To sell unwanted gifts

[WhatOnEarthDoIDoNow]

My family have bought me a load of stuff that is large and impractical that I will never use or remove from the packaging that I can’t easily regift. AIBU to list the items from this and last year on selling pages that they can’t see, while also being sad that they know so little about me that they continue to buy things I neither like/want or need when I’d be happy with a token chocolate bar or card rather than feeling guilty about the money they’ve spent on useless (to me) tat. Especially as they know I’m currently decluttering my room at home and uni.

Good enough to sell but not gift. What are these things?

Harry Potter dolls and wands, collectable items. The only person I could regift them too is my nephew or friends who like it but then I’ve the problem of my nephew and family knowing that they’re regifted to my nephew or looking like I’ve spent a lot on a couple of friends and not the others when I haven’t.

Gifts that are of equal value to things that I can afford to buy as gifts for people are put into my regifting box with labels on saying who I got it from and who may like it with their bday on it.

I mean I’m in my 20s and have no need nor desire for 6 Harry Potter dolls or 14 replica prop wands that have been given over the years. I really liked Harry Potter when I was younger but I’ve not read nor watched it in years yet my family consistently buy the same things over and over despite me asking them not to and telling them well in advance I don’t want or need anymore and I’m quite happy not to exchange gifts with them but I’ll still buy for the kids.

I got a Harry Potter remote control wand as a gift as well despite the fact they’re aware I don’t own a TV because I can use my laptop instead.

I’m aware I sound really ungrateful and 11 year old me would have been delighted with the gifts but I can’t use any of them and it’s not me anymore. I’m just sad my family know so little about me now and they can’t see I’m no longer a child.

Do it and don’t feel guilty.

Oooh I would love to have received those! I still love Harry Potter.

Sell them and don't worry about it. Use the money to buy something you want.

I wonder if they have kept a receipt for any of the items? The. You could return them.

You could try ringing Ollivanderd to see what their return policy is?

@LokiDokiArtichoki, thanks, I just felt massively ungrateful.
@AGHHHH, if I wasn't so strapped for space and cash I'd be able to appreciate them a little more, but right now all I can think is what a waste of money.
@cavycavy, my family don't do receipts and all gifts must be accepted without care for what they are or their use.
@SaucyJack, the wands are from the studio tours, apparently bought whenever we've been and kept to be given as gifts.

Where did they get the TV remote from?

Yes it’s fine to sell them, then you can spend the money on something you actually want.

My MIL throws away receipts so we can’t return things and buys mountains of “presents” that are unsuitable or bizarre, and when I suggested I might donate some of the chocolate she gave us (about £50 worth of chocolate) to a food bank she had a strop and called me ungrateful. So now I take it, say “thank you very much” and sell or donate what I can.

@Avonandice, Not a clue, and I’ve no idea how to work it because I don’t own a TV. I imagine it would be really cool to use but also a little tricky to work. On amazon they’re selling for almost £50. Think it would be cheeky for me to list this as £20 to try getting a quick sale?

@Guineapiglet345, my family mean well but they don’t know me at all. I’m very different to them and they don’t know how to interact with me or what I like. Trying to explain anything to them generally gets a snotty response and it’s only got worse since I started uni. They love me and want to understand me but they’ve a massive case of inverted snobbery and projecting their insecurities onto me and doing this mainly by trying to “keep me in my place” and treating me like I’m a decade younger and dependant on them.

I really need the clutter gone ASAP. I think I’m stuck with the dolls for the foreseeable future as mum thinks they’re sweet but I feel no guilt getting rid of this or the 14 wands. Or a Harry Potter writing set and colouring books. (Nephews are getting the colouring books or they can be taken to our caravan where I or the kids can use them when they’re bored) same with the jigsaws and the like and the spare book sets and other crap they buy that isn’t good enough to be regifted or sold but can’t be trashed because it’s ‘rude’ so must be boxed and put in the loft.

I would love lots if Harry potter things and I was 30 this year!

