To request no more of certain items?

[itsnosoap]

Only if asked what I want for future birthday/Christmas presents of course!

This Christmas I got three sets of Soap & Glory stuff (which I used to like but now makes me feel a bit queasy), two sets of 'cute animal' socks and two lots of Hotel Chocolat, of which I am not a fan. All gifts given by close family members.

WIBU to say I don't need anymore of these items, if asked what I would like in future? I will be donating it all to Women's Aid or a food bank, so it won't go to waste, and of course I was very grateful and thankful for the gifts. I just seem to get these items every year and it seems a bit daft to let it carry on.

Happy new year everyone. For what it's worth, I would much rather receive chutney, crackers, jam, marmalade, tea, coffee and similar than chocolates and sweet biscuits. But equally I do show gratitude for any gifts I am fortunate enough to receive although I did rather drop a clanger yesterday at a NY day family party when I mentioned to someone that I was offloading some of my chocolate overflow on my DS as I simply couldn't look another truffle in the face...only for this person to then present me with a late Christmas gift of....you've guessed it, another mahoosive box of chocolates! We are close though, and laughed a lot about it, and they are particularly yummy liqueurs which we will enjoy in a few weeks once we can stomach chocs again. Like other posters, most unwanted gifts can be donated to charities, food banks and others who will really appreciate them.

I told my partner i wanted contribution towards new gym membership and got in early before he bought anything else. I now ask what people want for birthday/Xmas and if they don't say then they get an Amazon voucher. When I get over virus I will drop off at Salvation Army with loads of cheap stocking fillers my in laws put in our stockings. Some of these underwear items are two sizes too small but I don't let it worry me and think someone might be glad of it.

I could say no more chocolate, shortbread biscuits or bath salts, thank you very much but I don't want to cause offence.

For next Christmas it's been decided that'll we have a Secret Santa for the adults with a cost of £10 which will avoid having to trawl through the shops. I just hope that I don't get £10 worth of the aforementioned.

I'm trying to lose weight FFS.

often people are just lost to know what is a preferred item i should make a point when you are all together before birthday or xmas just to say the other day i smelt this lovely new range of toiletries called xxxx i really would love some of those for my birthday/xmas if anyone would like to know what to buy me

I told my family four years ago that I have enough possessions of all kinds, and, as I am bored silly by clothes, asked if I could have money for Christmas and birthdays. Since I suspect they had to cudgel their brains to buy for me for years, they all thought this was a good idea. I save up the money and organise treats for myself: so far I have had a long weekend away with a rugby international thrown in, a short holiday in Ireland, drove the North Coast 500 and had a week in France. I have just booked myself an eco pod on Iona for a week in May....I make a little e-scrapbook of pictures and a travel diary and send it round. It works really well - or at least it does for me.

Bear that’s such a good idea, I’ll be dropping out in around November that savoury stuff would be preferable for me - I love chocolate but I’m having a tough time with both migraines and a nut allergy. Chocolate selections aren’t good for this so most of it just gets put in the staff room at work anyway!

I said enough to presents when I was a live in Nanny and I was being given things like the 'They think it's all over" board game. Since I hate all forms of organised PE (although TTiAO is funny), it was clearly a desparate attempt by someone who had no idea what to give me. In addition to the candles, cookbooks (mostly unused) and hundreds of photo frames, it was just out of hand. I haven't really done presents for about 15 years and I still have enough candles to keep my house warm if the electricity goes out for a month.

Some present giving seems to be a power thing, especially when it's things they know you won't/can't use. When people deliberately give gifts when asked not to, it's about them not you and it's perfectly reasonable to be annoyed.

Could you ask for vouchers? Or "I'm saving up for a XXX & would love a contribution"?

We always ask everyone in the family what they want; some say money (teenagers in particular!) others provide a list and you get something from that so there's a bit of an element of surprise still