Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What was the shittest present you ever received?

850 replies

BrightonOrLancaster · 11/12/2021 22:52

Christmas I was 13, got a lacy training bra from an aunt I wasnt close to. WTF? I had to open it in front of family, was fucking mortified.

Birthday present from ex: dumbbells with flashing colour changing lights from ALDI. Lol. No comment

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Arrivederla · 12/12/2021 21:05

@Mara263

Omg and my best one-

When we’d been together about 6/7 years I was absolute dying for my (now) husband to propose. He’s hinted he had got me something really special that year so I was very hopeful. I opened a little bag from him and in it was a tiny beautiful box, and in it was…. A fucking FOSSIL.

This is hilarious!!!
tinofbeans · 12/12/2021 21:08

MIL gave me a potato peeler one Christmas. The following year I gave her a plug for her kitchen sink. She got the message and gift giving has improved since...

tenredthings · 12/12/2021 21:16

DH gave me a piston thing to hold the car boot open because it was broken and I'd had a wedge a bit of wood into hold it open. He didn't even fit it, just wrapped it under the tree. Family car, so his as much as mine.

Goldduck · 12/12/2021 21:24

An ice scraper from my mother in law. But my husband and I did get one each so... 😅

Chimley · 12/12/2021 21:24

A fancy champagne and truffles set... with the note from the original gift giver tucked in the packaging. The person who gave it to me told me everything about them with that gesture. And I have no respect for them to this day. All show and no thought.

CatsArePeople · 12/12/2021 21:37

A set of flowery hair accessories (the sort that would maybe amuse a 3yo girl), when i wear my hair super short. From in-laws.

Mummaganoush · 12/12/2021 21:48

My ex MIL hated me, she got me a chopping board one year, marble and still in use, unlike her son! However.... first christmas for DS, first grandchild.. we duly visit both families. ExH aunt and uncle are there (with their own teddy humping child but thats another story). The aunt gives me a voucher and DS, Thats nice thought I, until she follows up with "sorry its a voucher, we didnt know you existed until this morning", charming and par for that particular course!!

sofakingcool · 12/12/2021 22:07

@SpindlesAdventWhirl

My mother would often buy me something she wanted herself, wrap it, and then after I'd opened it take it back saying that it was 'too good' for me.

As we only got one present and a few sweets and orange/walnut, this was a bit of a blow.

But what teenager really needs a carriage clock for their mantlepiece?

Bloody bastard

So sorry Spindles Sad

Sadmum23 · 12/12/2021 22:18

When l was roughly 11 got a pair of flannelette pyjamas. from mother . Said it all

HangingDitch · 12/12/2021 22:36

Not one I received myself, but one of my female colleagues was once bought a roof rack by her husband.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/12/2021 22:37

Another one of these threads. I always seem to think of something different amongst the detritus of Christmases past.

  1. Houndstooth coats were in fashion. Black and white, nicely tailored and I wanted a coat because I was 13 and fed up with freezing my arse off on the way to school. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, what with being busy in the process of becoming a bit of a metal head, but I'd already been told that a black leather biker jacket, even though I meant one that was designed to be worn on a motorbike, not for a mini female Sid Snot, was never happening in my lifetime and my second choice of a dark green duffle coat wasn't happening because I'd look like I was Irish, whatever the duck that meant. I'd accidentally spotted a BHS bag with some sort of fuschia pink monstrosity in it in the cupboard under the stairs and convinced myself that couldn't possibly be it. After all, I had never worn pink in my life, not even as a baby (I was put into boys' clothes from birth), so there was no way anybody would ever buy me pink anything.

Come Christmas Day, the sodding coat of awfulness came out. Size 16. I was a size 4 equivalent. Cut in a bell shape, to me inside looked like the tiny, skinny clapper. And then my mother produced an identical one in a size 24, declaring that we now matched and could go out together in our matching bright pink coats like a pair of demented fucking weebles.

