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?

I run a charity shop and can conform that we will accept sealed/unused toiletries and they are a great seller!

callmerachel but why should you be grateful just because it is an expensive present? . Of course I would always accept a gift graciously and express my thanks, as would my DS. But my DS has never played with Lego, I know it’s expensive but I wish people would ask before spending money on something so expensive. I just pass it on to a charity shop.

It’s only on this thread that you can express your honest opinion.

Anything with palm oil in it, because palm trees are planted in area deforested then wild life dies out

Chocolate I’m vegan can’t eat it the DC love it though

@sweetkitty ds is definitely going to face this ,this Christmas.
It’s mostly because dh’s family think it’s a fad and he’ll eat it anyway .
Bastards

Joining the army of posters getting scarves that never get worn. I know they're silk, and some are pretty, but please, just no.

Also jewellery from MiL. Who also knows that I like perfumes, so last year she got me patchouli soap, which stank so much its aroma still lived in the cupboard long after I got rid of the soap itself! I don't wish to sound ungrateful but as PP said jewellery and scent are so personal.

As I get older I increasingly agree that present-giving for grown ups is mostly a pointless ritual. We really, really don't need all this STUFF. I used to silently sneer at my SiL for sending gift lists pre-Christmas - her family always asks for something extremely specific and practical too, think a headlamp. But I've converted, and now also send my DH a list

For everyone who receives umpteen scarves, can i recommend that you look into a method of wrapping gifts using fabric, called furoshiki. ☺

sweetkitty you can eat chocolate. Not all chocolate contains dairy.

OK so my gift arrived yesterday, it's a book, one I will quite enjoy, however due to the problems with my hands I am returning it for credit to buy the same book for my kindle.

It is such a waste, thankfully nothing was written in it so it can be returned but money has been wasted, resources have been wasted.

The person who bought it knows I love my kindles (I'm down to 2 at the moment).

@Ragwort thank you! both my boys are not the slightest bit interested in lego, yet we get the bloody stuff ALL the time. And if people would even think a tiny little bit, it would be obvious- its such a “can’t be arsed, get a typical boys present”.
No, i’m not thankful for a present that says the giver has money, but doesn’t give a shit otherwise

@CallMeRachel lego and playmobile are expensive, but that does not make them good gifts. I could give most people an expensive horse grooming set - for most it would be a shit gift as they are not interested. My boys are similar to lego and playmobile, and everyone who thinks for 2 minutes before buying would know that, its very obvious!

Never thought about asking for wine for Xmas @Ginfordinner

[celestial music plays as realisation dawns]

Do food banks take unwanted toiletries?

@myself2020

I totally agree with most of the comments on this thread, but I think you're going a bit far. I mean, most people don't really know what other people's children like playing with, I have no idea what any of my friends' children play with, why would I? We generally meet up without the kids outside our houses. The vast majority of kids will play with lego/playmobile.

It's an easy present to regift as well. That's how I tend to look on unwanted stuff, it's one less present for me to buy for someone else that year.

Ginfordinner I’m pretty sure she checks when it’s given to her and knows which ones do and which ones don’t contain dairy ,hence the “I can’t eat it “

Make Up, lush anything (too harsh for me), chocolate, or alcohol (I don't eat chocolate, and I'm practically tee total)

@WatchingTheMoon these are gifts from family & closer friends! parties around here are either £5, or no gifts please. you are absolutely right, it’s impossible to buy a good gift for a child you don’t know

For me its the female Lynx sets. Always end up with about four sets which I'm never going to use. I always donate them to the school for the tombola at the xmas fair.

When I first started teaching, one of the mums bought me a china cat as a Christmas present. It was hideous, the sort of thing you get in a pound shop but, trying to be nice, I thanked her for it. Turned out there were 12 of these things in the set so every end of year and Christmas that her children were in the school I was presented with another one!

"these are gifts from family & closer friends"

Well maybe they're not as close as you think if they buy the wrong gifts.

Just tell them what your kids are into if it bothers you that much.

@myself2020 here in Germany one of the big toy shops has basically the kids' birthday party equivalent of a wedding list service. You go in with the kids and pick a bunch of stuff and put it in a big box with their first name and d.o.b. on it. Then their party guests go in and take something out of the box, buy it and wrap it. I thought it was a bit CF when I first saw it but it does make buying presents a lot easier and your kids get a ton of stuff they actually like.

Worst things
Mugs with novelty sayings
Live Laugh Love twee
Cheap rose wine (think 7% echo falls with a hint of passion fruit and wild cherry etc)

Best
Gin, a nice bottle of red, prosecco
Hotel chocolate stuff
Scented candles and bath bombs

I'm really, really easy to buy for, I'm just not keen on a bottle of £3 wine and a £5 live laugh love sign when I could have a brilliant £8 bottle of wine that feels more like a treat

Dilema I was given the exact same bottle, have no idea what to do with it (too embarrassed to give it to a raffle) so still sitting on my dresser a year later

@Ginfordinner yes I know I can eat non dairy chocolate no one ever buys me it. This week I’ve had a chocolate orange and Ferraro Rochers kids are happy though

I’ve thought of something else
Mulled Wine
I get at least 3 bottles of it and I can’t stand it