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Things you have bought that were immediately shite (Christmas/New Year Edition)

747 replies

PandaChopChop · 02/01/2025 21:41

Bought beautiful new bedsheets. Reduced in the sale, gorgeous colours with toadstools on them, felt ok in the shop.
Got them home, washed them and they have gone shiny 🤬 like the kind of static shiny so that your duvet ends up in a weird shape and you're rolled up like a stuck sweating pig.

Am absolutely gutted (and furious 😠) and hoping a trip to Homesense will cure me of my wierd shiny-bedsheet-hate.

OP posts:
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Paperthin · 03/01/2025 10:49

Foxybyname · 03/01/2025 08:29

Tubs of chocolates - all of them!

I bought Celebrations and Heroes, then someone brought Quality Street as a thank you, and my DS was given Roses from work.

When the tree comes down at the weekend, any remaining will be binned. I reckon there's the equivalent of 2 tins worth.

Just not nice! Even the Heroes, with the exception of plain dairy milk, were all horrible tasting.

I have put a note on my phone for September (as that's when I get sucked in and buy!) to not bother this year.

I had this too - in fact I’ve turned into my mum and sent a letter of complaint about the Heroes - they are well in date but tasted ‘old’ - really awful. ( it’s bad enough that you get half the amount per box for the same price !)

FadedGreenGrey · 03/01/2025 10:53

OkayLetMeKnowHowItGoes · 03/01/2025 08:01

I borrowed a Dyson Airwrap from my sister/her friend.

Worked great to begin with, but they aren’t the most resilient. Spilled a tiny bit of wine on them and now they are just a glorified paperweight.

Yeah, we are all waiting for that to be refunded… good try, on both posts very probably

crostini · 03/01/2025 10:54

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/01/2025 21:47

The M&S Christmas Colin - impossible to cut, dry, too sweet, much smaller than it looked in the box. Very disappointing.

Strongly disagree, we loved it!

FadedGreenGrey · 03/01/2025 10:55

ShiftySquirrel · 03/01/2025 09:25

I got the M&S finest Yule log with fresh cream and needs to be kept in the fridge. It was delicious, sweet yes, but not dry. We had it with brandy cream.

The Tesco finest ones are cheaper but so dry you have to heat them up, get the chocolate runny and eat them with a dollop of cream to make them palatable. I resent paying over the odds when they tastes just like a glorified swiss roll.

We bought the Morrison Yule Log, looked good, I think it was £5. Just a Swiss roll, and not tasty or special. Could have spent £2 or £3 and got a clotted cream one from M& S which would have been nicer

FaeryQueen · 03/01/2025 10:56

Christmas lights from a large online specialist retailer.

Wrong product entirely and what they sent me had broken shades and didn’t even work.

Refund given but it was a dark Christmas tree this year.

AhBiscuits · 03/01/2025 10:59

DiscontinuedModelHusband · 03/01/2025 10:37

if it's the large one with the straw, you can buy different lids from amazon that make it watertight!

DW had the same issue, but these are great!

Amazing. Thanks for this, just ordered one.

Imposter1212 · 03/01/2025 11:00

Me20176 · 03/01/2025 05:21

Clinique Black Honey lipstick. Long coveted and - for me - expensive. I was really looking forward to trying it out but what a disappointment! It sticks to any dry skin on the lips (I didn’t even realise I had any!) making lips look flaky, and the final look is very much ‘red wine’ lips. Yuck. Literally the worst lipstick I’ve ever used.

Oh no I've just ordered this.

Cheesyfootballs01 · 03/01/2025 11:00

TheFormidableMrsC · 02/01/2025 23:52

I bought lots of party food from Aldi, all of which was great except the pork belly bites. Absolutely horrendous. I don't know why they included little serving picks, they were basically pork belly crumbs with lumps of fat. Grim. I was very disappointed.

We got the pork belly bites from Aldi and they were horrific!! A vacuum packed packed lump of fat and gristle meat 🤢

We also got pork belly bites from M&S which were absolutely elite top tier 😋

StMarie4me · 03/01/2025 11:02

AhBiscuits · 03/01/2025 09:24

I bought some expensive (for me) mascara and it is complete crap. I don't know if I got a bad one but it seems really dry.

Best mascara is Primark! Amazing!

AhBiscuits · 03/01/2025 11:03

TheSomething · 03/01/2025 10:35

I bought DS a pinball machine toy from B&M - doesn't work.
Not had chance to go back to B&M with it yet but bought a similar one from The Range - also doesn't work!

If anyone can recommend a toy pinball machine that does actually work my child would be most grateful.

We bought this one for DS and it's pretty good.
https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/games-puzzles-and-books/tabletop-arcade-games/electronic-arcade-pinball-version-2-0/p/226636

This thread is very useful 😊

Pardon Our Interruption

https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/games-puzzles-and-books/tabletop-arcade-games/electronic-arcade-pinball-version-2-0/p/226636

AhBiscuits · 03/01/2025 11:05

meatyryvita · 03/01/2025 10:14

Agreed they can be awful but then I read that Nigella uses one to spiralise potatoes and then fries them, making epic 'shoe string' fries. Honestly, it's the only good use of them!

