Page 16 | Worst Christmas present

Bookworm512 · 2023-12-25T20:40:49+00:00

I feel ungrateful but also very disappointed. My husband is crap at gifting but this really takes the biscuit. I am a 53 year old woman and we have been together for 26 years. He bought me a periscope. Am I being unreasonable to be disappointed and ungrateful?😓

MrsToothyBitch · 28/12/2023 10:37

Even my DH who likes and collects militaria is bamboozled by your DH giving you the periscope, OP!

We were quite low key & last minute for Christmas this year- we are very recently married and just a bit wiped mentally, physically and financially but still did pretty well for each other and for others, just maybe not our best year imagination-wise. Nice stuff from others, too. My mum gives basic toiletries but alongside other lovely gifts and makes it clear that it's a care package - and we know it's coming as such. It's thoughtful and we are all on same page wrt expectations.

My ex was a punishment-present giver though, of the type mentioned upthread. He was initially ok and good with thoughtful little spontaneous surprises... until I couldn't get my damaged foot into a pair of shoes he suprise mercy bought when I had foolishly worn heels out one day - I thanked him for the thought but they were just no good and he could see I couldn't keep my right foot in because it was being painfully squashed. He viewed it as rejection in public, was "humiliated" returning them and I never really got a decent present from him ever again- and I already knew he held grudges and didn't forgive. When I broached it 18 months and three rounds of increasingly obvious spite-presents later, he mentioned the shoes incident as to why he wouldn't so much as buy me a 60p chocolate bar anymore spontaneously and I then understood why all my birthday and Christmas gifts had been a bit off. As suspected, it was on purpose and it all fell into place. Despite me apologising multiple times for the shoes incident and always trying very hard with everything I ever gave him. I appreciated his ego had been bruised but knowing him and how he loved to punish, I realised if I stayed with him then he'd purposely do this to me forever. We split not long after.

Initially it was stuff I couldn't put my finger on/chalked up as a one off but his attitude with subsequent gifts let me know it had surely been deliberate.

WingingItSince1973 · 28/12/2023 10:47

Sorry if this has been answered as not bad time to read all the thread but what is "dog boarding"? 😬😬😬

BooneyBeautiful · 28/12/2023 11:13

Nanaof1 · 28/12/2023 07:14

That really sucks and is a really lousy Christmas gift from your immune system! I hope you feel better soon! Use a soft bed pillow held against your ribs when you cough or laugh and it might help. 🤒😷😵

Show quote history

Thank you for your kind words. Am actually feeling better today. Just feel as if I am getting over a bad cold, although I did have some really vivid dreams last night that I thought were real. Was very confused when I woke up this morning!

ifIwerenotanandroid · 28/12/2023 11:52

wingsanddreams · 28/12/2023 00:14

Ok in any situation where a husband makes you unhappy, you should go and buy yourself something you really like from the shop, paid from your joint account. It will instantly make you feel happier and will make you forget about his unwanted gift.

I extended this principle to cover accidental damage. My DH once put my black linen skirt in with the normal wash & it came out two sizes smaller. So I went straight into town & bought a replacement - & 'fined' him a new handbag, too.

Pigsinpainauchocolat · 28/12/2023 12:25

IreneGoodnight · 28/12/2023 02:05

DH of decades gave me a voucher for a trip in a glider. Whenever we've seen a glider I've said I'd be far too scared to go up in such a thing that lacks an engine. He denies ever hearing me say this so he must be deaf as well as daft.
I couldn't restrain my annoyance that he's wasted so much money on just about the last thing I wanted, so that was Christmas day ruined.
He didn't open his presents from me (some beautiful military models to add to his collection) until Boxing Day. He was very pleased with them as they were exactly what he wanted. Fancy that!

Can he get a refund on the voucher and go buy something you'd like? What a twat.

Pigsinpainauchocolat · 28/12/2023 12:30

@wingsanddreams and what if you choose to keep your finances seperate and don't have a "joint account"?

Surgarblossom · 28/12/2023 12:32

My husband got £15 in a money wallet from his very, very wealthy parents.

littlebopeepp234 · 28/12/2023 12:38

MrsToothyBitch · 28/12/2023 10:37

Even my DH who likes and collects militaria is bamboozled by your DH giving you the periscope, OP!

We were quite low key & last minute for Christmas this year- we are very recently married and just a bit wiped mentally, physically and financially but still did pretty well for each other and for others, just maybe not our best year imagination-wise. Nice stuff from others, too. My mum gives basic toiletries but alongside other lovely gifts and makes it clear that it's a care package - and we know it's coming as such. It's thoughtful and we are all on same page wrt expectations.

My ex was a punishment-present giver though, of the type mentioned upthread. He was initially ok and good with thoughtful little spontaneous surprises... until I couldn't get my damaged foot into a pair of shoes he suprise mercy bought when I had foolishly worn heels out one day - I thanked him for the thought but they were just no good and he could see I couldn't keep my right foot in because it was being painfully squashed. He viewed it as rejection in public, was "humiliated" returning them and I never really got a decent present from him ever again- and I already knew he held grudges and didn't forgive. When I broached it 18 months and three rounds of increasingly obvious spite-presents later, he mentioned the shoes incident as to why he wouldn't so much as buy me a 60p chocolate bar anymore spontaneously and I then understood why all my birthday and Christmas gifts had been a bit off. As suspected, it was on purpose and it all fell into place. Despite me apologising multiple times for the shoes incident and always trying very hard with everything I ever gave him. I appreciated his ego had been bruised but knowing him and how he loved to punish, I realised if I stayed with him then he'd purposely do this to me forever. We split not long after.

