to be disappointed by a gift that is almost what I asked for but not quite?

[PennyHasNoSurname]

I know....first world problem etc. But DH and I set a small budget each. One of the things Id asked for was pricey for what it is but within the budget and under £20, so not actually expensive.

Swapped gifts with all of his side of the family today and one of his relatives got me a gift which is very similar to what Id asked dh for but not quite. DH said "oh yes I was going to get you that then X said they had so I had a re think".

I feel awful to actually be a bit disappointed. The item I wanted was pretty and clever and good quality and this is a replica, not good quality, different details. To dhs mind (dare I say to a mans mind) they are one and the same.

But they arent

This year dh took photos of books I said I wanted to read and bought them form me. So my to read pile is looking very good

However one year I wanted an iPod. I know you are paying for the name etc but I really wanted one. Dh bought me a generic mp3 player. I bought an iPod in the sales

Some of these are so funny! (Obviously not funny if you're on the receiving end).

I'm definitely with fanjo on all this present-giving angst.

Placing such a massive amount of significance and pressure on some poor bugger (family member, friend) is bound to end in tears.

I haven't been disappointed about presents for years, it's really liberating not to give a flying 4x about any of it!

I would think that was a reasonable assumption for your DH to make, Felicity. I would much rather use the perfume that smells of "me" every day, than one I liked less.

I'll never forget the birthday when, having asked for Adidas poppers as my only gift (we never got bought brands, and I had coveted these for aaages) I opened a pair of poppers...apparently, these were better than the Adidas poppers because they had four stripes...

I'm ashamed to say it still gets bought up now.

I know Sanity. My error.
Still, its nice to be given anything perfume anyway.

I asked DH for earrings one year - he asked me what I'd like. He bought me very expensive diamond studs. Beautiful, but completely missing the point that I only wear dangly earrings & have shoulder-length hair which I never wear up. At the time we'd been together about 15 years.

So they can't be seen if I do wear them, which is hardly ever. He wishes he'd spent his money on something else & mutters on about them many years later - at the time I tried to gently point out that perhaps another style would be more suitable & that we could exchange them but he flatly refused to consider it.

My dh is slightly useless at presents. I have an Amazon wish list which I send him every year, and he will get me some bits off it, but the goes 'off piste' for some surprises.

We have been together 15 years, I'm a big girl (size 26) and a rock/Goth kind of girl. Last year he bought me a cream cardi and a pair of light brown snow boots.... This year I have been given a size medium slashed back top that wouldn't fit a size 12....

Ive actually had an excellent haul of really thoughtful presents this year :) but 2 of the 3 prezzies I put on my wish list were hilariously slightly wrong

I asked for a sleeping bag liner, relative has MADE me one out of fleece, which is obviously very kind of her and will be toasty warm, but takes up more room than my actual sleeping bag Said relative is actually very outdoorsy herself so I'm a bit surprised she didn't just pop into millets but hey ho

Hinted at a new watch strap as mine is wrecked. Have instead received this mens bracelet that looks a bit like a watch strap www.fossil.com/uk/en/jewellery/mens-jewellery/bracelets/stitched-leather-bracelet-sku-ja6323p.html I would have understood if it was a genuine mistake and the buyer thought it was a watch strap, but that is not the case

God mermaid I feel your pain. I too LOVE a blanket, and covet the soft, fluffy, real-wool exatravaganzas. But there is a place in the world for. Slanket! The other year my OH got me.... a popcorn maker. I was so cross with him. And now, I use the fecking thing all the time! Seriously, I think there's a fine line between practical and something slightly fancy you wouldn't usually get yourself - maybe emphasise this in the future? He sounds sweet though, getting you something you will use