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?

Just brought a socket set for our 21 year old son!! DH dad did the same and its something he uses all the time!!!

Inspired by this thread I'm going to ask for this for my birthday https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ordnance-survey-lake-district-picnic-blanket/

An electric throw for the sofa. I am always cold, but I thoughtit was a bit 'old lady'. Five years later, still going strong with the most blissful fleecy electric throw over me on the coldest nights. So cosy!
My best friend bought me one of these a couple of years ago, as l feel the cold and l'm partial to an afternoon sofa nap. It's wonderful! Toasty warm and shocking pink!

@StormzyinaTCup 🤣

That sounds brilliant! I wonder if wherever they were from do them for different locations or if they were a specific thing for a specific county.

Very clever though whoever thought them up in the first place!

Nefore tablets and kindles were a thing my ex husband worked for Sony and gave me a prototype e reader. I was a bit baffled by it at first but I was commuting by train to work at that time and reading a lot so it really came in handy. Random people were fascinated by it!

I thought I was the only one.

As they all seem to be white I'm wondering if they are, well you know, ex laboratory test subjects.

I did this for my best friend when she lost her mother. She never mentions it, and I don't like to ask, but I really hope she finds comfort too.
Sorry for your loss x

I'm upset about the mice as well 😥

My grandson has one like this. It's called tiny table by the whole family.😁

I bought my Mum a handbag with 1950's style picture of 3 girls on a fairground ride, with their skirts flying up revealing their layered petticoats, Mum's era. Mum loved it, as did all her friends. I have it now, slightly battered and worn but still enjoy using it.

That sounds just the thing for poo bags, phone and medication I need when walking the dog and not wearing pockets! Thank you

It sounds silly but one of the best things I've been given was an rusty cast iron skillet from MiL's garden. It had been out there as an ornament for at least 10 years and was thick with rust. I'd just come across a method for de-rusting things using dilute molasses and wanted to try it out and MiL kindly gave me this skillet. I restored it using the molasses method and it came up beautifully. That done, I gave it several seasonings. Then came the moment of truth, cooking eggs. It makes the perfect omelette and the egg never sticks. I found out that it's made by a now defunct company called Holcroft and is probably nearing 100 years old. Every single time I use it I smile and think 'Look at that skillet, it's brilliant'.

You've made me feel very old 😆

@StormzyinaTCup - that was from RKO Pictures at the start of their movies, right?

I don't know why but this actually brought a tear to my eye. Well done on your restoration!

I love old kitchen things, it makes me wonder about the original women owners, their lives, their thoughts, their clothes, their daily routines, and what they'd think of women's lives now. And also the lives of the women (and even men now!) who'll own them in future - what will they wear, what will their lives be like, what will their world look like, and how will they think about women today in 2023?

@Limth same here, I find old kitchen things fascinating and buy them when I see them, and use them too. I would love to know who used this skillet before me and what they cooked in it. Maybe one day someone else will use it and ask the same questions.

I'm actually so strangely pleased to hear this as I do love them and even showed DP, who was also suitably amused - but then I immediately thought "oh, god, where do they get them from?" and thought I wouldn't get one because I hated even the remote chance that an animal died specifically for taxidermy.

Concern assuaged - one will now be making its way onto my Christmas wishlist, no doubt

You mean there's more than one snake & mongoose taxidermy tableau???

... Goodness, you're right! I've just looked on ebay & there are several, though none with 2 x mongoose & a cobra, & not quite as natural as the one I saw.

I can't find the fawn - did you buy it already? I hope you did!

I haven't. I'm brassic for the next week and a bit due to unexpected circumstances, well also being quite shit with money. I'm on my phone now but I'll have a look on my laptop later to check. Thank you for thinking of me!

@AbacusAvocado it's one of these: Blagdon affinity ponds

Yes it was, I haven't seen it in many years so likely showing my age!

Not me personally who received this but when my maternal grandparents got married, they received an unusual wedding gift from her parents.

His and hers coffins. Two matching coffins with a engraved plaque on them with their names and dates of birth and a space for dates of death. They didn't use them for many years but now use them daily 🤔.

Coffins are hella expensive so this was more considerate than it first looks