To be pissed off with gift?

[IDONTDRINK]

I don't drink, never have (except as a teen). It's not for any other reason than I don't like the taste or the effect it has on me. No big deal.

My friends and family are aware that I don't drink yet one of them insists on buying me alcohol for every occasion. It's my birthday today and I received a bottle of prosecco?! WHY???

You wouldn't offer a non-smoker a cigarette or cook a vegetarian a steak dinner so why is this any different?

No excuse for this if they know you- so it is defin up to you to say “aw thanks- but as you know, I don’t drink alcohol” and give it back- every time- it isn’t rude if they know you don’t drink.
It’s gone on for too long now and you have accepted it for too long (maybe in a nice way- so maybe they think you are a secret drinker? Or actually want the gift for someone else? Who knows!) but you need to regain your mojo and tell them straight!
Hopefully you’ll get a more thoughtful gift (or maybe nothing) next time!

It’s lazy. Regift it.

I’d probably say thanks I don’t drink. Does anyone else want this? And give it to whatever friend was there at the time

Me and my dh are non drinkers have not been for over 10 years you would not think that as we have so many bottles that we have been given wine, gin, beer it just seem a waste to throw it all away and now dc are no longer in primary school no more bottle tomboler but still keep getting them I honestly just prefer a bag of Maltese 🤷‍♀️

Since we don't drink for religious reasons, we can't regift the stuff.
It ends up in the slug traps on the allotment 😁

I would definitely be reminding them you don't drink. It's so rude to give something you know won't be used. Or just give it back to them for their birthday.

I use to get this with a certain chocolate I don’t like, every birthday and Christmas the family member bought me the same box of chocolates that I didn’t like and they knew I didn’t like them. In the end I started to regift them back to them on their birthday/Christmas. This went on for many years.

YANBU either hand it back as suggested and say -thanks but I don’t drink- or re-gift it.

Happy birthday 🎂

The simplest thing to do is to give it straight back and say you don’t drink alcohol when you do it.

my FIL never wanted presents but we always thought it was mean to exclude him, until he handed back the present we had just given him… we don’t do it any more 😂😂😂😂

Thanks everyone!

To clarify a few things-

Definitely not a regifted item, I know this for sure. They've gone and bought it especially. What gets me is, it was an add on present. It really wasn't necessary. If they felt they wanted to add to their gift then a box/bar of chocolate would have been much more appreciated! They are well aware that I'm a greedy bitch with a sweet tooth.

They are generally very thoughtful and considerate, it's just the alcohol thing that irritates me. It's as if they can't/won't accept that I'm a non-drinker and I don't understand why. They host most of the get togethers and always offer me a drink. When I say, I'll have a coffee or coke, I'm met with, 'are you sure? There's beer, wine, vodka, etc.' I do remind them on these occassiond that I DON'T DRINK but I couldn't refuse/return a gift, I just wouldn't be comfortable doing that (I'll just moan here instead).

I'd start regifting them the alcohol they gave you for all their special occasions, maybe they'll get the hint then. It is very unreasonable giving a non drinker alcohol if you know they don't drink.

Moan away OP, it's a very justifiable moan. It sounds like they just can't conceive of anyone not drinking. Do they tend to drink a lot?

They do @EliflurtleTripanInfinite, I think that's why they can't understand why I don't.

Definitely do this. They’re either being very thoughtless or making some kind of point.

Even if you do drink alcohol is such a lazy, thoughtless gift! I don't blame you for being annoyed.

I have to say I don't agree with that. That booze is a lazy and thoughtless gift. As long as you know/are sure the recipient drinks, it's a good gift I think.

@SweetBirdsong it most definitely is a lazy and thoughtless gift! It's something you take for a host at a party/dinner party not something you take time choosing for a birthday/special occasion gift. Its the equivalent of a lynx gift set at Christmas or a bunch of garage/supermarket flowers 😂

Just hand it straight back/refuse to accept it and say you might as well keep this as I don't drink alcohol. I thought you knew that.

Alcohol is the only drug that its considered fine to push onto other people. I don't know why this is the case. A massive win for marketing and advertising I suppose.

I hate this so much, and I'd be pissed off too. What is with the obsession we have as a society with alcohol? I don't drink, but why am I made to feel like a party pooper because I don't want alcohol? I don't care what other people do, it's not like I judge anyone who does drink, so why is it okay the other way around? I used to have to go for quite a lot of business lunches, and it was basically expected that I would have wine, and seen as rude by my bosses if I didn't. So I had to sit there and nurse a gross glass of wine for the entire lunch, for fear of looking rude if I didn't, what sort of weird situation is that?! If it was now, I'd challenge it, but I was young then and thought I didn't really have a choice.

My inlaws ask every time we visit, who is driving and who is drinking. Neither DH and I drink, we never have. It's usually met with 'But it's Christmas/dad's birthday/Easter' etc. As if that makes a difference. They used to bring us a bottle of red wine every time they visited, but to be fair they have stopped that now as we kept giving them back!

Argh!!!

My friend is an alcoholic who has been sober now for nearly 10 years and people still gift her bottles of wine and say ‘oh one won’t hurt you will it?’

Its a lazy and easy gift option. Most people who do drink will accept with good grace even if it’s not their tipple of choice but anyone who knows you’re s non drinker )for whatever your Jen personal reasons) needs to put just a tiny bit of thought in.

MiL does this to me! I haven't drunk alcohol for 10 years as its a migraine trigger. She is well aware of this. She gives me a bottle of wine every year for Christmas (and nothing else). I've tried giving a puzzled look, saying g you know I don't drink don't you, but it still happens. No advice but it is strange!

Don’t accept it gracefully!
Its rude and thoughtless, a card without a gift would be far nicer.
Next time just hand it back and say thanks but no thanks, I don’t drink as you know therefore it’s a waste giving it to me, you have it and enjoy it!

It's lazy. It took me years before a certain relative realised when I said I didn't drink this also meant fancy wine

Yes do this! Or say "thanks I don't drink so I'll put it in the next office raffle"