I don’t want to feel ungrateful for gifts

[Ahappymediumlarge]

I have a lovely friend who is very generous with their gifts. They usually buy me either decorative things for the home, or personal things such as jewellery, but their taste is really different to mine so sadly most of the stuff ends up being tucked away in a cupboard or drawer. For some reason giving it to a charity shop or re-gifting would make me feel too guilty.

I feel ungrateful and hate that they’ve wasted money on me, but don’t really know how to broach the subject and suggest something different without making them suspicious or hurting their feelings (although tbh they must have noticed by now that their gifts never appear).

Any suggestions?

Hint heavily about something you DO want.

‘Oh I’ve seen a lovely X in John Lewis, I’ve asked my work colleagues for vouchers to put towards it.’

‘Have you seen those new XXX? I’d love one of those’.

‘I’ve just bought a lovely pink scarf from
M&S, I’d like it in navy too but can’t justify it.

‘I’m really getting in to those such and such books? Have you read them? I’ve only read the first one but I’d like the other six.’

Blah blah blah.

“Instead of giving each other birthday/Christmas presents this year why don’t we spend the money on a nice meal out/theatre/spa day together?”

But I also agree with PP. Give them ideas of what you do want within their usuals budget.

How about suggesting that you do a donation to a favourite charity in each other's names this year? Maybe a local foodbank or pet rescue?