I like the sound of this, how do you cook them?

onwardsup4 · 03/01/2025 11:09

IHateWasps · 03/01/2025 10:16

Anyway the main thing is that poster is ok and that it was only her oven that suffered. She could have been very badly burned but thankfully that didn’t happen.

Yes very true I do think remove all packaging covers the bases though

Lentilweaver · 03/01/2025 11:09

Dr Scholls insoles. They are not comfy.

longtompot · 03/01/2025 11:10

piscofrisco · 03/01/2025 07:59

Lakeland candle company wax melts advent calendar and an expensive candle. Literally no scent from any of them. I love a candle and I had high hopes (and I was looking forward to a new scent every day in December). Very dissatisfying.

I was given a St Eval one from my kids, and if they do it again next year I can heartily recommend it to you. I will be asking for it again this year

MonickerMonica · 03/01/2025 11:11

@PandaChopChop

I haven't yet had time to read all posts so sorry if this has been answered but what did the package and/or label say the material is ? Cotton % etc.

Thornybush · 03/01/2025 11:12

Got ds3 a city rescue toy on Amazon as one of the Santa toys, it is absolutely tiny and flawed. The picture made it look much bigger. I will triple check sizing going forward. As a result of the size , parts have fallen off and are now missing. Also missing one of the vehicles. Going to search for the parts today and put it away for a few years until baby dc is older as I don't want her swallowing the pieces.

The massive bag of potatoes I got are lovely for mash but unfortunately not for roasties which we found out on Christmas Day. I'll know to get two different types next year!

Got a tin of chocolate kimberleys to realise they have halved in size. So disappointing!! I was disappointed by most of the chocolate treats and deserts we got . Not sure why 🫤

FlyingUnicornWings · 03/01/2025 11:13

StMarie4me · 03/01/2025 10:36

To all you people having a go at the PP with ADHD re the egg boiler- stop being ableist! Would you tell a wheelchair user "why don't you just walk?".

ADHD is a disability and PP is finding appropriate adaptations. Stop telling her she's wrong!

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Monkeybutt1 · 03/01/2025 11:25

FlyingUnicornWings · 03/01/2025 11:13

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Agree, I don't have ADHD and we love our egg boiler, it poaches too. Yes we could stand at the pan boiling our eggs (we used to use the plastic egg you put in with them that changes colour) but this is easy, we can leave them to it. I'm all for making your life easier if you can.

piscofrisco · 03/01/2025 11:26

@longtompot and that's the other reason I'm so annoyed-I usually go for st Eval everything but thought I would have a change. Never again!

AltitudeCheck · 03/01/2025 11:28

AWeeNameChange · 02/01/2025 23:17

Bosh. Cool cup.

Lid leaks & can’t sip out of it without sloutering contents all over the place.

Terrible design and really disappointed with the shop that sold it to me.

‘No leaks - it’s for the car’ was literally my only ask.

Highly recommend a Bru travel mug. As long as the lid is clicked shut (I did forget once!) I can chuck in my bag/ car and it never leaks!
https://bru-cups.com/products/bru-travel-ceramic-travel-mug

bru Ceramic Travel Mug

For coffees, teas and iced drinks, keeping you hydrated and caffeinated (or not) throughout year. Car, bag and small hands friendly- commuters everywhere, this one’s for you. Modern, sleek, functional comes in three handy sizes- 8oz, 12oz & 16oz. A Kic...

https://bru-cups.com/products/bru-travel-ceramic-travel-mug

clowntown · 03/01/2025 11:32

clowntown · 03/01/2025 10:32

I bought a beautiful new duvet cover , double to fit my double duvet. Put it on and there’s lots of spare material on side , checked box to see if it was definitely double and also measured and it is.
bought a king sized duvet and now that is far too big and is all bumfled up.

Sorry, quoting my own post as too late to edit, but if anyone can recommend a duvet that’s between a double and king sized one I’d really appreciate it.

SandrenaIsMyBloodType · 03/01/2025 11:34

AnotherDayAnotherIdea · 02/01/2025 23:45

For some reason many of the new cotton tops we have bought this year have immediately sprung small holes. Huh. Maybe we have bugs.

Larger purchase: my house.

I found my washing machine was causing this on thinner (especially slub style) cotton tops. I had suspected it for a while and then washed a couple of brand-new unworn shirts which emerged with holes. Spoke to washing machine repair man who said the very thin cotton can get sucked into the little holes in the drum during spin. I now wash thin things in mesh bags which seems to have cured the problem.

meatyryvita · 03/01/2025 11:40

AhBiscuits · 03/01/2025 11:05

I like the sound of this, how do you cook them?

Shallow-ish fry in batches and keep them warm in the oven as you go (unless you are eating as you fry, which is all too likely in my experience).

SeaToSki · 03/01/2025 11:42

SantaBakula · 02/01/2025 21:59

I got my DB some heated socks , they came with a USA plug . I got a refund but socks are still useless.

are they ones with chargable batteries? If so you can plug a US plug into a UK shaving point..so you can maybe still use them if you have a shaving point in your bathroom

BlueMoanday · 03/01/2025 11:48

@PandaChopChop It's not the B&Q blue one with animals and stars is it?

I've been given that for Christmas. I really hope itisn't shiny after washing <sob>