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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I know what OH has got me for christmas....... what would you do!

105 replies

Foxy3131988 · 04/12/2018 17:26

Hi,

New here but not sure who I can tell this too or get advice as I dont want people to think I am being ungrateful! So obvs its christmas soon and I have found out what the OH has got me..... He said he took a risk getting this... which worried me and I then came across his list for what he has got me....

Its an electric toothbrush..... not a cheap one either. I dont know what to do because I feel really disappointed as I thought he knew me better than that... like is he trying to say something?? My teeth are fine by the way.... but seriously... an electric toothbrush...! I know my face will say it all when I open it in front of everyone... I am now dreading it and dont want to hurt his feelings.

What do I do!?

OP posts:
SuchAToDo · 04/12/2018 17:28

If you think it will hurt his feelings don't tell him you found it... And use the time between now and Christ to drop heavy hints about what you would like for Christmas (as far as he knows, you don't know what he got you, so he won't be suspicious of you hinting )...with luck he might buy you what you hint for 😁

MadameJosephine · 04/12/2018 17:28

Anywhere got special offers on at the moment? Could you buy yourself one because it was ‘such abargain I couldn’t resist’ and then he’d have to take your pressie back?

BeautyQueenFromMars · 04/12/2018 17:29

I would try to engineer a conversation about gifts with someone within his hearing, and mention that you don't like practical/every day usage type gifts.

londonfeather · 04/12/2018 17:31

Buy yourself a cheaper electric toothbrush now so he has to take his gift one back and swap for something else?!

Foxy3131988 · 04/12/2018 17:31

Hi,

Well, he knows what to get me as I did have a list that I gave him! This is why I dont get why he chose to "take a risk"
Its a bad move lol.
I have tried giving him hints since and he said today that he cant believe it wont be delivered til 19th as its cutting it fine and I said ah dont worry, why dont u just cancel the order and get something else that will be guaranteed to arrive in time.... in the hope he will do that.. but nope. god I am dreading opening it on christmas day in front of my family!

OP posts:
Foxy3131988 · 04/12/2018 17:32

That is a good idea! I might look into doing that.

I mean, am I being ungrateful....? Would you be happy with it??

OP posts:
RomanyRoots · 04/12/2018 17:33

I'd take the toothbrush, but having been together for 30 years now we choose our own presents from each other.
For surprises we give each other a list and choose something off here.

BiggFactHunt · 04/12/2018 17:35

I’ll just leave this here OP. It might sum up your feelings Grin

Returnofthesmileybar · 04/12/2018 17:37

I only had a conversation with a friend yesterday and we both said we would love decent electric toothbrushes but didn't want to buy them ourselves we both wanted them as presents! So I'd love it Grin not helpful

feelingverylazytoday · 04/12/2018 17:39

Just keep it in the box, take it back after Christmas and get the money back or change it for something you do want. If he gets upset then it's his own fault for not buying something off your list. I honestly don't understand why grown adults have to fartarse about buying surprises.

80sMum · 04/12/2018 17:41

This is why DH and I have an agreement not to buy each other presents - ever! If I want something, I will get it myself. No more surprises for me!

Oh dear, sorry OP but It seems your DP is as hopeless at present-choosing as mine! Mine once bought me a washing-up set, with dish cloths, a brush that you fill with washing-up liquid and some scourers!! Grin

cariadlet · 04/12/2018 17:45

I mean, am I being ungrateful....? Would you be happy with it??

I like practical gifts. One of my favourite ever gifts from my parents was my first wok. I don't think I'd like an expensive electric toothbrush though - can't really see the point of that. I'd be just as happy with a cheap one.

But it doesn't matter whether any of us would like it or not.

I dont know what to do because I feel really disappointed as I thought he knew me better than that

The disappointment is because he doesn't know you as well as you thought he did. That's a perfectly valid reaction.
You've got 3 choices:

  1. Suck it up and appreciate that he tried even if he was useless.
  2. Buy yourself a cheap electric toothbrush so that his present is redundant and he'll have to get something else.
  3. Drop much bigger hints than you have done already.

