Aisles of random tat that appear in shops at Christmas....

[Sparklingbrook]

AIBU to be a bit sad about it? BHS usually excel in it, I noticed today Asda had an aisle of it.

It's all so, well, crap.

I wouldn't buy any of it for anyone-it looks like you went down the random Christmas tat aisle and bought the first thing you saw. Who buys it?

Sorry about mentioning the C word-but it's out there.

I would love the retro coke thing, as would my kids, and we would use it all the time. My mum has the racing nuns, and we get them out and have races with them after Christmas dinner every year.

I would love the retro Fanta/Coke thing. Could use it for flowers after Christmas.

I help out at the school and children's centre and these are the sort of things that we get donated, usually unopened, year after year.

We'd get that shoe without the wine in it though.

But every year we get lots of things like this that haven't been touched. Those racing drunks wouldn't be opened at all.

And so many sets of toiletries that I won't buy them as gifts, they really don't seem popular. In fact when we use them as raffle prizes we have some given back the following year with the old raffle number still stuck on it.

We once raffled the same far too big and very ugly stuffed toy five times before someone finally took it home. Before that the people winning it just never came forward to collect it.

my sister bought dd2 a make up kit from BHS I was as she is really into her make up and the eyeshadow in it is rubbish, maybe my mum bought it though

I love toiletries sets too. I worry now that I have got people a load of things they hated.

some toiletries sets are OK. If they are bought by similar people or who know your taste etc - the problem is when MILs/elderly aunties buy "old lady toiletries" for their DILs or DGDs, instead of asking what scent/flavour they'd like. I would rather buy someone something I KNOW they like than a random thing in a pretty box.

I like getting soapy gift sets even the moisturiser I must just like tatt

although my mum is starting to buy me lavender the last 2 years maybe she thinks i am getting to THAT age

I think Make Up and toiletry sets are at least useful, especially if you use that specific brand of smelly IYKWIM.

Some of them in garish colours and unknown brands look like they may be a bit itchy though.

my Dad is getting an Old Spice gift set as he does every year. He uses Old Spice.

Lily of the Valley bath salts mrsjay?

we buy SIL a body shop white musk set every now and then - not the same thing every year - because we know she likes it and is on a limited budget herself.

YANBU. I hate this kind of tat. If someone was struggling to buy me something then I would much rather have a £10 voucher than any of the stuff listed in this thread!

DP's brother's girlfriend once bought me a make-up bag/purse/useless bag shaped like a corset. All red and lacey. I've never worn a corset in my life so I'm not sure why she saw it and thought of me. It's been under my bed ever since (and possibly in the bin now)

not quite THAT AGE YET sparkling

lavender things CAN be nice, but the "Yardley" ones definitely belong in the old lady camp. And they don't even smell of lavender anyway! [vom]

Body Shop is exempt from this Phantom as they sell the stuff all year round, and on the whole it is well received.

Boots and their 3 for 2 with the parcel sticker annoys me. People will know their's could be the freebie.

I love matching sets of toiletries esp. if they are from LUSH but try to avoid buying them for other people as I think it looks like no thought has gone into the present. I do however remember my great aunt buying my 18 year old brother a set of M&S ladies toiletries - and funnily enough, his best mates great aunt did the same! Must be a great aunt thing!

a make-up bag/purse/useless bag shaped like a corset. All red and lacey. LOL sounds delightful, what's not to like??

I am 40 and still get a stocking. My mum puts soap and glory deodorant in it (among other things). I consider this a massive extravagance and so am very pleased with it every year.

sparkling so take the parcel sticker off , I thought that was why they were stickers and not printed on the box.

I felt exactly the same wandering round a MenKind shop the other day it appears in the mall every Xmas.

And just to add, I HATE bath sets. I'm usually allergic to it or it stinks to high heaven. I have sensitive skin so would never stick a bath bomb anywhere near my bath! Of course some people don't know this so I just smile, take out the nice hand cream or something and chuck the rest.

mum buys my sister soap and glory and i get lavender although my sister is quite a big younger than me but i would like soap and glory

Oh we have just had a Menkind opened in our town centre I havent been in whats in it ?

I am going to be the sensible elderly aunt who buys everyone socks. they will be nice socks not Christmas tatt, and they will be the right size for the child, as I will know the difference between their age and shoe size bad memories

bad bubble bath is good for cleaning the loo, though, as long as it does not smell of sick (the bubble bath , not the loo)