Tubs of chocolate & toiletries gift sets - show no thought

[notedbiscuits]

Now shops have aisles full of gift sets - mainly toiletries. Plus tubs of chocolates

To me, they make me think they are bought by people who give no thought. Plus some gift sets are more expensive than buying them separately. Take Dove, 2 bottles of shower gel and a body puff thing. Cost in shop £6. Go to a shop and can buy the bottles for £1.50 and body puff thing is 75p-£1 (though doesn't have the Dove tag on it) You are paying £2 for a box! Card Factory do sell gift bags for that size for about 75p. For me also, there are things in gift sets which I don't use such as bubble bath and bath salts - have shower. Last week I had a clear out of the cupboard which has medications, toiletries etc and put some of these into food banks and the posher brands, to those charity shops that do sell (unused) toiletries.

Those tubs of chocolate, which get smaller each year, There's always one chocolate families don't eat. Quality Street- toffee finger and penny - due to fillings, Heroes - Eclairs (they cheapen it by adding Eclairs) again due to fillings.

Remember being behind a woman buying 50 odd tubs of the same chocolate. Said to the cashier "Oh that's my Christmas present shopping done in one shop". Glad I am not related/friends with her. As she would give each member a tub.

If you have no idea what to buy someone, don't buy anything. My family have not sent each other Xmas presents for many years. Why waste time, money and stress?

I quite like the gift sets. I generally only buy own brand shower gel etc. and it saves me having to remember to buy some. Also think they’re quite cute.

And what is unthoughtful in chocolate?

I'd rather that than many "thoughtful" gifts

Just give me the chocolate

I guess a lot of people like chocolate ?

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Depends who you buy them for.
I buy my brothers the tubs of chocolates because we agreed years ago that we would just do token edible gifts for adults.

I buy my DH and my DC the boxes of toiletries, because I only get them on offer when they are cheaper than buying the elements separately, and they are good for (and I know they will be used) as stocking fillers.

In line with virtually everyone I know I don't buy many presents for adults these days, so these wouldn't be "main" proper gifts.

I absolutely love smellies, booze or chocolates... but only fancy ones :)
I cant remember the last time i bought shower gel but at £20+ a pop that's why i like it for prezzies, equally drinks ( Patron tequila if you're offering) or Booja Booja chocs - none of them cheap but all my absolute favourites and VERY gratefully received!!

I don’t buy them, but the gift sets are easier to wrap

I’d much rather have consumables like this than more stuff I feel I’ve got to keep. There’s always someone that’ll happily take the bits I won’t use. Saying that, I’m grateful for anything that comes my way.

Chocolates annoy me because I can't eat a lot of them. Before you give an edible gift, think, do I really know if this person has any allergies? Because I think people assume they would know but unless you've catered for me you wouldn't. And lots of people do know I can't have gluten but don't consider that barley and wheat are in loads of chocolates so give me things I can't have anyway.

When I lived under the poverty line these toiletry sets were a godsend. I wouldn’t have to buy basic toiletries for months.
however, I can see that they show a lack of closeness with the recipient. I also think we need to get out of this habit of buying presents out of obligation for anyone and everyone.
overconsumption is crazy

Don't buy them then.
Donate and gifted and unopened ones to foodbanks or women's aid etc.

On the fence.

In this day and age, I’m grateful for anyone that can afford to spend money on me even if it’s a £5 gift set or box of chocolates. I’m happy to receive these. With rising cost of bills etc I think for someone to grab me something like that and spend their money on me is really kind.

But I do add these gift sets or box of chocolates as a quick gift, don’t have to think too much about it. Kind of like the oh better quickly grab something to take to friends parents for having me over for dinner near Christmas time or buying something for a colleague etc. So I’m on the fence, yes they are less thought gift but appreciated at the same time?

These tubs are not the best chocolate. Give me some decent chocolates - that's different.

Hygiene stuff is a no from me, because I have incredibly sensitive skin and will react to most things.
But there are quite a few brands of posh chocolates which I love but can't justify buying for myself. I love those gifts.
I also love an amazon gift card so I can by practical things. Or a steam/nintendo card so I have to buy myself something fun.

Great point. I mainly try to give gifts that can be used or experienced (nice olive oil, day trip) I don’t really like trinkets in my house how many post vases or jewellery trays does one person need???

I would be pleased to receive either of those.

Bottles of wine are a thoughtless gift and go in next raffle

The chocolates in those tubs are perfectly fine.
If you want fancy chocolates then buy them.

Had a colleague ask me what to buy for their sister's fiancé's nephew. I said nothing as you are not related to him.

I'd rather get chocolates or a gift set than something "individual" that I don't like and can't use.

Pretty much everyone can use shower gel and eat some sweets can't they?

Getting nothing, because you can't think of anything more specific, is somewhat dull and a bit Scrooge like.

Yes I do this: wait till the gift sets are always reduced to half price or even less after Christmas/ easter/ mothers day or whatever. And treat myself.

Unfortunately since the cost of living hike a lot of people are doing the same and you have to be quite quick to get the bargain.

I used to go in the charity shops and buy ones that people had donated because they were unwanted presents. But now the charity shops charge unrealistically high prices for them - along with quite a lot of their stock - I don't do this so much.

Personally I wouldn't buy chocolate tubs as a gift for any one because the receiver may not want them for reasons eg diet / healthy eating. And I wouldn't buy the gift sets for anyone unless I knew for certain the products included in it would be of use to them eg a lot of people don't have baths so path products are no use to them.

I partially agree - I think chocs and wine type of gifts are fine, shows some thought/appreciation and are very likely to be used, but on the other hand I could probably open my own Sanctuary shop with all the gifts I’ve had from birthdays and Christmas for the past 15 years… I hardly ever have a bath and use soap bars in the shower, so they’re just there. I think I’d rather have a tenner in a card

Completely.

Me and DP buy presents for each other, his parents and my mum. That's it. He gives cash to his nieces and nephews.

I find it completely bonkers that people buy gifts for all sorts of family hangers-on.

I think the toiletry sets are for gifts where the thought is in giving a gift at all. Maybe not for your mum (unless you know it's a favourite product), but a kind gesture to, say, a school mum who's having a shit time or the neighbour who helped you out that time.

I thought the big tubs of sweets were bought more to have in the house for visitors rather than as gifts. Although I wouldn't say no!

Donate them to Women's Aid or even a foodbank? That way someone would be benefitting and you'd be decluttering. 😬

I think you sound extremely ungrateful tbh! If someone cares enjoy to remember you at Christmas that is lovely however they acknowledge it. Also what you think might be meaningful might not be for me. My lovely sil bought me a picture last year which was lovely but didn’t match my house at all so sadly has been relegated to my loft until inhave somewhere suitable to display it. Chocolates on the other hand would have been well scoffed!

It's all the plastic and packaging that bothers me more than the thought behind the gift.