  1. An ex's mother. Tin of makeup from the charity shop she 'worked' in spent a day drinking tea and scamming them of things she would sell at car boot sales for profit. Opened it up to see fingermarks in the eye shadow and the kohl had been used until it was just a tiny stub. With a extra of a hot chocolate kit, Use by date two summers previously, no chocolate in it and the marshmallows had seemingly been open since the Christmas before that.
  1. Ex #1. Mobile phone. Didn't want one. Didn't want to be monitored wherever I went. Didn't want to be contactable wherever I was. He knew that. Still bought one. And a size 28 M&S dressing gown because I was pregnant and was already 'absolutely massive'. Could have wrapped the fucking car in it and still had room to open the doors. And the baby wasn't due until Summer, so the odds of me wearing a pure white towelling dressing gown whilst bleeding like a stuck pig in the middle of summer were somewhat low.
  1. Ex #2. His sister wanted a coffee machine. I had a cafetiere and didn't bother anyhow, as instant was all I had time for each day. He disappeared for eight hours on Christmas Eve and came back with a coffee machine larger than the microwave. His sister was even more angry when I got a shit, unwanted coffee machine and had a go at me about it. Then he went spare when I suggested giving it to her.
  1. Ex #2 again. Shortly before dumping his arse. Borrowed fifty quid off me two days before my birthday. Went out on the day. Came back ten hours later pissed as a fart, carrying an ornamental cabbage in a pot. I'm not even convinced that he didn't steal it from the florist.
HangingDitch · 12/12/2021 22:39

I also have a male friend who leading up to Christmas dropped hint after hint to his wife that he wanted a particular games console - they used to spend quite a bit on one another. A few weeks before a wrapped package appeared under the tree that was roughly the size of the console box, so he thought his subtle hints had worked. Got to Christmas Day, he ripped it open…… foot spa.

sweetgingercat · 12/12/2021 22:41

My wedding... four distant relatives turned up with a garden spade which they had generously bought between them. My mother was mortified by their meanness and when the other family members heard about it, they decided that branch of the family was not to be included in events again...

Maybe they didn't like my DH and decided I was digging myself into a hole...

sweetgingercat · 12/12/2021 22:55

@Frazzled50yrold

God, it's all coming back to me.My father in law bought me a huge pink elephant, a bit like the ones you'd win at a fair.He set it on the sofa and kept making jokes about how careful I'd need to be of it's trunk.
That's the worst Frazzled but honestly It just made me laugh SO much. Thank you for cheering up my evening!
forrestgreen · 13/12/2021 11:13

Similar to the fossil one...

It was my birthday, stbxh (who had form for forgetting or buying thoughtless present) said he had the perfect gift.

I was intrigued, he was literally bouncing with excitement as he handed over this small box, I'd even asked for it, and he'd bothered to remember and track one down, more bouncing....

It was an egg cup

My mouth was literally wide open, for quite some time. I still don't understand

ClintBartonsWife · 13/12/2021 11:33

My Great Aunt was very generous and liked to give all the kids in the family Christmas gifts. She also left us all an extraordinary amount in her will.

But one memorable year she did buy me checked golf trousers. I was 13. I did not like golf.

One year, around about October time, I mentioned to DH that I quite fancied a toasted sandwich. On Christmas day he proudly presented me with a toasted sandwich maker. I'm a bit more careful with what I say to him now in the lead up to Christmas Grin

Dacquoise · 13/12/2021 11:53

@SpindlesAdventWhirl, similar concept but not a shit present as such. My DM gave me an embroidery kit for Christmas when I was a child. Very pretty picture of a bird sitting on cherry blossom, up my street as one of my hobbies. However, two months later I hadn't completed it. DM very angry, took it back and finished it because she had a spot in the lounge where she wanted to display it. I believe she still has it on the wall at her current house.

TLKlover · 13/12/2021 12:32

Nothing, in a Secret Santa at work years ago. He'd decided it wasn't worth it but happily took the present someone bought for him. Team were horrified and all put a £1 in and got me a present from them instead.

I'm thankful when secret Santa's have been done since they either haven't been named or I've had better teammates.

