Lazy presents?

[Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]

Inspired by another thread.

What do you count as lazy presents? Or "I can't be arsed to think of anything good to get you" presents

For me its:
Candles
Bath stuff
Hand cream
Alcohol

My OH buys his dad a bottle of red wine most Christmases. I mean you've known the man your entire life and you can't think of anything a bit more personal?!

Depends how much thought you put into it, I have often spent ages, I mean many days, choosing a candle or soap for relatives. I have often paid a lot in postage or taken long trips out of my way to get a particular kind they would like, thought carefully about presenting it etc.

Perhaps it because I only buy presents for my immediate family? So I know what they like, and I come up with good ideas that are well received.

Are they really that well received though?

We were taught we had to be extremely polite and thank people extensively for the unwanted gifts we received from relatives every year. Thanks so much for the lovely spot cream and nylon nighty, Aunt Dora. Dad loves his cigars (has never smoked) and brandy (doesn't drink).

It is the thought that counts though. So the giver has all the pleasure of choosing, giving and being thanked for the present, the lucky recipient has all the pleasure of knowing they've been thought of and then the pleasure of getting rid of the unwanted gift or passing it onto someone else or a charity that will find use of it. The gift has given pleasure so it's job is done.

The last thing I got was a personalised photo present.

I'd be happy with any of those. We give each other lists so we know what they want, sport from o or parents and my sister, all of whom can buy anything they want. I know DD has got me a book because she asked if I'd read a hardback.

The personalised photo present is horrendous. The money spent has been wasted .It can't be given to charity.

@PandemicAtTheDisco

The personalised photo present is horrendous. The money spent has been wasted .It can't be given to charity.

I can tell you that personalised chopping boards with a very unusual surname misspelled do not burn well in a wood burner.

I think "personal" presents are far more about the giver than the recipient. The giver gets to feel all pleased with themselves over the amount of effort they've put in and the hit rate is low.

This ^ that BecomeStronger said.

I also agree with everyone saying they would rather have consumables than more "stuff". Bottles of alcohol, and chocolate suit me fine. I also love a bunch of flowers (at any time, not Christmas).

y dc love Amazon Vouchers - they were teens and one is now a student and one unemployed - it is a treat to receive something they can then choose to buy something they really want (I mean, they'd prefer cash, but Amazon is a good 2nd best).

Oh, and to whoever said they don't know anyone under 50 who uses hand cream - I give all the hand cream I receive to ds and to dd1, who both use it. I don't.

I love getting wine, chocolates, flowers and amazon gift cards :)

At least with wine and chocolates you’re guaranteed to get a nice couple of hours in front of the tv with them rather than an ornament or something you don’t like

"Cheap chocolates", if those cheap chocolates are a £1 box of malteasers or Lidl's version of orange areo, they'd be well received by me.

People who are overly picky about presents (and call them "lazy") don't deserve presents, imo. If I got the feeling that people didn't appreciate what I bought them (however generic it might be), I'd be tempted to suggest we stop exchanging gifts.

Some people on MN complain about Amazon vouchers and cash because they're too impersonal, but at least they're something that you can use, unlike some supposedly "personal" gift that the giver thought was a great idea but the recipient doesn't really like or can't use.

Same thing with wish lists. Some people on MN think that making a wish list (when requested) is "grabby"... or that it's boring or lazy or pointless to buy something off a list. But again, at least that way you know you're not just wasting your money or buying something they already have.

There's far too much pressure around gifts, these days. It sucks all the joy out of it!

My Auntie bought me a plastic shower foot massager in alluring bright pink once (which stuck to the shower floor like a million stubborn limpets) which took some thinking about and ordering. I preferred her lazy bottle of fabulous wine the following year.

I find some people really hard to buy for. So yes ‘lazy presents’ as you call them is the route I go down. However, I’m always pleased to receive those things as I don’t buy them for myself.
I’d also add flowers to that list :-)

I love hand cream. A friend got me some for Christmas last year and I put it on my Christmas list if DC fancied getting me some. It smells gorgeous and I can't stand having dry hands. Nearly all the boring presents listed on here are things I'd love.

I'm intrigued by what people think are good presents.

[quote AccidentallyOnPurpose]@MirandaMarple friends know that. Some friends don't care or bother to consider it. Which is why it would be lazy. Just like any other gift like that.[/quote]
Lazy yes, and shit friends!

candles if you know they use them and what scents they like can definitely work, on an aside, york candle company do some amazing scents, their snow angels smell is exactly like snow fairy from lush

God, if someone doesn't have an idea of what I'd *specifically like then I'd rather they just got me a £5 gift voucher or something for the garden.
It just all seems like such a waste of resources otherwise. I don't need any more 'stuff'.
My mum and grandmother had loads of old gift sets that have been bunged up in the wardrobe and forgotten about.

*a book or a plant

My favourite gift would be a paid day out unfortunately not happening anytime soon. So id love tickets for the theatre or more specifically someone to take me to see a show. My immediate family enjoy this too. Afternoon tea is another one.

I like to receive gifts like that, that I wouldn't usually treat myself to. A lovely good quality candle, yes please!! If it's from the supermarket then YANBU but I think if it's a quality version any of those things are great.
The only thing for me is bath stuff, which I always get from DP....who knows I have had eczema my entire life and can only use specific sensitive stuff, I do think that's a bit lazy

My dh, dm and family and friends know me inside out and buy me all of the above, and always the exact ones I love. My absolute favourite treat is a hot bath with candles and a glass of something nice and I have really dry hands in winter, even more so this year with the increased use of sanitiser. Any of these gifts would feel very personal to me as it shows that the giver knows me and my likes.

Even if I didn’t like what they had gifted, I would be grateful for the thought and just quietly donate the unopened gift to a raffle etc.

How do your 'friends' not know that 🙄

It was a family member and a mini bottle of Prosecco. I thought it was a bottle of hot sauce before opening since I’m known for my love of spicy foods and had received them in the past. I can only guess they assumed because all the other family members my age drink I must do too despite nursing a two mo at the time. I’m the only adult who doesn’t drink in my husband’s family. I still get alcohol as gifts because it’d assumed I can just give it to my wine-loving husband. He wouldn’t take it either so I “forgot” it at my in-laws so they can use it at one of their family get-togethers. At least it’s enjoyed by someone.