to think that tea towels are a RUBBISH present?

[bexster5]

Or am I just an ungrateful cow?

I think it depends upon the reasoning behind giving a tea towel as a present.

My mum has 2 childhood friends (funnily enough they all have the same first name) and the other two emigrated when they were in their early 20's.
The three of them (for reasons long forgotten) decided to start a tradition of exchanging tea towels from somewhere they had visited that year as Christmas presents. As a child I always looked forward to my mum opening her friends' towels on Christmas Day - some of them were really unusual and we also enjoyed choosing ones to send as well.

Unfortunately my mum had a life changing stroke some years ago and so became unable to carry on herself, but my dad decided to continue the tradition on her behalf and so it goes on.
My mum is now non-verbal and paralysed but every year my dad opens the parcels with her and we hope that in some tiny way it pleases her to know that the connection with her friends still exists.
They may only be tea towels but it's the thought, the meaning and over 70 years of friendship behind them that counts.

In my mum's case her tea towels never were and still are not rubbish presents, but I can see why they may be construed as such in other scenarios.

Thanks everyone for your input and feedback. I think I've concluded that actually it was really nice of SIL to get me anything and that I shouldn't be offended. All is well :)

My bil brought me a tea towel when dd was born.. No gift for dd just a tea towel with a boat on it. I was a bit tbh.

I'd love tea towels as a present. I asked my mum for some last birthday and she scoffed at me and said no, what did I really want.

I wanted tea towels as I get through two a day wiping stuff up, they are very useful.

Apparently I'm cheap 'n easy

I got tea towels from dm for Christmas. Joint present for me and dh. Oh and an apron each. She is not hard up and I spent close to £100 on her presents (as she is widowed I always want to make sure she feels special). I was a bit miffed.

Am now perusing the To Dry For website...

I love tea towels and have to be restrained from buying them. I welcome tea towel gifts.

My mother gifts me things like tea towels, face cloths etc... I know I'm turning into her when I put my "good" tea towels in a drawer.

What do you all use tea towels for? I rather like them, I bought one for myself on a trip abroad once, it is gorgeous but just hangs there. I just leave my washing up to dry itself. I'd still like a tea towel as a gift though, I think they make a kitchen look homely.

caker. I use mine for covering food over, laying on the bench to put dishes on if there are too many for the rack (hate dishwashers, don't have one), taking things out of the oven ( hate any kind if oven gloves), polishing glasses... Pretty much anything other than drying dishes, they 'air dry'.

I love a teatowel for a present looks lovingly at my moose teatowel Mum brought back from Canada for me. But then I hate smellies because I'm suppose to turn all girly and say 'oh, how lovely' and even worse the kind of little nick nack that the ILs like to buy so you have something 'meaningful' and 'significant' that goes straight to the charity shop. Just buy me a book from my Amazon list and I'd be happy, don't try and second guess my taste.

When I go to visit my Mum I always take fancy paper napkins for her and booze, it's a family joke that will not make sense to explain.