NameChangeCity123 · 13/12/2021 12:42

A denim Victorian (?) style coat with tails at the back which was two sizes two big and had a missing button

RaisedByPangolins · 13/12/2021 12:51

A hoover from XDP.

Worst thing was he joked about getting his ex a Hoover as a passive aggressive dig at her for not cleaning more.

I was suffering with a lot of elbow pain (RSI due to my work) and found it really difficult to Hoover.

Rather than actually DO any hoovering he bought me a new version of my old one, which was much less sturdy and - although it worked better - was even harder for me to use as the suction was stronger!

He also paid for me to have a cleaner so thankfully I haven’t actually had to use it much, but as a gift it was about as disappointing as they get. Although apparently he’d considered buying me a new microwave this year so it could have been worse I guess!

Nothing says love and passion like a replacement kitchen appliance.

SteebesAngel · 13/12/2021 13:40

@SpindlesAdventWhirl

My mother would often buy me something she wanted herself, wrap it, and then after I'd opened it take it back saying that it was 'too good' for me.

As we only got one present and a few sweets and orange/walnut, this was a bit of a blow.

But what teenager really needs a carriage clock for their mantlepiece?

Horrendous. So sorry for your disappointment 😞 x
DPotter · 13/12/2021 14:09

TheCreamCaker
My (late) MIL once gave me a candle snuffer (as if I live in a massive place with dozens of the bloody things)

I remember these - must have had a job lot at the Poundshops as I got one from my DM too. She definitely had form for poor presents: she would usually buy clothing that was too small ("you can slim down in to it"), too big ("well you've put on weight") or just plain wrong ("well you haven't got one" - said about a bile green blouse, which would have suited no one).

Her best was probably the mock leopard skin fur jacket. Think early Spice Girls and the jacket worn by Scary Spice - plunged neckline, deep lapels. Think Scary Spice- tall, thin, goes on stage, fancy parties etc. Me - short, size 14, works in hospitals, lucky to get to the local pub on a Friday evening. She turned up on Christmas Eve and showed me the Jacket, size 8-10 as she wasn't sure I'd like it. Got miffed I wouldn't even try it on. It was expensive but really no way was it me at all.

Hemingwayscatz · 13/12/2021 14:51

I grew up with an abusive step-dad and his parents were equally abusive towards me, I was the prime target. Every Christmas they’d buy my brother (step-dad’s biological child) extremely expensive presents and they’d wrap me up something shitty and cheap from around the house like a diary for that year or something. That was pretty shit.

Aside from that, the year my Mum bought me a pink playboy hoodie when I was a massive goth was a bit of a letdown to say the least…

flippityflip · 13/12/2021 15:50

You see some of these I think are fine -not the part used things, second hand tights or obviously insulting gifts like unwanted dietary advice and treating people equally like siblings or children etc is important. However I prefer presents I need as they are what I want and ask for. I'd also be quite happy with a chocolate orange. I also absolutely wouldn't expect in laws to buy the same level of thing for me as for DH, he is their child not me. I'm pretty bad at gift giving for this reason, I do however try to remember that most people don't think the same way when choosing things. I remember having a conversation convincing my parents at one point that what I wanted was nice soft black socks and I would be quite happy with them and no it wouldn't be a rubbish present.

SoSoTiredToday · 13/12/2021 16:09

My mum bought me something once, but before she gave it to me she told me how amazing and special it was and would only give it to me after I reassured her I was worthy of it. She kept asking if I'd be grateful, whether I deserved it, whether I could be trusted with it. She said she gave the same to my brother because she knows 'he'll appreciate it', 'he will look after it', 'he deserves it'. But wasn't sure if I was worthy so wanted time to decide (🤷)

After her lengthy interview she finally decided I was worthy and gave it to me (value of said present is less than £15 by the way! It's a nice item I might have chosen for myself if out shopping and spotted it)

Now I have it I can't even look at the bloody thing! as it reminds me how little she thinks of me in comparison to my sibling. I hate the flippin thing, so I guess her fears that it would be wasted on me came true!!

Swipe left for the next trending thread