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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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tiredtrumpet · 09/08/2019 11:44

I've been in both sides of this!

I once got my best friend a gift I put a lot of thought into. At the time I was very pleased with my purchase, it made total sense to me and I genuinely thought she would love it. She couldn't hide her disappointment when she opened it and I was REALLY hurt. I never saw it again in her house.
It was so bad that for my birthday she bought me a voucher, so I started buying her basic vouchers with little to no thought in them because I couldn't face the rejection again! They fizzled out after a while and now we just give each other a bunch of flowers and go out for brunch.

At Christmas my sister bought me really cheap pound shop cocktail mixers, knowing full well I was pregnant, have my own cocktail mixing equipment and wouldn't be able to use it. I was quite hurt. I got her an expensive slow cooker that she uses weekly Confused

absofuckinglutley · 09/08/2019 11:44

@Rainbowknickers I'd love a blanket with sleeves in Grin
Seriously though, this is why I never do secret Santa or the like. I once bought a colleague a lovely pair of designer earrings and got a smoothie recipe book in return (I don't have a smoothie maker) and a plastic bangle from primark Angry

Pinkout · 09/08/2019 11:45

My mum gets me horrible garish slippers and usually a dressing gown or pjs every single Christmas. Last year she bought me pink unicorn ones. I am almost 30 and the furthest person from ‘pink unicorn lover’ you could imagine Grin. I was a goth in my teenage years and she bought me a pink Playboy hoodie...

Pinkout · 09/08/2019 11:46

Oh and I don’t wear pyjamas, slippers or dressing gowns...

Waterfallgirl · 09/08/2019 11:46

Some of these are sad and some hilarious 😂 !
@ShippingNews please post a pic of your gift and we can all have a guess!

Many years ago when I was 18, I had been seeing my boyfriend for a good few months, he made a big thing about what a fantastic present he bought me for Christmas. He went on and on about what a great present it was. Christmas Day arrives and I was really excited, having no idea what it was. I opened the gift with him there and MY WHOLE FAMILY looking on - it was a t shirt with a weird rubber monsters face jumping out of the middle of it ( a bit like the film ‘Alien’). I have never before or since seen anything quite like it.
Needless to say as an 18 year old, first boyfriend and all that, I was really embarrassed in front of my family and didn’t know what to say. It got put in a drawer never to be seen again, and the relationship was doomed from then on......😂

tiredtrumpet · 09/08/2019 11:47

Sorry forgot to say OP, having been on both sides of this, don't call your friend out on it, just put it to the back of the cupboard and don't buy her anything in future. A lovey bunch of flowers and a card will do. It's not worth the friendship to kick off about it

eddielizzard · 09/08/2019 11:51

A pot of heal balm. Clearly my friend thought my feet were disgusting!

eddielizzard · 09/08/2019 11:51

heel not heal!

colourlessgreenidea · 09/08/2019 11:53

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

So you missed the post where the OP had it valued and it’s actually worth £800.00? Hmm

BlooperReel · 09/08/2019 11:55

I know someone who received a 'wank kit' from a grandparent for Christmas! A shoe box with tissues, a party ring biscuit (to use as a cock ring apparently!) a single cigarette to smoke afterwards, a sock and a porn mag!

I think that sits in a combination of the weirdest/funniest/most inappropriate and shittest present categories all at once!

colourlessgreenidea · 09/08/2019 11:55

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

WHOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH Grin

ShirleyPhallus · 09/08/2019 11:56

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

Yes but THANK YOU your majesty for gracing us with your presence, given you’re obviously so important and special we really thank you for making time in your busy schedule to come in and post

themouldneverbotheredmeanyway · 09/08/2019 11:56

I was given a personalised car number plate; they know I don't have a car and have zero intention of getting one. Very bizarre.

As a uni student my boyfriend of a few weeks bought me a big table lamp for my birthday.

As a teenager, my uncle gave me fishnet stockings for Christmas. My mum had told him I needed new tights and I think he picked them out randomly. Very uncomfortable opening them in front of everyone!

I much prefer not swapping presents with adults. It is environmentally damaging as so much ends up being thrown away. Charity shops end up throwing stuff away too as they get so much they can't sell. I'd much rather choose my own clothes, jewellery, house items. If presents are expected I always give and ask for consumables (nice food, wine etc).

