to think this is so strange - present gone missing!

[whereismycandle]

Have name changed but frequent poster.

It was my birthday on Sunday & last week (Tuesday) I saw my best friend very briefly and she gave me my present to open on the day. I opened it on Sunday and she had bought me a nice box of chocolates – lovely, I like chocolates. Anyway I text her to say a generic thank you she text back have a lovely day – all’s well and I good. But I’ve just spoken to her and she didn’t get me chocolates. She bought me a very ‘naice’ candle.

How weird is that. She has absolute no reason to lie – we’ve know each other forever and don’t have ‘expectations’ in the sense that sometimes we spend a lot, sometimes we don’t. I asked if it could have got mixed up with someone else’s present and no, she had no other birthdays going on. The strangest part is the gift bag and wrapping paper were exactly what she had wrapped the candle in – but it was chocolates.

What the hell has happened to the candle? We had a laugh about it but honestly, it’s so weird!!

Best thread in ages!

...is it possible that she cancelled the candle?

Ok detectives. This is the scene.
In OPs house there was
OP
Her DH
Friend A
Friend B
Dog walker man
Dog.
Is that right op ? No one else in the house at all during the timescale ?
Then at friend’s house we have
Best Friend.
She wrapped the gift shortly before leaving the house to deliver the gift, is that right ?
Was anyone else in the house in that timescale ?
Did BF call anywhere else en route ?

Most importantly, who on the list is very keen on either nice candles or expensive gifts, and who is less keen on chocs ?
Could anyone , eg a cleaner, have accidentally smashed the candle and furtively replaced it with the chocs ?

Well if you start farting Neom scented farts you definitely ate the candle while under some form of group hypnosis that you were eating chocolates.

Dog walker. He could easily take off his muddy shoes and you wouldn't know where he'd been. I'd put a camera inside and see if he does have a wander around when he comes.

I now have this advert on fb.

HOW does that happen?

Your dh needed a present for Auntie Mary and decided to take the gift and replace it later with something he grabbed on the way home. He assumed that you would never realise it wasn't the right present because he had used the same paper and everything.

He will never admit this though.

Bluntness has it.
It's regifted. She made a mistake, thinking she remembered it was a posh candle in the wrapping, but it was chocolate. (Her friend who last had a birthday got the candle.)

You'll never prove it now, though, because who would be able to admit it?

Focus on the wrapping, OP. If the rewrapped present was sellotaped, where do you keep it? Is it in its usual spot, would DH know where that is, could any other people have found it / used it?

Also, have you verified with friend that it was definitely the exact same paper she used?

Intriguing.

What bluntness said. I would say mystery solved. Time to find better friends OP ;)

somerville I think if it was my best friend I'd probably own up because it's fucking hilarious

Yup, some folks even keep a stash of something to regift. She could even have picked up the wrong one from her stash by mistake. She opens stuff, rewraps, shoves it in a drawer, then picks it up and regifts to folks.

Either way the only explanation that doesn't involve James Bond type subterfuge is it's a regift.

Hey OP and BF you said you met briefly on Tuesday to was this out or at one of your houses? Just wondering if a very opportunistic stranger with a keen sense of smell could be to blame. I mean I can see why they'd do a swap but I'm out of other ideas.

Have you and your friend got working carbon monoxide detectors in your homes?

I wouldn't, Babykoala, not once they'd told hundreds of thousands of Mumsnetters about it!

I like Bluntness's idea but wouldn't the chocolate package be noticeably lighter and a different shape to the candle?

This is intriguing - I hope you find the answer becase we need to know!

Personally, my money's on your DH - why else would he comment on the untidy wrapping? So, assuming it as him the question is why?

Bad joke?

Does he want you/your friend to think you are losing it? If so, why?

He needed a present for a random relative's birthday - gave them the candle and replaced with the chocolates later in the week?

As above but he's having an affair and gave it to her - obviously I hope it's not this one!

Do you have a cleaner ?!
It's ABSOLUTELY been re-wrapped, we just need to work out by whom.....

Is your DP sensitive when it comes to smells?

Dog ate candle, DH panic bought chocolate, re-wrapped with same paper not expecting you to notice ....?!

OMG, are we all supposed to be suffering from senility over the age of 40 or something!?!?!

I'm 45 dear, I can't remember what the question was. Has anyone seen my glasses?

Do you have a sister? It's the kind of thing mine would do, especially if it would mess with a friendship.

😱I’ve got a Hotel Chocolat ad on Facebook!! That’s quick.

The only solution is that your DP saw the gift and decided to play a prank by taking out the candle and reusing the paper for the chocolate es.

What date is on the chocolate box? Seems odd that the specific box you go isn't on the website...