Most random but ultimately brilliant present you've ever been given...

[Limth]

When I started my business many years ago, a 'friend' bought me a Rolodex as a bit of a bitchy present. As a 'fuck you', I started using it. Then I actually fell in love with it. And then I gave her it a name. And now I use it all the bloody time now. The 'friend' has long since disappeared from my life but Ms. Rowan lives on as my trusty side-kick.

In my 20s, I was moving out of a house to the other side of the country. I had stuff to go to the tip, stuff to go to the second-hand furniture shop, stuff for the charity shop, bags of tatty clothes for rag recycling. I was completely overwhelmed with it and struggling because I didn't have a car. For my birthday, my friend hired me a 'Man With Van' for a half-day. The sense of relief at having that help was better than any spa break I've ever had.

What random presents have you had that've ultimately proved to be brilliant?

Wowsers.

I'd like to get something like this for my sister. Do you have a link, please?

Oh wow, didn't expect to log on and see so many new contributions.

These are all absolutely fantastic. This thread makes me really happy.

MIL bought me an electric blanket. It was when DH and I had first started dating and I thought it was the biggest snub ever. However, years later we still use it and I love it! Turns out she always had them on her beds for years, and DH had mentioned how cold I was always am in bed so she knew I'd love it.

I thought your post was about a book of libidos so the rest realy disappointed me!!

DW bought me a beanie hat with bluetooth speakers in it.....

DH bought me a head massager/scratcher years ago as a joke from a gadget shop. You run it up and down your head and it sends the weirdest feelings through you. It's so relaxing.

@2PintsOfCidernaBagofCrisps , Crystals Heavy Duty Portable Foldable Foam Padded Garden Kneeler Gardening Knee Pad Metal Stool Seat : Amazon.co.uk: Garden There are probably better quality ones from other sellers

@garlictwist You can write everything on a Rolodex card, but I just staple business cards on them. I have a file on tradesmen and contractors, everything from plumbers, sparks, and builders, the best carpet cleaner to the tree surgeon, and the chimney sweep.

I am SO going to get myself a Rolodex! Nothing else is working well for me so perhaps I need to go back to analogue.

My best ever Christmas gift was from my parents, about 50 years ago - a duvet!
We lived in an old, unheated house, with horrid sheets, scratchy blankets and a nasty candle wick bedspread (remember those days?)

I barely slept it was so cold. The duvet was a dream.
and for my birthday a couple of months later, an electric blanket. Sweet heaven!

I got one from Amazon, it’s brilliant, I used to kneel then use the sides to lever myself up but can’t kneel now so sit on it instead. I think it was less than £20.00

A thing for putting eggs into and out of boiling water it was a free gift from Tupperware fo attending a party. Another Tupperware freebie was a keyring with a tiny Tupperware container on it, just big enough for a pound coin..I keep a trolly coin in it for supermarket trollies.
Another is a gadget for ring pulls, I can’t pull them using my fingers so this is a Godsend for me.

I've just bouhgt one for dd who has gone of to uni.
It was from Tesco. grater with bowl underneath. Grate and stick it in the fridge.

My own one has a proper lid which never gets used, the grater part is enough of a lid

I’ve got one of those tiny Tupperware containers as well! I used it to put salt in for my salad lunch ( got to have salt on tomatoes!) when the school I was working in banned salt. We were not even allowed to keep a salt pot in our staff room - maybe they thought a child would come in and steal it then overdose on salt! So this little pot was easy to hide in my bag.

I've been having a Google and after a lot of searching I've found something called Card toons. They look fab even if they're the wrong thing!

@Newtrix I have been googling too and found the Card toons also! I can't find anything that covers my local area though.
I did also find "Walker's Britain in a Box" which also looks good!

Brilliant thread

For those asking about Map Cards sets, there is a series of books called Pathfinder Guides which are the same size as an OS map with OS map sections in plus written instructions. Each region has a book with 28 circular walks of varying lengths. The is also a 'Short Walks' version for those who can't do the longer treks.

www.pathfinderwalks.co.uk/our-books/

You can also pick them up quite reasonably through secondhand book shops and eBay etc.

@IntergalacticP here he is!

@orangegato I bought one of those Victorinox tomato knives and I regret the money wasted on it. The cut is far too ragged; the only reason we still have it is because it was too expensive to just throw away.

It was the AA, I think.

It was in this series.

30 Walks in Sussex https://amzn.eu/d/7cpNt1g

@RumNotRun it was in the same series as this one. I think they're out of print now, though some of them are still available.

30 Walks in Sussex https://amzn.eu/d/7cpNt1g

Of course one always must bear in mind with older walking books (or cards, in this case) that some things might have. changed since they were published. Footpaths change, pubs close etc. So best to check on Google or a recent map before setting out.

@LizzysDrippings it was branded the AA.

Same series as this one.
30 Walks in Sussex https://amzn.eu/d/7cpNt1g

Oh he’s lovely! I wish I had him! (The mouse man!)

A very ordinary toaster that was meant as an ironic wedding present. It lasted 20 years, one year longer than the marriage.

A kitten. I wasn't sure I was ready to replace our late lamented mog, but she bounced into our lives and took over very quickly.