The shit Christmas presents of 22 thread.

[ChristmasPresentsof22]

Another year, another round of presents from family that I cannot use. I have a serious food allergy and another health condition that means that I can't eat or use some foods/cosmetics. These are not new health issues, had them since childhood, yet there is not a single gift out of the few that I received that I can make use of. I decided to be blunt this year (after years of unsuaitable gifts) and tell the givers that I can't use their gifts due allergy etc but thanks anyway. Now I'm an ungracious brat. Am I? "It's not their fault I'm fussy." I'm really not, I just don't want to get sick. I would prefer not to do the gift thing as I'm not overly bothered about that part of Christmas, but I would be ruining it for everyone else, everyone else who gets decent thoughtful presents based on knowing what they like, it's shit when those thoughts are not reciprocated.

Anyone else want to join the naff presents club.

My birthday was 28th Nov. I got (again) toiletteries from DH and DD. From DD, it was a large lantern filled with Winter in Venice smellies from Costco. I made him take it back. He wasn't too chuffed. DD bought me hand cream from bloody Costco. I did keep that. For Christmas, more bloody toiletteries and make up !! I don't even wear make and its No. 7 but in shades of gold and browns. Wouldn't even be my colour scheme if I was buying make up. I'm a blue eyed, pale skinned natural blonde with some greys lol

I feel ungrateful but every year, I get some nice but thoughtless (imo) gifts for my birthday and then Christmas. I ended up buying a matching earrings and necklace from Next and a travel jewellery box for myself for my birthday present. Items that I'd hinted that I'd like for my birthday when DH asked me what I wanted. Last Christmas, I said if I got another toiletteries gift set, I'd send them to the food bank.

It’s as though she thinks ‘what would he think is no use to him? Well, he is wrong, so that’s what I am getting him.’ One year when she asked me for ideas for him I sent her a link to a jumper he really wanted and a discount code for it. It was an expensive jumper at £120, but would have been £100 with the discount. But apparently that was a ‘ridiculous amount’ to spend on a jumper so she bought him one from M&S for £60. Fair enough if that was her budget. But she then spent a further £80-£100 on other stuff he didn’t want - scarf, shirt, dare I say Hotel Chocolat. None used, all given away. Why ask?

Do a swap with her: she gives you grandad's money up put towards her next school shoes; you give her the same amount put towards an iPad.

Will she spot the logical flaw? Worth a try!

I actually think that is really ungrateful and controlling.

I don't understand, @Katypp. Are you saying @BigBadBun and her husband were ungrateful and controlling? They suggested spending £100 on something her husband really wanted. His sister ignored that suggestion and spent £140-£160 on things he didn't want or need, so they didn't get used and were instead given away to others who could make better use of them. Where is the 'ungrateful' and 'controlling' behaviour there? I'd say the sister was ungracious and controlling in trying to dictate to her brother that he shouldn't want a more expensive jumper, he should be content with a cheaper one.

I can see how you might think that, but I was following on from my previous posts so didn't include much context. In this case my MIL had told me her budget, asked me if he wanted anything in particular, I gave her a list, she said she wanted to give him the jumper rather than me (fine), then did this. It is a complete waste of money as you will know when people buy you clothes you didn't ask for and don't like. There's more, too much to put down here, about how he is always talked down to, how when his father died his brother was given all the important items relating to him and DH got the leftovers, how my BIL told me that they (he and MIL) didn't want to give him joint PAT because 'he is unreliable', when he is whiter than the driven snow, has such high integrity, is so caring, and has worked all his life, unlike BIL who has not worked for 6 years. BIL gets loads of hand-outs and help with school fees, we don't. That's all fine, it's her money. But she seems to treat DH's Christmas presents as an opportunity to underline all his 'faults', e.g. being too greedy to want that jumper, being too colourblind - and perhaps too much of a busy adult male - to enjoy the nice colouring book she gave him. He is fucking colourblind. That tells you all you need to know about her attitude towards him. If I could flush her down the loo I would.

Thanks for that - I was a bit confused, too. And it is actually my MIL, i.e. his own mother who is giving him these presents!

