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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Worst Christmas present

461 replies

Bookworm512 · 25/12/2023 20:40

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?😓

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
GreySantaRabbit · 26/12/2023 13:11

Beautiful3 · 26/12/2023 10:09

At least you got something. I got nothing, not even a chocolate bar!

Me too! He dislikes Christmas and over the years has done less and less. I hated yesterday, today's not much better.

I'm going away next year. Possibly by myself.

soupmaker · 26/12/2023 13:14

@Pozz The usual. Use it just so I can say I have, on pizza dough, then stick it at the back of a cupboard until I either charity shop it or barter it.

comingintomyown · 26/12/2023 13:22

Latex dog masks 😂😂😂😂😂

Original poster
Bookworm512 · 26/12/2023 13:25

madmumofteens · 26/12/2023 12:39

😂😂😂 sorry OP DH was saying it must be a telescope 🤔

Definitely a periscope, see pic in my previous post.

OP posts:
GothConversionTherapy · 26/12/2023 13:33

I was a bit disappointed with the picture tbh, I had been imaging an old-timey brass one 😞

Catsknowbest · 26/12/2023 13:36

Ooer 😮 that is a strange choice

Catsknowbest · 26/12/2023 13:41

Crayfishforyou · 25/12/2023 23:23

My MIL got me a baking tray again. I have no idea why, because I hate any form of cooking.
She also gave me a gift token for DH’s favourite restaurant, that I don’t like at all.
DH got me quite pretty, very overpriced polyester PJs, two sizes too big.
I have recently started night sweats and hot flushes. If I didn’t like polyester before, I sure as hell can’t wear it now.
On the plus side MIL hates cats with a passion, and my cat sat staring at her furiously all through the christmas dinner. It really put MIL off her food and that was very funny.

Legendary cat 😹

Avacardo2023 · 26/12/2023 13:51

This thread has made me go from thinking that a periscope is a really shit present to thinking of all the ways I could be using a periscope in my everyday life. For a start it looks like the perfect shape to thank my DH properly for the box of shite I received.

My DH has always been a terrible gift giver but I usually brush it off and think oh well who cares, but I am hitting menopause and this year has given me the absolute rage. He only has one person to buy for and that's me - I buy absolutely every other present for others (the slanket debacle of 2009 being the last straw). There is no acceptable excuse.

noodlezoodle · 26/12/2023 14:04

I'm so sorry OP but I am cracking up. I hope it lessens the sting a little to know that your thread has brought a lot of people some joy Grin

TrinityTinselToes · 26/12/2023 16:19

itsnotmeitsu · 26/12/2023 00:45

I got socks with the dog's face on them. They came all the way from America apparently. My husband said he'd made three attempts with the picture because, once cropped, the dog's head was missing. He said, 'You wouldn't have liked that would you?' Me, 'Uh, no ...'. If I had a periscope I'd be checking what the two of them are up to when they think I'm not looking.

😆😆

Dinkydoo17 · 26/12/2023 17:36

whada · 25/12/2023 21:17

Struggled today with grief, but by heck this thread cheered me up. Thank you pp's 😊

Sending a hug to go with the hilarious thread. Hope you're ok

Nanaof1 · 26/12/2023 17:52

GothConversionTherapy · 26/12/2023 13:33

I was a bit disappointed with the picture tbh, I had been imaging an old-timey brass one 😞

Yes, I admit to being a tad disappointed in her DH. I thought a brass one would have been much more festive. Oh well, there is always next year for the OP. 😉

Beautiful3 · 26/12/2023 19:36

@GreySantaRabbit

I'm sorry to hear that, it's rubbish isn't it. Yours sounds similar to mine. He used to buy me nice presents. But every year it became less and less, until nothing came. It's sad because it feels like they don't value us and what we do for the family and home. I'd quite like to go away alone next Christmas, I think you deserve to go away and have peace and quiet. Sending you a hug ❤️

Edinburghguy · 26/12/2023 19:38

Bookworm512 · 25/12/2023 20:40

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?😓

Surely a windup? 😂

TheHateIsNotGood · 26/12/2023 20:01

OP I only voted YANBU because reading your post this morning I felt that you had already "won" Christmas by just letting us know about the Periscope; let alone leaving many of us pondering why, just why?? does your DH think you want to look out your skylight.

Possibly a great deal of thought might have gone into this gift, likely misplaced; but you gotta bless his little cotton socks for helping you win xmas 2023. Did he look very pleased with himself as he proferred the gift?

stayathomer · 26/12/2023 20:03

I love it and actually love his reasoning but in the same way what an awful present (unless you regularly stand gazing at the stars!!)

Pennythoughts28 · 26/12/2023 20:40

He is after 16 years Ive worked up courage to leave tbh long time coming I think

FrillyGoatFluff · 26/12/2023 20:40

We had an almightily crap gift situation yesterday, but it's turned out rather nicely...

Bought DSD a set of refurbished Dyson straighteners (£179 for REFURBISHED! 😳) Bloody things didn't work.

DH got on to Dyson CS this morning, who were admittedly brilliant, and they're couriering out a pair of brand new limited edition ones tomorrow. Felt bloody awful for DSD on Christmas morning though 😩

I also gave an intentionally shite gift this year - DSM got a box of ziplock bags. She squirrels away leftovers after every meal out and has been known to wrap a lump of meat in a napkin and pop it straight in her handbag... I can confidently say she was genuinely delighted with her box of bags 😂

Original poster
Bookworm512 · 26/12/2023 20:55

Edinburghguy · 26/12/2023 19:38

Surely a windup? 😂

Show quote history

I can assure you it is not a windup.

OP posts:
ViaBlue · 26/12/2023 21:15

From my sister in law - facial hair remover....

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 26/12/2023 21:41

TheSandgroper · 26/12/2023 12:52

@FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper when fighting from trenches, periscopes have long been used to look over the parapet without getting your head blown off.

Fair enough - but do they not order and receive their equipment in bulk from an approved supplier, rather than hoping some random MNer won't like her Christmas present and will pop it in the post to them?!

PUGMEISTER21 · 27/12/2023 17:56

No, you should be disappointed, clearly can't be bothered. My friends husband got her, an ice scraper, some glasses for blocking blue light and a grow your own mushroom kit. Final straw for her and now she is divorcing him.

PUGMEISTER21 · 27/12/2023 18:00

Very good. Lol

HelenaTranscart · 27/12/2023 18:13

Sorry but I did LOL so thank you for sharing that. It's even worse than the sellotape dispenser my friend got from her hubby.

Violinist64 · 27/12/2023 18:14

I think a periscope is going to be on all our wish lists in the future 😂. I have been very lucky this year. My birthday is just before Christmas and DH surprised me in a good way with a model giraffe for the fireplace (giraffes are my favourite animals) and bought the new violin case l needed and had asked for for Christmas. I have had some interesting “surprises” in the past, though. The tale l always trot out in this kind of discussion is when my grandfather bought my grandmother a new chip pan and Christmas because he liked chips. He never made that mistake again….