To think this is a shite birthday present?

[FretYeNotAllIsShiny]

It was Dd2's birthday last week. Today my her aunt (my ex's sister) sent down her present, she was on holiday abroad last week. The present is a mug which reads something along the lines of "I was remembered in Spain".

I could understand something nice bought on holiday, I could understand a mug emblazoned with something a 14 year old would love, but a souvenir mug? For a birthday present? Even in my skintest days I could come up with something better than that. And she isn't skint btw, she's got more than her fair share of money. whole different thread on that can of worms

So, am I being picky, ungracious and a bit of a cow?

[AuntOlive]

Mummav- homemade electric toothbrush -

[oddfodd]

One of my friends got a pack of dishcloths from her French MIL - with the price tag still on.

But it was in FF, rather than Euro :o

[bgottalent]

My dd received a couple of pink satin padded hangers from her aunt for her first birthday.

[MummaV]

I once received some plastic coat hangers and a fishing DVD from poundland wrapped in newspaper....I was about 15.

On my 13th Birthday my DF collected me to take me to my grandparents for the day, when we got there my grandparents gave me my gifts, had put up balloons and baked a cake....DF said 'oh is it your birthday, let's get in the car and go to Tesco'. I got some cheap plastic jewellery box. DB and Dsis that year got a bike and new trainers. I was not impressed.

Me and my friends do a shit present secret Santa every year when we meet up on Christmas day with a £10 budget.
Gifts include:
A collection of the cheap household stuff you get at the corner shop (tape measure, rubber thimble, mini sewing kit, shoe polish, a comb) all individually wrapped and a card containing the £1.38 change in pennies and 5ps.

A homemade electric toothbrush (a regular toothbrush gaffer taped to a small bullet vibrator).

Or this years offering: knitted Willy warmers or nipple tassles for everyone. (yes my friends have limited boundaries).

[Summerisle1]

My ex-husband's aunt always used to send a 'bag of shyte' down every Christmas. This considerable sized parcel used to arrive just after Christmas but was eagerly anticipated nonetheless. She was, incidentally, a lovely, kind and generous woman but just seemed to have a blind spot so far as presents were concerned. One year's offering was:

School dictionary for BIL who was in his first year of a Fine Art Degree
Painting by numbers landscape set for ex-h (an Art teacher and also BA in Fine Art)
Bizarre 'silver' metal pendant for SIL - games teacher who had never worn any sort of jewellery.
Second hand beard trimmer for FIL - he didn't have and had never had a beard.
Fish net stockings for MIL - a woman who would have rather sold her soul to Satan than contemplate wearing such an item.
One of those scented air freshener things you hang in the car for me - we rode motorbikes.

[Dogseggs]

Anyone leaving my place of work gets a letter-opener in a presentation box as a leaving gift from this one colleague instead of a cash contribution when the collection goes round. She must have a job lot of them from the carboot. Who
even uses letter-openers these days?

My DH got me a Toblerone from the airport as a gift after he'd been on week long holiday to New York (all paid for by his parents) while I stayed home with DCs and work. He didn't understand why I wasn't overwhelmed with gratitude. DCs ate most of it anyway

[TakemeforwhatIam]

Me and my sister always had a laugh at my DM's presents. They usually consisted of clothes/jelwlery that she had worn (reaked of her perfume and make up stains) or if she was to buy you something she would buy it in the wrong size on purpose. She still does this, my 30th this year God knows what I'll get from the back of her wardrobe. DH hates it as her perfume will reak out the house after opening

[maud876]

My mother always gave her grandkids money for birthdays and christnas
My sister had 3 children so hers got £10 each.
When I had 3 mine also got £10 each but as my number of children increased, the number of children was divided into £30, so when I had 5 they got £6 each.
I eventually ended up with 7 who got £4.50 each.
And no she wasn't hard up, nor was she senile. This was around 30 years ago.

[craftybaker]

MiL made guilt tripped DH in to buying a £25 garden voucher off her which was a gift given to her by SiL! We still haven't used it. My DS does a great line in "presents guaranteed to annoy the parents". This year a sweet hamper with Sevs style sweets for our 12 year old… what's wrong with that? Well, nothing, if you're happy to have your kids consume 1,000 plus e-numbers at every sitting. Of course he loves it! Of course he's allowed to eat it… but I wish she wouldn't…

[MadameJosephine]

Years ago we found a battered old trumpet on our doorstep. We were baffled until DS who was 10 at the time got a text from his dad to ask him if had liked his birthday present

[momtothree]

I always wanted a honey dipper !!! What about a swap shop or shit swap?

[MillionToOneChances]

My mum's friend once gave her a honey dibber and a pair of rubber gloves. Legendary.

[momtothree]

Sorry i misplaced it on the train :(

[shadowfax07]

I once got a tube of wall filler as a Christmas present, it wasn't even polyfilla!

[DirectorOfBetter]

Have you still got that rug book? I know someone on another thread who could really use it as a present for her 'friend'

[momtothree]

I got a book on making rugs from rags ... and rain measure (think test tube you nail to the fence) anti wrinkle cream (@ 15) ..... clip on fake hair in bright pink .... im over 40 at this point with very short hair .... got to love DS .... its the present you dare not open.

[Sparklingbrook]

Agatha. I have forever wondered where the rest of the week went.

[AgathaChristie01]

One birthday my Aunt sent me one pair of pants. With 'Thursday' on. No rest of the week. Just Thursday.

Brilliant thread. ^^ This is possibly my favourite .

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

IMHO the rusty bikini trimmer with pubes in still wins this thread.

[ejecoms]

My mother once gave my sister's XH eczema cream made from bull's urine for Christmas! (This was before he was XH, makes me laugh everytime I think about it)

[Aermingers]

Probably meant to be a joke. The Royal Family do that. Buy deliberately crap things for the Lolz. Actually my mother does it too. She bought me a cake slice that plays 'Happy Birthday' and 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'. And a rubber dancing Christmas tree which sings 'Rocking around the Christmas Tree'. They're crap. I love them.

[Skiptonlass]

I got a potato bag from my grandmother.

A potato bag.

A bag to store potatoes in.

[Andylion]

then opened my present, a plastic duck!
Lazylou, next year I would give something equally bizarre with the explanation of "Well, after last year's duck, I thought you wanted to do joke-gifts."

[Sparklingbrook]

One birthday my Aunt sent me one pair of pants. With 'Thursday' on. No rest of the week. Just Thursday.

[awombwithaview]

My (vile) uncle and aunty gave my sister a tin of sweets for Christmas...open, and with only the toffees that they couldn't eat with their false teeth left in there

We laughed about it a lot!