Ex- MIL got DS a personalised gift which he would have liked if his name hadn't been spelled wrong.

Unfortunately autistic DS has no care for tact and told her I was wrong. She tried to argue with him 🤣

My FIL really tries to think of interesting presents for us - sometimes they are nice, and sometimes completely baffling.

One year I got really lovely earrings. Dh has had a book on toilets of Cornwall, and another time, ds3 (aged about 10 or 11) got a book on Cornish cheeses, and one on the history of the Cornish pasty.

I know this is Christmas presents, but I have a December birthday, and I think you’ll find it funny - my present from him was a book of obituaries.

My daughter got that bloody stupid Ladbaby book about a sausage roll.

You won't be pregnant forever....

My children gave had dressing gowns since they were toddlers and always loved them!

My two loved a new dressing gown when they were little.

I'm most likely really sad but I want to try these peaches in alcohol.
I would not appreciate it as a gift, and I'd think they were a raffle prize in the last year, but if I saw them on offer somewhere I'd buy them and try them.

Anyway I think I might finally have got through to people that I want us all to quit shite gift giving. This is my best year yet only two shit gifts. A mug (like I have so bloody many already, and a box of bath bombs, never had any before so I will try one at least.
All other gifts are at least consumables and easily eaten or given away.
Maybe I'm getting through. Keep yer money, keep yer shite, either food gifts or money to charity puhlease

Oooh I’d love those peaches 🍑!

Two bottles of wine when I was pregnant and
My DHs mum gets him size medium or size large pyjamas every year and he's XS/S 🤣

Us nurses use a lot of hand cream.

DS2 got something from my sister and her husband that he already owns. That they bought last minute on Christmas Eve after they ignored or "couldn't get" the couple of things I suggested (at their request) 3-4 weeks ago. And didn't bother to ask for alternatives in the time since. And now I feel guilty and ungrateful for saying I want to exchange it for something he doesn't already have! Extra annoying as we spent a little more on their kids than we normally would as they were struggling for suggestions to give us. FIL has also got him something I specifically told him wouldn't interest DS. Why ask for my opinion if you're just going to ignore it??

@Spottypaperbag I’m vegetarian. Have you actually had a look at the menu? I’ve been to a couple of steak house/grill places, for a friend’s birthday, where there was a surprisingly decent veggie option. It’s well worth having a look at the menu as you’d be surprised sometimes. It’s still not a very thoughtful present but it may well be useable even if not exactly your first choice of restaurant.

My DM has given my DD(10) a second hand leather Jewelry box which has scratches on and a second hand manicure kit (you know the ones with scissors, files etc). She only cares about a bargain, she doesn't care that it's not what someone would want just that she got it cheap. It's not a surprise though. She does it all the time. She is completely thoughtless in every way.

I asked for a specific cook book from my mum and even sent the link from Amazon.

Got a totally different one, with pre-folded corners.

I actually lost it, as she has a habit of giving ridiculous presents from the charity shop where she volunteers, and threw it on the floor in disgust. (She wasn't there btw). I had been really looking forward to getting something I actually wanted from here, for a change so I was so peed off. DS2 got some weird karimor slip on trainers that are totally the wrong size and 2nd hand. Ugh.

A pineapple from a far flung relative who happenedto be with us at Christmas. a nice pineapple in a nice gift bag.. but... why?

She gave everyone else chocolate.. is this some kind of barbed hint about my waistline or did she forget all about me until the last moment and grab the first handy thing that would go in a gift bag?.Oh well at least I Iike pineapple ..

Think of the money we could save as a nation if people didn’t buy all of these shite bath sets.
(See also; cocktail making sets, liquor chocolates, mini bottles of prosecco…), basically anything from a ‘gift aisle’ in a supermarket.

Every single year without fail some pissed off member of staff leaves a capsule coffee machine in one of the clinics for everyone to use if they can a) be arsed or b) buy capsules.
It's obviously an unwanted gift as the whole hospital is full of them now.

It’s not a bad idea at all.

It’s such contrived nonsense. Pointless exchanges of valueless junk.

I wish more people would get angrier about it.