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 like practical stuff but I'd rather someone bought be a couple of cheap bottles of bubble bath I regularly use than an actual set, which would probably contain at least one thing I don't use.

In all honesty it's probably quite unlikely that I'd actually like a 'thoughtful' gift, as I don't need or want much 'stuff' and anything personal I'd prefer to buy myself.

I like receiving chocolates of any kind as I dont tend to buy it myself. And a tub is something I'd only have at Christmas so makes me feel Christmassy.

I'd rather have consumables like toiletries and chocolate that I can use up.

Once one of my grandchildren was messing about and gave me a duck related nickname which stuck. Now everyone thinks I love ducks and they all seem to think it's a game to find the most obscure duck related gift. I've got duck coat hooks, duck salt and pepper set, duck toilet brush holder and all sorts.

There's nothing wrong with ducks and I do like seeing them if we're out and about, but I don't want a house full of ducks!

@YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan , I know someone who had an ornament that she'd bought on holiday. It was quite a striking one, and quite a feature.
She started being given little ornaments of the same bird. She ended up with quite a collection, which she felt she had to display, and of course, she kept being given more of them.

I call them “that’ll do” presents because of the times I’ve been in Boots when the do 3 for 2 gifts, and heard people say “That’ll do for Barbara, that’ll do for Sarah”. I think it’s a shame I don’t hear them say “Barbara will love that” or “That’s Sarah’s favourite”.

I think some of the problem is that some people feel obliged to buy gifts, that when being truthful they would admit that they don't want to get. "Oh Jane bought for us last year, I'll have to get her something back, "that'll do."

I think alot of people buy things for the sake of it, because they feel obliged, or because the person has everything, and/or is a general PITA to buy for. Less specific items are a 'safe' choice so to speak.

I am going to have to have a conversation with a relative of mine, and ask if we can just do cards. They have a lot more money and time than we do, buy expensive things we do not like, cannot use, the things we buy them back we could do without the expense of, or even use the money for something we will use.
We have dcs, and they don't; the kids cost us a bomb; we have mentioned token gifts at the most, but they don't stick to that! It is such an awkward topic to approach with people!

The problem with the saying 'you don't give to receive' is that a lot of people do. I can just imagine their expressions should you give nothing, or not much back!

So in your opinion, what WOULD be a thoughtful gift?
I personally quite like a box of chocolates and some shower gel.

I agree but would appreciate a posh box of chocolates.

I like getting gift sets. I understand they’re bad value for money but would you rather receive a gift set or a carrier bag packed with 20 bottles of shampoo from pound land?

I am particularly unimpressed with the 'It'll do present". It looks like something bought just before closing time on Christmas Eve. This will probably from a DP, and will be something really crap that he's put zero thought into.

There's the 'Something to open' present. The recipient will open it, accept it graciously and never use it. It will be hideous.

The gift sets make me think that someone has thought 'I need X female gifts and Y male gifts, then gone to Boots/supermarket and bought a job lot.

There's the over-the-top present that is too expensive, might be something you do want, but you'd have preferred to choose - e.g. jewellery, expensive gadget.

There's the we knew better than you present where you've asked for a specific item, but they've bought a 'better' version that isn't what you wanted.

@DonnaBanana , I don't think anyone would give one person 20 shampoo bottles, unless they knew that the recipient loved it or if they knew that it was good but being discontinued.

Yet it's OK to give something like shower gel and body lotion in a box or bag.

Or send them to me 😋

I don't know, I was chuffed to get the dove gift set last year. I used all the stuff in it. Also, tubs of chocolate always go down well in my house or my workplace. I'd rather that than another candle.

I don’t know I would consider it stingy. It’s like those people who moan that Easter eggs are “paying for the packaging” but if you give the kids a 200g bar of Dairy Milk instead you look like a right saddo.

Gifts bought by people who might as well be cows

I loathe getting gifts that the gift giver has spent ages choosing and thinks are perfect, when they're rarely anything of the sort to me!

My sister and sister-in-law are both guilty of this.
They really believe that they're superior beings in the art of purchasing suitable gifts, but they're both quite conservative in their tastes and I'm fairly flamboyant.

I'd much prefer a simple box of chocolates or smellies gift set, but they'd be so disappointed if I told them so. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

@DonnaBanana , you're not comparing like with like.

No way would I buy a child a bar of chocolate instead of an easter egg. I might do that to an adult.

I do give shampoo bars to someone I know likes them a lot. They don't seem bothered if they are £1 or £12.99 ones. I look out for special offers for the pricy ones.

What do you mean by that? I don't understand your comment. Can you elaborate?