Initially it was stuff I couldn't put my finger on/chalked up as a one off but his attitude with subsequent gifts let me know it had surely been deliberate.

What a pathetic sad twat! Hope you treated him in the exact same way!

Happilyobtuse · 28/12/2023 14:11

Songlyrics · 28/12/2023 10:13

I got a pot of 500 Piriton tablets.

Seriously?! Did your DH actually wrap up a bottle of piriton as a gift?! So bizarre! 🤦🏽‍♀️What is wrong with all these men! I hope you plan to buy him some paracetamol for his next birthday!

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:02

Just leaving this here...

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:04

Palindrone · 28/12/2023 01:31

BIL got me some Tabasco sauce for the third year running, only this time it was wrapped in a towel because there wasn't any wrapping paper left.

Whaaaat?! Did he think that the towel somehow transformed it into a 'gift set'?!

Did he ask for the towel back after you'd unrolled unwrapped it?

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:07

WingingItSince1973 · 28/12/2023 10:47

Sorry if this has been answered as not bad time to read all the thread but what is "dog boarding"? 😬😬😬

It does indeed sound like some horrific interrogation technique, but I think it just means sending your pet to stay in kennels whilst you're away.

I'm also a little confused as to whether her DH is wanting to check them both (human) as residents into a kennels facility and to see how long it is before they're rumbled as not being canine!

littlebopeepp234 · 28/12/2023 15:09

Happilyobtuse · 28/12/2023 14:11

Seriously?! Did your DH actually wrap up a bottle of piriton as a gift?! So bizarre! 🤦🏽‍♀️What is wrong with all these men! I hope you plan to buy him some paracetamol for his next birthday!

Edited

Show quote history

It’s like I said earlier in the thread, I swear they do it on purpose to see people’s reactions and to upset them, they’re not telling us they’re that daft they don’t know what gift buying entails. They will have been bought presents all their life from being a child. Just completely lazy and thoughtless

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:14

Nooooooo - the 12 Days of Christmas beautiful table decoration has finally sold?!?!?!

If this is true, a tiny little part of MN has now died

Unless it was a MNer who bought it and is intending to run a contest on here - with the loser 'winning' it

Palindrone · 28/12/2023 15:42

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:04

Whaaaat?! Did he think that the towel somehow transformed it into a 'gift set'?!

Did he ask for the towel back after you'd unrolled unwrapped it?

Show quote history

Yes, he took the towel back. I was quite relieved about that as it wasn't clean. He's a plumber and I imagine it was the nearest thing to hand!

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 15:45

Palindrone · 28/12/2023 15:42

Yes, he took the towel back. I was quite relieved about that as it wasn't clean. He's a plumber and I imagine it was the nearest thing to hand!

Show quote history

Grim. I suppose at least it wasn't his poo towel...

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 28/12/2023 16:15

Cheesestring67 · 26/12/2023 07:45

I feel I may ne able to top trump this.

One year, I received a Twerking Llama toy...as I'd mentioned it looked funny on the advert. Wtf. Year after, a camcorder?!!! I have a phone and don't go out filming on the weekends.

My DIL bought that twerking llama for her DN (my DGD) when DN was about 4. She loved it on the day (as DiL rightly knew she would) and it added to a fabulous family day.
Not a gift for an adult tho!

T1Dmama · 28/12/2023 16:21

Could you ask for the receipt and exchange it?

GasDrivenNun · 28/12/2023 17:01

Daffodilsandtuplips · 27/12/2023 23:49

My in laws were crap at gifts, I got a tea stained second hand cardigan one year from PILs. SIL gave me a box of Typoo tea bags.
DH seemed to have inherited the gene the year he gave me a Bryan Ferry CD, we didn’t have a CD player. I just looked at him and said “Really?. Don't you dare”. I knew what his game was, to buy himself a CD player.
He’s improved a lot since then. I have had lovely thought out gifts since then. I
asked for and got an air fryer this year.

This year I got from MIL 160 Decaff Yorkshire teabags.
I don't drink normal tea.
LY it was Twinings Lemon and Ginger which I like.
One year she gave nylon check overall which women wore for cleaning to both SIL and me. One nay and one brown.

Cheesestring67 · 28/12/2023 17:04

Absolutely, I have a 4yr old Daughter now and she would laugh her head off at it...however my 35 Yr old self did not enjoy it...I do wish I'd have saved it now for my LG! Xx

blueocean0987 · 28/12/2023 17:30

My mil got me old biddy slippers and pyjamas which were three sizes too big.
She can't get out to shops so sil will have done shopping for her and shes and never been nice. I just put straight in bin 😆😆😆
Ironic thing is mil a lot bigger than me.
Mil lives up sil's ass and vice versa so good luck to them both in their little lives.
Mil can't do anything without sil it's really cringe 😂😂😬😬

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 28/12/2023 17:36

SIL gave me a box of Typoo tea bags.

I probably wouldn't drink those......

baggageclaims · 28/12/2023 19:17

"Old biddy"?

blueocean0987 · 28/12/2023 21:04

baggageclaims · 28/12/2023 19:17

"Old biddy"?

Old women
Not a nice way to put it I know

bunchymillie · 28/12/2023 21:13

I haven't heard 'old biddy' in years! Oldiewonks seems to be de rigueur at the moment ☹️