But I would sell if you aren't going to use them. Spent the money on something you love. Maybe start a new hobby or discover a love of candles or something they can fixate on and buy you instead of Harry potter. Make lots if hints in preparation for next year 😁

I don’t mind things like clothing or cups or things I can put to use @nocutsnobuttsnococonuts but I just don’t have the space for display items right now and as I’m a student and skint all I can see is the waste of time/effort/money that has gone into buying and sourcing them for me. My sister bought me fluffy HP ravenclaw socks and I love them, another wand or a doll not so keen.

@WhatOnEarthDoIDoNow

I'm with you - I only really like things with a purpose. Bought a friend a Harry Potter cauldron mug thing (she likes HP) because I thought at least if she doesn't "like" it or if she already has one, at least it has a purpose - she can jam some cup-a-soup or hot chocolate in it and it's not unnecessarily clogging up her shelves just being "decorative".

I'm such a grown-up I got pillows and curtains and clothes and sensible work shoes for Christmas. But at least people didn't waste their money, I can use those things. I've got another baby on the way and the last thing I need is more shite cluttering up my house. Hooray for Amazon wishlists and my family's stubborn insistence on using them.

Have you tried the gift swapping thread on here?

You might get a few takers and get something you'll actually enjoy in return.

Bloody hell! They're absolutely determined to see you as a child forever aren't they? can understand people trying and just getting it a little bit wrong, not quite your taste or whatever but this seems nuts.

In all honesty I'd probably give some of them to your nephew. Not as gifts, just 'I thought you might like these'. If any family members protest that they got them for you just smile and say 'yes but I have six'! That might seem mean but a) they're not listening to hints or polite suggestions and b) it's not as though they can pretend they put much thought into it. I mean they're picking this shit up on HP tours and giving it to a grown adult

It's really weird and irritating yet I kind of want to laugh (sorry I know it's not funny really) as I can only imagine your face:


as you open parcel after parcel to reveal.... yet another fucking HP wand!

@BeanTownNancy, I'm a practical person really. A different sister bought me a HP cushion for my bed and I love that, but dolls and wands are really not my taste anymore.

@PinkFizzz, I didn't know there was one I'll have to look into that now. It wouldn't be so bad except they're not really things I can easily regift among friends as none are old enough to have kids interested in it.

@CantSleepClownsWillEatMe, yup. I am very much the baby of the family. I'm in my 20's and not invited on nights out with my sisters who are late 30's early 40's but my niece whos the same age and my nieces and nephews who are just drinking age now are. Even my BIL's have noticed it. I think part of it is that I'm an aspie and introverted but that doesn't make me a child and tbh I've done and been more places and seen more than any of them. My mum I can kind of get as I am the youngest and she has empty nest syndrome so I can forgive a lot of it, but it just shows how little they know me.

Of course you can sell them, they belong to you. Stop feeling guilty right now!!

We had a charity shop bag in the room with us while we were opening our presents this year, we have been decluttering and nothing is going to spoil it.

@Genderwitched I feel guilty because we're a low income family and I know how much they've cost and whats been spent on me, but there is literally a box of tat from last year that is unopened in my room cluttering up the place because it's useless.

I would just sell them and be done with it, what they don't know can't hurt them.

I’d love to buy some of that from you! 😳 my kids are so into Harry Potter

@posthistoricmonsters, this is true.

@BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil, feel free to PM me and I can send you some pictures of what I have. Not looking for a lot for any of it really, just want it gone tbh.

Definitely sell them, if you're a student and are shirt of cash any extra money will be a bonus, I sold loads of stuff on eBay before moving, clothes, make up etc and made more than expected. Just do it and feel no guilt!

@BusterGonad, I've just uploaded all my Harry Potter wands to a selling site. I sold one in less than an hour and have had interest in another. Hopefully it won't take too long before they rest are packed up and sold as well. Once they've gone I'll list the dolls and then some of the other Harry Potter stuff I have like the remote control wand which can be difficult to find in stores. The rest is all pretty easy to source so I doubt there'll be much interest in them. Which sucks tbh as it's just a massive waste of money.

You'll be surprised, just list the lot and treat yourself to things you wish you were given for Christmas! Good luck!