 09/08/2019 10:21

Aww .. perhaps thats all she could afford, or simply thought it looked nice, was rather sweet, and thought you'd like itsmile

A chipped jug?
Of all the things in the world, for a special birthday, for a long-term friend?

WingBingo · 09/08/2019 10:29

@gingersausage I’m a terrible present giver. I panic and only notice in retrospect.

Once, for Christmas, I gave my brother a vegetable steamer. He was 25 at the time, lived in London and rarely cooked.

I also used to think it was useful to buy clothes for kids presents. Yes the parents may be pleased but no 7 year old will be chuffed with a coat from M&S for Christmas that no one asked for.

Mileysmiley · 09/08/2019 10:30

My husband once got me a cordless vacuum for my birthday ... I was not happy!

lovelookslikethis · 09/08/2019 10:31

My friend has got into the habit of buying me presents like:

Diet book
Concealer for bags under eyes (assuming that is what she thought I needed)
Kalms (dont ask!)

Don't take it to heart. I suggest you buy one of equal beauty for her, perhaps ensure your gift to her has more than one chip Grin and in a jolly way say you have lots of use out of your milk jug and so you thought she would like one too! Life is too short to be offended, shrug it off and use humour.

missyB1 · 09/08/2019 10:40

Oh God I’m remembering last Christmas and the secret Santa at work! I had bought a lovely pair of wool gloves from joules, but I recieved a jar of old ladies bath salts! Honestly they were awful and I took them to the charity shop the next day. The worst thing is there is this silly rule that we have to open the gifts in front of each other in a circle Hmm I had to somehow say thank you when the words were sticking in my throat.

meg54 · 09/08/2019 10:42

I was left a bequest in my DH's Aunts will.
It was a 4" tile in a wooden frame 'teapot stand' that her brother had made at school.
It had a crack running from bottom left to top right hand side.
She was 102 when she died.
I don't drink tea.

WarmSausageTea · 09/08/2019 10:42

My most surprising present was a glass eye. I don’t need a glass eye, so I’m not sure what the thought processes were behind the gift, but whenever I look at it, I always think of the friends it came from.

Oh, and it isn’t round. I always assumed that glass eyes were fully round, so that was interesting.

MargoLovebutter · 09/08/2019 11:03

Fuck me WarmSausage that takes some beating!

AnneKipanki · 09/08/2019 11:07

My DM got me food she knows I'm allergic to last Christmas.@JetGrind

Not all mothers are the same !

Oberonunder · 09/08/2019 11:07

Oh I think that’s rather lovely @meg54. That she still had something her brother made at school and she passed it on to someone else. Awww.

Cocolapew · 09/08/2019 11:11

For my 30th my MIL gave me a rubber verruca swim sock 🙄.

AnneKipanki · 09/08/2019 11:13

My Mum passes on her 'mistake' buys to me as 'presents 'so I get packs of old lady pants from Primark as she bought the wrong size.
Latest thing was a pale blue nylon nightie...think Brentford Nylons 1970s ; not my colour or style !

Usernamewillautodestrustin · 09/08/2019 11:14

@BuzzShitbagBobbly I got a Male version of that washing up brush. The sender thought it looked like my husband (it didn't)..I had no idea how to react

iknowimcoming · 09/08/2019 11:18

My mil bought me a blue checked nylon housecoat with buttons up the front for my 21st birthday after me and dh had just moved in together - a bit like this one but not as nice

Have you ever received a present so shity saying thank you made you cringe?
Rainbowknickers · 09/08/2019 11:20

Years ago we hit the oxfam website for my dad
(If you knew my dad you’d know a goat for a 3rd world family makes a lot of sense)
We bought 2 goats a bunch of mango plants condoms and other bits from members of the family

Well that was it-oxfam hounded him for months
Letters at least 3/4 times a week
Phone calls daily If not 2/3 times a day
All begging for more money from him

We got them stopped in the end but what should have been a nice thing to do for my bloody awkward dad at b/day and Xmas turned into the present from hell

My mother is just shite at buying presents
Katie prices perfume (a knock off from the market)
Snowball candles
A blanket with sleeves
Cassette tapes when I didn’t have a player for them

The list goes on

I really don’t want to be ungrateful but I’d rather she didn’t bother

thenightsky · 09/08/2019 11:27

An ex-boyfriend once bought me a box of VERY expensive vials of anti-aging serum. The fact that he was 10 years younger than me really stung.

I thrust them back at him with the words 'give them to your mother'.

Chickenpie9 · 09/08/2019 11:32

my Mum always tells the story of when I was about 6 and obsessed with ballet I had saw a ballet story book in the window of a charity shop and had been really sad it was closed and I never got it . A few weeks later amongst all the Barbie and Sindy and Playmobile that her and my dad had probably spent a fortune on was said book which cost 10 p and which was the one thing I decided to show all my relations that I got for Christmas ! I love buying presents and usually like to do any gifts when people leave or have a big birthday at work as if left to colleagues they end up with a generic voucher . To me it sounds like the OP friend may have ordered something else for her birthday but perhaps it’s not arrived in time or wasn’t what she was expecting and she’s just got the first thing she saw .

IAskTooManyQuestions · 09/08/2019 11:38

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 cant be reading 7 pages - is it possible it might be an antique?

AnneKipanki · 09/08/2019 11:43

no @IAskTooManyQuestions. There is a link on on an OP box.

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