I know my face will say it all when I open it in front of everyone
I am dreading opening it on christmas day in front of my family!

These are the things I don't get. Surely you can fake it to avoid hurting his feelings? If you know what it is then you won't be taken by surprise so there's no excuse for showing your disappointment. It does sound a bit as if you're worried about your family's reaction. Does it matter what they think?

choli · 04/12/2018 17:45

If it is a sonicare you will eventually be very grateful. It will save you a fortune in periodontal treatment in the long run. You'd have to pry mine from my cold dead hands Wink

In the big scheme of life and marriage, how important is a Christmas present really?

TantricTwist · 04/12/2018 17:45

I would start up a conversation about the worst Christmas presents ever and say that 'one year when I was younger someone gave me an electric toothbrush, can you imagine, ha ha ha an electric toothbrush who in their right mind would give someone an electric toothbrush'. And leave it hanging in the air as you leave the room giving him time to reflect on his gargantuan mistake Grin

mummmy2017 · 04/12/2018 17:49

Just buy yourself something you do want and leave it under the tree.
Thank him for hus gift, then open your want gift, squeal jump on his lap kiss him, tell him how great he is for getting you thus amazing gift. Tell him he really fooled you with the toothbrush....
And wait and see how he reacts...
Idea number two..... Tesco have them on offer go buy one for the sod, hide his proper nice gifts. If he got you some think if your list as well bring out extra gifts...
If not Use the money from the refunds to buy a treat in the new year.

paige789 · 04/12/2018 17:53

How do you know that's defiantly what he got you ? Why would he leave a list laying around if it's meant to be a surprise ?

Justmuddlingalong · 04/12/2018 17:57

Was the list left lying around or did you 'find' it?

YouTheCat · 04/12/2018 18:00

Does he like drills? No? Go and get him a drill for Christmas and see how he likes it.

It's a bit shit that you gave him a list and he's bought a toothbrush instead. That's like you saying 'here's what I would really like' and him replying with 'okay, I'll disregard that and buy what I want'.

be47 · 04/12/2018 18:02

The sonicare my parents bought me two years ago is my most used Christmas present of all time Blush - not something I could afford to buy myself! Aware that's not massively helpful! I'm a dental hygiene weirdo I think

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 04/12/2018 18:03

Well, he knows what to get me as I did have a list that I gave him! This is why I dont get why he chose to "take a risk"

I’d put good money on it being pretty heavily discounted during Black Friday- Amazon have a high end Sonicare really well reduced at the moment for example.

I don’t get why you can’t just be (nicely) honest- he was given a list and decided to go off piste, so he can’t get his knickers in a twist if it backfires.

JustHereForThePooStories · 04/12/2018 18:03

I got my husband an electric toothbrush Blush He needs a new one, and this is a fancy Sonicy one with Bluetooth and... an app

He likes practical gift. Plus, I’ve been buying him Christmas gifts for almost 20 years. I can’t keep trying to find exciting things for him.

PositiveVibez · 04/12/2018 18:03

Buy him an electric toothbrush too. What's good for the goose and all that.

Wheresthebeach · 04/12/2018 18:06

So he's told you he's taken a risk...tell him not to!

Tell him to stick to the list. There's time to fix this but hinting won't help. Don't confess you know, but ask him to please stick to the list because that's what you really want.

Personally I'd tell him that the only risk worth taking would need to include sapphires...Grin

Whitney168 · 04/12/2018 18:06

If you haven't got an electric toothbrush, you will wonder how you lived without one.

I would definitely take the approach of buying a reasonably priced one now though (they are always cheaper at this time of year) and making sure it's used before he sees it so it can't be returned.

(You don't want an expensive one anyway, it just comes with gadgets and bluetooth stuff, and who can be bothered with that?)

LizzieBennettDarcy · 04/12/2018 18:07

Do you think he may have left the list lying around as a decoy??

I'd leave it so he knows you've found it, and say "ha ha as if you'd really get me such a shit gift, you joker".