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?

Mugs. Body lotion. Socks. Photo frames. Or anything decor wise - not only do I hate clutter but if I haven't chosen it myself with a place in mind, it's going to the charity shop.

Things that are always welcome: perfume, any sort of cookware or oven to table ware and, I hate to say it, vouchers.

Body lotion/butter/scrub
Scented candles
Cheap chocolates (would much rather have a tiny box of the good stuff than a large box of rubbish)

Body lotion. I use it every few days, but based on the amounts that I already have, I have enough to last me for three years. Honestly. I also find that lots of body lotions are not at all moisturising on my lizard skin so serve no purpose.

I will happily take all the unwanted candles though.

Oh, and mugs. On the last count, we had 77.

Vouchers of any kind.
Jewellery or ornaments from the garden centre

Books of inspirational sayings or 'funny' ones like the Ladybird series. Scarves. Chocolate always welcome though!

@Ragwort I didn’t know that! That’s really good to know.

jewellery
please, please don't spend money on jewellery for me unless you are confident you know my taste (which isn't that hard- I am always wearing something, just use your eyes, DMIL!!!)

Candles. I really don't like them, especially scented ones.
Lotions etc, I just don't use them. E45 is the only type I use and nobody buys that as a present.
Chocolates with nuts. They will give me anaphylactic shock which hopefully is never what the giver intended.

Fortunately our food bank has a table for non food items where users can choose things for themselves or to give as presents.

Can unused, unopened toiletry sets be donated to charity shops?

Yes. People buy them as gifts. They sell very quickly

I have a friend that never shows up to meet me without piles of chocolate. She's pre-diabetic and very slim so doesn't eat any of it herself and even though it's well intentioned it gives me terrible rage. I'm doing slimming world at the moment and have lost a stone which she knows and she still turned up on Saturday with a mince pie, a bag of chocolate eggs and a family size dairy milk. I felt really guilty as I refused the mince pie and kind of said I'd just give the chocolate to DD.

I know it's irrational but please stop bringing me gifts like the fucking baby Jesus. Especially ones that make me fat.

My partner is allergic to most smellies and people still buy them all the time, not ungrateful or anything because ds uses them up anyway but still annoying for him :(

People buy me mascara bizarrely a lot and I can only use a certain one because my lashes are so long most of them leave marks under my brows where my lashes touch my skin. Again, I try not to be ungrateful but they go straight in the charity :(

Why are you throwing them away? Either tell people not to bother or pass them on to someone who can make use of them.

Voucher, chocolate and candles for me. hate them.
lego, play mobile and toy cars for my sons. they don’t play with them, ever

This year I have agreed with my siblings that instead of buying eachother tat, we will spend time doing something like a night away.
As much as I want to appreciate their efforts, I cannot get excited about fucking candles!

Alcohol! I own a mobile bar so have a garage full of alcohol, not a big drinker anyway maybe once every 4 months! I end up just selling it on the bar. Luckily I don't get too many presents- 13 presents of Lynx in one year as an adult?! Who is buying him presents!

Slippers! I don't know why I get so many. I have three unused pairs waiting for my current pair to wear out. I have never asked for them.

Sodding nail varnish! Only one brand Seema to stay on my nails and I like certain colours. But I've got hundreds of cheapy green and orange ones

So wasteful to throw them away.

Two words. Body. Butter.

Anything I specifically dont ask them for.

Any unwanted toiletries get given to charity.

I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant and I just know that people will be bringing me chocolate etc once baby is born, when I intend to get back on Slimming World immediately. I don't want the temptation in the house!

Body lotion!
Plants..please don’t ever give me a plant.
Gloves.

Oh, and those jokey books, like the Ladybird and Famous Five ones. We got three copies of Five Go Parenting the year DS was born. They aren't
funny for more than a few seconds - who is ever going to reread one? What a waste of resources.

those folding up fabric shopping/book bags, either nylon or cotton ones.

• white stuff, cath kidston and radley. i have been given about 5 over the last few years and find them just too small. they are very pretty but wont stay up on my shoulder.