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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
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shinynewapple21 · 13/12/2021 19:50

@Vates

My Sister always misses the mark with a photo calendar of my Nephew (and this year will be my Niece too!). I adore them and would lay down my life for them BUT...I literally worship her dogs and would rather have a calendar of them. She knows this but I guess it would be more work and cost extra to make my calendar a dog one. I still want the dog one though! I have literally had three small canvases printed of the dogs (only in June/July this year) but will no doubt get another calendar of the children. I literally just found last years one, unused. Makes me feel like she just doesn't care at all.

I think your sister may also be upset if she realised how little you care for her children !!

DDMAC · 13/12/2021 19:53

Mattress protector from BIL. We don’t even have a double bed

DBI78 · 13/12/2021 19:54

Used lipstick from my millionaire aunt. I assume she didn't realise as she often regifts or gives us freebies she's acquired

TheRealMrsMorningstar · 13/12/2021 19:55

3 pack of 20 denier American tan tights and supermarket bubblebath for my 21st birthday from my mum.

hidinginthegarden · 13/12/2021 19:55

I'd had my first child in the November and husband's lovely aunt got me a set of bathroom scales. I mean I needed to lose weight but ...., thanks!

The following year, I hadn't lost weight and she got me another set of bathroom scales!!'
She later (several years) developed dementia and I always wondered if we should have spotted it earlier. But at the time I wasn't exactly grateful - although she was lovely!

AMerryNickelChristmas · 13/12/2021 19:56

@HairyFanjoBanjo

Box of broken biscuits. The cheap ones which are sold as ‘broken’..
I bloody love Broken Biscuits
olbndanszombie · 13/12/2021 19:56

Secret Santa budget is £10 so this year I received 9 cans of raspberry flavour alcoholic water 🤷‍♀️

sussexoldspot · 13/12/2021 20:02

My OH bought me a dressing gown that had handy shortened sleeves for doing the washing-up.

sussexoldspot · 13/12/2021 20:02

My OH bought me a dressing gown that had handy shortened sleeves for doing the washing-up.

AtlasPine · 13/12/2021 20:02

Fishnet stockings from my aunt. When I was 9. I think she thought they were ordinary tights.

CoffeeWithMyOxygen · 13/12/2021 20:03

I think your sister may also be upset if she realised how little you care for her children !!

Oh give over. Nobody except the grandparents wants a calendar of other people’s children!

theelephantinthegroup · 13/12/2021 20:04

An ex was fairly well off and wanted everyone to know it, but also incredibly tight. His only criterion for choosing a present was that it would actually be very cheap but (in his mind at least) appear to be more expensive. Like the year that he bought me, his sister and his DM each a book (with an RRP printed on the back, the holy grail of gifts in his view) and a box of chocolates. Only the books were a trilogy, obviously bought as a set from the discount book seller that came to his office and the chocolates were slightly out of date (and quite possibly left overs from corporate gifts).

The worst was the last year we were together. In the run up to my birthday he kept showing me and his friends/family pictures etc of fairly expensive hand made jewellery, apparently from a place he seen when on business overseas- and making comments like 'if only there was someone special with a birthday soon...' When it came to my birthday he told me that he had something really special and personal on order, but there was a bit of a delay with it. A few weeks later he dumped me, but whenever I bumped in to him and he was with anyone he still made references to this amazing present and that he'd post it on to me. I'm pretty sure he never intended to buy a present at all and the 'delay' etc was the ultimate way to appear generous without having to spend any money.

CaMePlaitPas · 13/12/2021 20:05

An exercise bike my husband found on the side of the road waiting for the council to come and collect it. I was about 5 months pregnant when he brought it home. He's not abusive, just a dingbat.

Otherwise a bar of dove soap and a shower pouf from the mother of an ex boyfriend.

God, I know how to pick em.

Beastieboys · 13/12/2021 20:06

A "relative once bought my 3 grandsons (all under 12 yrs) a yard of jaffa cakes between them all and made them open them and share them with everybody...... BitchAngry

Hawkins001 · 13/12/2021 20:09

Not a rubbish present but in hind sight, a pickle, getting a ps1, then spent a few years on and off as a gamer.

Although I've learned to appreciate gifts you got such as bath sets or socks, back in the day it was thanks it's appreciated but yea, now it's omg socks and bath sets, ect

Kazz36 · 13/12/2021 20:09

😂😂😂

Ifbutandmaybe · 13/12/2021 20:10

I got clothes storage bags and an electric toothbrush from an ex hence expensive lol, my late husband got n air freshener from my eldest sister ( think because he smoked) , my eldest son went xmas shopping for the first time when he was 12 my sister in law took him , he somehow ended up buying his Nan ( my mil) a lovely wooden musical jewellery box i got a really crap blue plastic make up bag with nothing in it I tried really hard to hide disappointment as it was his first time shopping and I know it was my Sil influence

tsom · 13/12/2021 20:16

My MIL was having a kitchen clear out and asked would I like her old copy of Mrs Beetons household management. I said ok thinking it would be worth a flick through if she was throwing it out.
I was surprised to find the grease stained book wrapped up under the Christmas tree a couple of months later.
She’d got my dh a bottle of wine from The Ritz.
Genuinely speechless.

scrivette · 13/12/2021 20:21

DH is usually excellent at buying gifts.
However one year I had just had a baby and was exhausted and looking forward to something nice and he got me a plastic storage box for my craft. He was so pleased with his gift that he told my SIL and she bought me a matching box! I was so disappointed.

Ellen2shoes · 13/12/2021 20:22

A empty pottery jar of Fortnum’s Welsh rarebit.

Staffy1 · 13/12/2021 20:31

Lighter fluid from a friend. Nicely wrapped as well. When I opened it she fell about laughing, mean git.

ElephantOfRisk · 13/12/2021 20:32

Oops lot's of in laws not getting it right.

I have things for my son's girlfriend of 2 years, wonder if she hates me yet or whether that can wait until after Christmas... Grin

On a serious note I wonder if there is some gift rules that might help us get it right for our sons' partners? I only have boys and my MiL didn't do presents for adults at all - she was a lovely woman though and sadly died when DC were toddlers.

snozpoz · 13/12/2021 20:34

It's a toss up... either the bottle of teak oil for Christmas from the ex who wanted me to oil the deck of our unfortunately still shared home... or my ex husband panic buying me a crap pot plant from the supermarket on my birthday, because that was the day our baby was due and he thought I'd be in hospital otherwise engaged so hadn't bothered buying a present. There's a reason they are both very ex.

ElephantOfRisk · 13/12/2021 20:35

Oops lot's of in laws not getting it right.

I have things for my son's girlfriend of 2 years, wonder if she hates me yet or whether that can wait until after Christmas... Grin

On a serious note I wonder if there is some gift rules that might help us get it right for our sons' partners? I only have boys and my MiL didn't do presents for adults at all - she was a lovely woman though and sadly died when DC were toddlers.

sas1879 · 13/12/2021 20:37

A broken pen.