I can't think of a present I've had and really liked in years in all honesty. Lots of them were from people who would consider themselves good thoughtful gift givers. But I just don't want more clutter in house tbh.

colourlessgreenidea · 09/08/2019 11:57

Yes but THANK YOU your majesty for gracing us with your presence, given you’re obviously so important and special we really thank you for making time in your busy schedule to come in and post

Hey, somebody has to ask the important questions that no one else was clever enough to think of! Hmm

00100001 · 09/08/2019 12:02

@cultwarning - what a BIZARRE thing to do... Confused

Why would you spend your last £8 on what you know was a shit present?

You could have bought a bunch of flowers for less..

...or just written a card....

...or just made her a cake...

...or literally just say "Happy Birthday Friend" - and if you really felt the need say "Money is tight at the moment so present will come later" or "present wasn't delivered on time, whooops, I'll get it to you asap"

..but to spend your last £8 when there was absolutely no need to.... ConfusedConfusedConfusedConfused

GimmieTheCoffeeAndNooneDies · 09/08/2019 12:03

She might be referring to a private joke, or a desire you expressed for a little white jug many years ago. She probably expects you to be touched and moved that she has remembered.

My friend did this with her (now ex) partner. She spent weeks hunting something down, she presented it to him in full expectation of his joy and expressions of gratitude as he opened it in front of a crowd of friends and loved ones.

The ex had totally forgotten the random remark he'd made months ago. And he was 'Wtf have you got me this piece of junk for?'

themouldneverbotheredmeanyway · 09/08/2019 12:04

I didn't have any money for food or full for a week after I gave it to her because I was adamant I didn't want to get her nothing at all.

Please don't put yourself in financial difficulty. It really isn't necessary to give adults presents.

And please don't waste your hard earned money on token gifts. I'd really appreciate a friend offering to babysit or doing another favour. Or if they want to buy something, some chocolates or wine.

WinterRose92 · 09/08/2019 12:10

Yeah, my fiancé’s SM does this kind of thing a lot. I’ve had stained clothes, a used coffee grinder (don’t even drink coffee) a notebook with half the pages ripped out 🙄 You can tell she doesn’t like me much 🤷🏻‍♀️ The last few year we’ve resorted to doing the same kind of thing back as I resent putting time, effort, thought and money into things when she is clearly being nasty.

longwayoff · 09/08/2019 12:16

A friend used to regularly buy me nasty £shop ornaments, usually with a comment e.g. ' made with love' stamped on it. She meant it kindly. Unfortunately I'm very clumsy and not one survived ten minutes past her leaving. Oops.

HappyParent2000 · 09/08/2019 12:19

I believe presents are an outdated concept. We all now have our own money for things and the ability to just go online and buy things we want or drop in B&M and find it there cheap.

I hate getting gifts so when I do I probably don’t want it, all the family knows that and instead gets me the things I can’t buy, time, experiences and love.

I still get them gifts but usually ask what they want and just buy that, surprises are over rated and it’s the thought that counts not what you think they would like.

Phoebesgift · 09/08/2019 12:28

As a child I was given a book by my grandmother for my birthday with scribbling and some pages missing.

Paddington68 · 09/08/2019 12:29

Is this your friend?

Have you ever received a present so shity saying thank you made you cringe?
OMGshefoundmeout · 09/08/2019 12:29

I bought a colleague a lovely pair of designer earrings.

This is exactly why present buying for adults is not a good idea. One persons idea of a lovely gift is anothers idea of hell. I would hate a pair of ‘designer’ earrings. All I wear 363 days of the year are plain diamond studs. If it’s a very dressy event I might change them for diamond pave hoops. That’s it, that’s my entire earring collection and it’s all I want. Same with necklaces. I have several I’ve been given that I wear once in a while to be polite but regardless of the expensive they are just unwanted shiny ‘stuff’ to me.

Someone upthread referred to the lovely slow cooker they gave someone - I got a very big slow cooker for A ‘big’ birthday from my mum. I bloody hate slow cookers, IMO they make everything taste of sludge. It’s a massive great thing and it’s in the garage covered in cobwebs.

Presents are a minefield. Take adults out instead.

mumderland · 09/08/2019 12:44

My DH Grandad gave us his salt and pepper pots as an engagement gift, he actually emptied them and just passed them over to us with a "congrats!"
We snuck them back in the cupboard later that day we figured he needed them more than us as we didn't even have a house together at this point!

Nyon · 09/08/2019 12:48

For my 30th birthday - Mrs Hinch’s book on cleaning. Because my work desk is untidy.