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?

Clingfilm dispenser from Lakeland so you don't lose the end of the roll (but are sucked into buying their clingfilm because normal stuff doesn't bloody well fit).

Fair!

Yes but OneNote is, like any computer based system, liable to sudden failure.
It reminds me of an occasion when our work internet went down. My colleague was ask if he could manage a meeting on a particular day. "No, but I could do the following day according to my diary". "Your diary is working", said the caller. "Yes of course. I just turned to the next page".

@Galatine I also use a paper diary. Going to select my new diary is genuinely one of my favourite days of the year.

@HJ40 that is what I was going to say! Mine comes everywhere. You feel so smug being able to sit on a damp bench while everyone else stands awkwardly!

So it will have to be a tiny Swiss army knife for my keys. Kids know I always have handy scissors to remove tags from toys.

We were given an automatic egg boiler as a wedding present, by friends who had got married 6 months before us, and in their card said, "Don't laugh, we use this all the time". I laughed, but the last laugh was on me, as 20+ years later, it's still going strong and we do use it far more often than I would have thought!

Oh, I missed @Roseyleaf 's post - hello fellow egg boiler fan!

Would you be able to share which brand it was? I'm really keen to get something like this.

Sorry that was for @HJ40 on the picnic mat

A potato peeler!!

A particularly eccentric colleague presented me with one some 10 years ago now, because she overheard me saying I need to get more cooking utensils.

She just presented me with it one day, I wasn't sure how to react but I did say thank you.

I've not seen said colleague for about 9 years now but would you know that peeler is still going strong, has sliced its way through a mountain of potatoes and every time I use it I think of my wacky, hard work, irritating but ultimately lovely colleague and it makes me smile.

An ex paid for me to take my commercial chainsaw operative's license (we were living on his parents' rural property at the time and had a lot of forestry work to do).

Brilliant present, which I have continuously renewed as required over the past 20 years.

My now-OP also bought me an ACTUAL CHAINSAW a few years ago, which is my pride and joy.

@HJ40 can you remember the brand of the picnic blanket? I’m searching for a super lightweight one with waterproof backing

A Swiss army knife from DH. At the time, I thought it was an odd present - but I probably use it more than any other present I’ve ever had! The penknife attachment is great for cutting up cardboard boxes to go to the tip - because it’s so sharp! I use the scissors more than anything!

I never knew I needed a Miss Rowan so much.

Ha ha ha. I will ALWAYS have a paper diary until the day I retire.

We need links to these amazing gifts 😂

Awww ❤️

My husband bought me an electric potato masher as a joke one Christmas. It makes the best mash ever and is used all the time!

Phyllis in Call the Midwife has one and it clearly keeps Poplar's baby needs met.

A little set of 30 cards, each with a circular walk of between 3 and 10 miles, in one county. It became a mission to complete all 30 within a year. Those little cards took me to all 4 corners of the county, to many places I'd never been before. A whole year's worth of exploration and enjoyment!

Not my recommendation but i have one of these that ive taken to festivals/on walks

www.amazon.co.uk/Ainiv-Picnic-Blanket-Mini-Pocket-Pocket-140-Lightweight-Waterproof-Sand-Free-Beach-Mat-Foldable-Thin-Ground-Sheet-Outdoor-Camping-Hiking-Travel/dp/B09NW4767P/ref=asc_df_B09NW4767P/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606606951721&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1887616691901954673&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046547&hvtargid=pla-1679991186625&psc=1

My cousin bought be an appalling glittery pink, playboy bunny baseball hat. Twenty years on worn in any dirty/ painting jobs, as the brim really covers the face nicely.

Our waterproof picnic blanket was a fiver from Go Outdoors.

I've got to say, this is a wonderful thread and I'm already adding to a list of things to buy! Unfortunately I have no presents to add!

About 35 years ago my best friend at the time gave me a selection of kitchen utensils, most have disappeared over the years . One remains, a jar opener with grippy teeth and a bottle opener at the top , gets used all the time . I will add a link to a similar , but far sleeker version than mine ! Here