Things you wish people would stop buying you

[tequilasunrises]

Had a bit of a pre Christmas house declutter earlier and found that DH has THIRTEEN unused Lynx shower gels in the bathroom cupboard - all from Christmas last year.

Having chucked out a load of moisturer/bath sets il never use I had to sigh hand thinking about the next influx I’m going to get from his relatives this year.

I try not to be ungrateful but we’ve got such a tiny house and hoardes of toiletries really isn’t conducive to minimalist living!

What do you always get for Christmas/Birthdays that you wish you didn’t?

@Emeraldshamrock my ex smile once got me nail varnish remover pads... weirdest present I’ve ever received! Considering they drive a bloody Bentley aswell 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ffs gangster what was he thinking. Thankfully he's an ex he might have got you baby wipes this year.

@Emeraldshamrock that should have said ex step mil.. bloody auto correct! Baby wipes, imagine 😂

Has anyone had any success trying to get any of the gift givers to stop the unwanted gifts?

I stopped being polite about it, they got huffy and stopped giving anything.

Hotel Chocolat stuff. Gets very boring.

🤣 if her intentions were good it's okay, if not you'd a lucky escape.

Yes, don't throw them out. Also good for emergency bags for flood victims and I took some into the hospital once just tooth brush, tooth paste, flannel and shower gel. My friend makes up bags for them so I give some to her and likewise food banks and Shelter.

Mugs.
I work in a school. I count thirty five when we were getting a new kitchen last year. I feel bad because I remember who gave them to me. i took some to school and someone threw everything out in the summer holidays.

Only 13-15 year olds wear Lynx. It's something totally age specific except they dont know it, they ate real grown ups when they get their mitts on the stuff. 3 days and the whole can of gly spray is gone. You cannot breathe in your own home. Walk along behind a group of school boys in this age group and you will also endure suffocation by lynx. No grown man should ever own this product.
I put any unopened cans we had left in the christmas gifting box for local teens. I'm sure they'd quite enjoy it!

justjuggling I got one on Friday. Lovely smell and although I have quite a lot I didn't mind as it smells lovely and looks expensive/more than I would pay.

Hotel Chocolate take it to food bank how lovely would that be for someone this Christmas. Or to A&E when they are rushed off their feet and can't stop to eat.

Please donate your unwanted toiletry sets, gifts and chocolates to the food bank, refuge or homeless shelters instead of throwing them in the bin. Thank you.

Lynx - I would not buy it for an adult male but young teens seem to like it and I do buy it for them.

As for myself, I have made it clear as politely as possible that I am ok for gloves, scarves and candles for the next 20 years. Let's wait and see.

I had a friend who collected giraffes, ornaments, soft toys and anything remotely giraffe like. This went on for many years and she could not get enough. So easy to buy for. She even had more shelves put up and bought a huge display cabinet to house all the giraffe gifts. I have to say they looked nice as I love the animals.

Last year she decided to downsize to a small bungalow and made the momentous decision to get rid of all the giraffes so she could have a clutter free home.

The high street charity shops near her old home (at least 4 I think) were given bin bags full and I hope they went to good owners.

I see gift sets in charity shops and they look ok but I wonder how old they are. Even cosmetics and body stuff has an end date.

Turkish delight. I like a bar of Fry's turkish delight every now and then. I get the "authentic" perfumey version with no chocolate on every year Christmas and birthday from DM. I only like one bloody type. I do tell her, it doesn't sink in. DH gets a Toblerone each year- happily he likes those.
We each get cheap chocs, a shower gel, deodorant, soap. It's not even a set, just bunged in with the groceries and wrapped individually. I am grateful that I don't need to buy toiletries for a few weeks, but still, just give me the cash. DH then gets a shirt and some socks, I am lucky enough to be getting a dressing gown this year, but I can only choose from grey or maroon.

This year she's mentioned a reed diffuser. FML. She clearly thinks we smell.

Do you think we could set up a MN swapsies page??

I'll probably be getting about 30 pairs of picture socks for xmas from DM, which is interesting considering I only wear very high heels and sheer tights- not sure what look shes suggesting. I could offer those up!

Mail order flowers awful and sooo expensive

Any toiletries really. Most people have these things already. Who wants a lynx gift of a spray and some shower gel most people have their chosen and preferred spray and shower gel already.

There usually is a swapping thread after Christmas.

Haven't read all the posts but in case no one has mentioned, LUSH products. Those neon coloured bath bombs and all the rest.

No thank you!!!! I am surprised so many buy from there even at Xmas. It almost makes me itch just walking past the door! What a pong!

About 2 years ago my DH gave me a Boots voucher, I never go in Boots. During the summer when I thought they might be going under I decided to go and use it.
I was not impressed. And he only got it as an extra gift as my daughter had requested one, and she's far more sophisticated than me, maybe he thought I needed it

Not something brought.. but DO older brother keeps handing his clothes down to him as if he’s doing him a favour.

DP things it’s a kind gesture and takes them.

They sit in carrier bags for months before he sort through it, when he does sort through it it’s all very old, holey and discoloured shite that is unwearable. Not even fit for a charity shop!

I’ve told him now not to accept anymore bladdy clothes from him because his wardrobe is full of old manky crap and our bins are always full of the rest of it. It’s like he’s too lazy to dispose of them himself. Agh!

Windolene is useful though...

Unless it’s Clarins or L’Occitane I don’t want it. I don’t want ANY of it.

Mugs! It's DP's go-to present for me. After we got a new kitchen I donated most of our mugs and kept a nice set. He's since bought me a load of mugs and I'm back at square one.

iVE done a semi lightearted gidt etiquette list on google sheets for my own self reference for giving and receiving it says ....no toiletres so many people are allergic or sensitive so know deffo do that gift ... no chocs to children cos i know they get loads and mine have enough plus pocket money to get there own ... clothes why would u assum what somene should wear or the material etc im only brave enough to buy my 19 yr old underwear cos no one sees my choices ... anything bedroom realted thats there personal space if there theme is sexy red and u get lavendar it wont be used ... anything too themed or the same as i got them last yr so if u wanted a scarf llast yr cos u asked for one im not gonna get another on e this yr for u

Absolutely pass on toiletries to charity shops/foodbanks/other charities. Most unwanted gifts can be passed on, and consumables (whether body lotion or fancy jam) are good for a lot of charities, partly because if they are fancy/expensive/high quality then that's extra nice for the eventual recipient as a lot of what gets put into foodbanks is the most basic.

I know it's not what you asked, but no one buys me any presents, so I'd be grateful for any of those things, and anything I couldn't use I would donate to a refuge/food bank. It's not rocket science.