To wonder why a box of Thorntons choc is considered the worst (choc) gift

[Siw2020]

Received one and didn't realise it's supposedly an insult until everyone else's reaction

*Nothing says ‘I don’t know anything about you’ than a box of chocolates.

They’ve taken zero interests in you all year and suddenly a box of chocolate screams ‘can’t be arsed’*

No, at least in my case, it screams 'I know how much you like chocolate!'

I like Thornton’s chocolates, not all of them but quite a few, I would prefer continental range but will be ok with Classic for everyday use. I wouldn’t like them as a Christmas/ birthday present from DH, but would be ok from anyone else. Roses or Heroes would be the worst present for me or Milk tray, I wouldn’t count them as chocolates at all.
Unfortunately some chocolates contain palm oil. When I’m buying chocolates I don’t want to pay for palm oil, too much sugar or too much milk, I’m buying them for cocoa mass and cocoa butter. However I like fillings so Green&black chocolate bars often taste a bit boring for me but I don’t like Lindt.
Lidl and Aldi have nice chocolates without palm oil, sensibly priced, But I wouldn’t buy them as a gift, only for myself as gifts have to be special.

It’s just a another facet of the snobbery that uninspiring people think gives them a personality.

If someone gifts me any sort of chocolate they are my new best friend for as long as the box lasts.

Middle class wish-they-were-posh snobbery, I think.

Chocolate in general is a bit generic, but I think most people like it, unless they are looking for a reason to hate the gift and start drama. (Yes, there are some genuine chocolate haters.)

Since when has Thornton's choc been considered that?
Still a great gift here!

I can't imagine having that easy and boring of a life where being given a box of Thorntons chocolates is seen as cheap and nasty! Are you all used to artisanal chocolates hand crafted by a posh 'yummy mummy' who drives a landrover and has 2 kids called George and Tabitha down at the local craft market or something? And as for it being thoughtless - nope. They've clearly thought 'almost everyone likes chocolate'. If you don't like it, collect it up and give it to a foodbank. If you wont appreciate it, someone else will. Mumsnet snobbery knocks me sick sometimes.

Thornton's IS posh.

They are not an insult in my house, but a lovely gift gratefully received.

I'll take your Thorntons and raise you a tub of mini cheddars - now thats an insult gift!!!

@SusannaSpider

I hate that I find out things like this on Mumsnet. I was the council house kid who dated (and married) the middle class boy from money (though they claimed to be struggling🙄). We've been together a long time now, but when dating I always gave his parents Thornton's chocolates for Xmas etc as for me that was a huge step up. Now I cringe thinking that they may have thought I was showing my lack of taste.

I have your issue, in reverse! The first time in met my now parents-in-law, I took them a box from Fortnum and Mason. I worked near there and it was a normal (but nice) place to get chocolate, for me.

Turns out they thought I was really snooty and pretentious and ‘trying to show them up’. I’ve never tried to show up anyone in my life. Especially not by buying chocolate.

I always gave his parents Thornton's chocolates for Xmas etc as for me that was a huge step up. Now I cringe thinking that they may have thought I was showing my lack of taste

No, you're fine. It's just on MN where these things happen. In the real world most people would just think it's nice to receive a box of chocolates from you and then not think anymore about it.

The continental ones are much better than the classic.

Got a box of the Thorntons mint collection as a pressie. They are lovely. Nice change from After Eights.

I walk past this amazing place in the station on the way to work.

ch.laderach.com/en/

Läderach make sublime chocolate and I always get requests now every time I go home.

Lindt is like Cadburys here and available on every corner. I can't understand how the Swiss are not all the size of a house!

Thornton's suffers from being a luxury brand in the 1980s. It just seems to have been around forever and not in a good way. It has the "remember when we thought this was posh" vibe.

If someone gifts me any sort of chocolate they are my new best friend for as long as the box lasts.

If you don't like it, collect it up and give it to a foodbank. If you wont appreciate it, someone else will. Mumsnet snobbery knocks me sick sometimes

Agree. I cant imagine being insulted by a box of chocolates. In fact I remember one Christmas not being given chocs by anyone, not one single solitary chocolate and I took myself off to Woollies on boxing day to put that right

I don’t see the problem with Thornton’s chocolates as a gift.

Sure, chocolates can be the sort of generic gift you get when people don’t know you well, but I don’t see how Thornton’s is worse for that than any other chocolate brand.

And personally, I’d take a generic chocolate present over a generic smellies / candles type present any day.
We’d all be happily tucking into the Thornton’s here while thinking how nice it was to receive a box of chocolates.

Thinking about it, the only way I’d be actually insulted to receive chocolate as a gift, would be if someone who’s supposed to know me well were to give me a sort of chocolate that I hate.

Like if, say, DH or my parents were to give me a box of coffee flavoured chocolates, then I’d be pretty insulted that we’d had a close relationship for all these years, and they hadn’t noticed that I hate coffee.

Even if they were the most expensive coffee chocolates in the world.

I agree. Every year my mother in law sends us a box. This year we did an outside gift exchange. I recognised the shape of the box and knowing we wouldn’t eat them, but knowing an elderly neighbour who does like them, I regifted. Then...Xmas day we zoom with the in-laws so they can see the kids opening their gifts from them. And then they ask about the box of Thorntons. Argh!!!! Still no regrets. My husband and agrees they’re awful chocolates and yet would still stuff them all because he’s got a terrible sweet tooth. So I figure I’ve saved his expanding waistline too 🤣

You know when someone incorrectly thinks you love a particular gift when you don't really care for it? Perhaps you overdid the gratitude one time, and now you have to keep being delighted because it's gone on for decades? That was my (lovely) mum with me and (bloody) Thornton's continental chocolates.

I think it's a lovely gift if you like chocolate, my DM gets me Vieneese every year and DMIL got me a box of continental along with other very lovely and thoughtful gifts.

I think they used to he considered higher end chocolate when I was young but now they are quite cheap I think. Maybe the fact you can get a box for £4 or less in the supermarket adds to this but if given them as a gift I'd be happy enough and I'd eat them.

I quite like thorntons chocolate, a Viennese truffle or an alpine - gorgeous!

Having said that I got a box of milk tray in a secret Santa where recommended spend was a tenner and thought that was a lazy and tight gift

Thorntons is owned by Ferrero now, but they are still made in Derbyshire. Another one of those brands that used to be premium but didn't follow trends very well and went for cheap /volume. I hope they turn it around and don't go the way of Laura Ashley.

@Belindarocks

Got a box of the Thorntons mint collection as a pressie. They are lovely. Nice change from After Eights.

Oh the Mint Collection are bloody gorgeous. I usually buy a box at Xmas instead of after 8s, but I forgot this year.

I got some Thorntons Alpini in my stocking this year but they really didn't taste the same, I was so disappointed 😞

IMO Hotel Chocolat is grim. I just don't like the taste.

Cadbury's all the way for me 😂😂😂