Hilariously awful or weird gifts we have received...come tell!

[NCy]

Yes, yes, we should all be grateful for people making the effort to buy us things etc etc (just to pre-empt the usual thread kill joys.) However. I am 48. I dress kind of ageing rock chick, chunky biker boots, leather jacket, wafty dress sort of thing. Just what I do. My sister is more Next and Boden which is fine, doesn't bother me what she wears. She has bought me this: fluffy rabbit jumper Is it a passive aggressive comment on my dress sense? Has she forgotten Im 48? My partner thinks its hilarious! (Disclaimer: I have not had too much prosecco and I am not sat here wearing it!😂)

Earrings.

I have no piercings

One year my mum who was very good at present buying generally lost the plot for one of my then older teenagers ….. he got a skin tight brown polar neck jumper . With his been pole figure he looked just like a twig !!!!! But I a way it was the best present as mum is no longer here but every year we all have a chuckle remembering it . The gift that kept giving 😂

He sounds like a very decent chap & I’m
glad you got a smart upgrade on your old one.

So many awful things over the years

I’m male which is relevant
Age 10 step grandparents got me a knock off barbie type doll with an exercise bench. You pressed a button and it played music and made ‘exercising noises’ that sounded sexual.

They also got stepdad a teddy dressed as Madonna (complete with pointy bra) that sang like a virgin
He is a big hairy biker and has no interest in Madonna.

Age 25 I got a size 14 fitted women’s T-shirt from my mum

And last year the PIL got me and DH the same aftershave, which neither of us wear.

A bottle of massively out of date alcohol which had two separate compartments, one was for a coffee liquor and the other was supposed to be a cream type substance that combined together when poured. We opened the bottle and the liquids had become solids. They'd bought it in Spain circa 1997? This was about 6 years ago.

@IrishJ oh dear. At least the aftershaves sound like they were meant nicely?

Oooooh I remember that alcohol, forget what it was called though... er it wasn't any nicer when technical drinkable!

I was on the verge upto now but after reading this I have tears running down my face - too hilarious!

Sheridans ☺️

Odd relative bought my (then) 1yo DS a dog toy for Christmas. It had rope legs for a dog to chew/tug on and a happy looking dog on the label.
When I asked her where she had bought it she replied “oh I bought it at the same time as my new fish tank - you know that big green shop on the retail park?”
Yes, I do. Pets at Home. 🤷‍♀️

Had some lovely presents from my dad but then one odd little item - , a coaster with a picture of 2 ladies looking out to sea smiling and the one of them saying ' oh look husbands drowning ' 🤔

Whatever year it was when onesies first took off. Lots of fairly nice versions available.

The one I was gifted was basically an adult version of a pink baby grow. Think George Dawes! It was truly hideous.

As an aside, how did they become so popular? The practicalities were rubbish. You wear them in the winter to, supposedly, keep warm. But to go to the loo, in the middle of the night, you need to pretty much strip off and risk accidentally dunking a sleeve in the loo.

Another good one was a cafetière - I don’t drink coffee.

I know this will sound a bit preachy, but I’m going to post it anyway.

A couple of years ago, I said to my small family and my two closest friends “let’s stop doing presents”. We’ve all agreed that each of us will spend money on ourselves, through the year, on things that we need/want. And that, when we’re able to get together, we have the funds for a nice meal out etc.

It’s been a game-changer for everyone. Less stress plus we’ve all ended up with items that we want. My favourite this year was spending on a lovely rose arch for the garden. Each person that matters to me knows what I bought for my birthday - and they all know I’ll get many years of pleasure from looking at it every day.

The only presents I actually buy now are for the kids of two friends - can’t bear seeing a kid opening a present. But adults are off the list now and it definitely makes life feel easier for all concerned.

@NCy - the further I’m reading through this thread, the more I’m thinking you actually got a fairly decent present 🤣.

Can’t bear SHOULD have been can’t beat!

Are you a sleepwalker? Could you have perhaps found them in the middle of the night and gone out for a run?

Big gift exchange on boxing day. My dear mum seems to be getting more and more eccentric with gift giving.

This time she gave me a road atlas, as she sporadically does every few years even though I use sat nav to get everywhere and don't have any issue with it.

DH got a bird feeder and seed. We have a lot of bird feeders already, inherited from the house's former occupants. All of them have been empty for years because we aren't interested. Mum's reasoning was "because it was so nice when you had all those birds around" in the week after we moved in, before the seeds ran out.

DD got yet more clothes that are too small for her. Why!? Though she did also get lots of lovely toys.

When I was about 22 my brother bought me a table tennis set.
I don't play table tennis.
I also didn't have a table.

@NCy
I wouldn't be offended by that jumper OP. Is it not just a cosy jumper to wear at home to keep warm, rather than her getting your style totally wrong?

2 pairs of gloves, one from MIL and one from DH. I don't even wear gloves and already have 8 pairs, all presents I did not want.

My daughter has a milk intolerance and five relatives gave her dairy milk Chocolate.

My BIL got us a joint gift of a Buddha statue. Our Children and I are Catholic and go to Church every week. BIL came round later in the day with my PIL, and FIL asked my BIL what he got us.

He picked up the box at the side of the tree and showed my FIL who then fell about laughing, so much that we all ended up laughing, with my BIL looking very confused which just made it even more funny.

When BIL finally asked his dad what he found so funny, my FIL said "so out of all the things available to buy in the shops, you bought a catholic family that go to Church, a statue of a God from another religion on the celebration of the birth of their God's Son". My BIL then made a quick dash to his car taking the Buddha with him.

He returned a couple of minutes later with a cheese board tucked under his arm, which he then put in my DHs hands. FIL then said "What are you doing?" My BIL said "Changing the present. I bought a few spare things in case I forgot someone. I didn't want mum telling me off for forgetting someone."

Just then his mum said "oh, did you remember to get a present for my auntie. She is popping round later tonight". My FIL said "of course he has, your auntie has got a Buddha statue once its wrapped up again."

My BIL started laughing himself and said "next year everyone is getting giftcards. I'm getting a drink. I need one now"

It was the funniest part of the day.

I am so glad we don't do adult gifts in our family!

My SIL received a plaster or clay giant horses head, almost like a bust, from her BIL??? It's so random but so funny at the same time, she's not a horsey person at all. The BIL was kind enough to leave the price tag in the box, though they know he didn't pay £120 for it 😂😂😂