To ask what you do with unwanted gifts?

[TheHouseJackieBuilt]

I had it drilled into me as a child that you should be forever grateful for any gift that comes your way. Problem is my mum is terrible as choosing gifts and I have a whole room upstairs full of gifts she’s got me over the years that are at best, not my cup of tea and at worst - outright bizarre.

Take Christmas for example - she got me two huge porcelain dolls - I didn’t even like dolls as a kid and I certainly have no time for them now - so I can’t understand why she thought I would like them?!

Another one was a big gothic skull ??!

Tons of books I’ll never read
Some bizarre goblets with snakes as handles …

Im in to nature and animals 😂

But I feel so guilty about not liking them, there are so many examples - like I said a big double room full of them.

What do you do with unwanted gifts like this? DH thinks I should sell the dolls at least but I feel so guilty! They’re currently in their boxes out of sight

Sell or charity shop them, you don't need a double room full of unwanted gifts!

First post nails it

Sell, regift or charity shop.

And more importantly tell mum to stop buying you gifts, whichever way you do it, whether you phrase it as a change you're making, so you no longer want to receive gifts - but she needs to stop wasting her precious time, effort, energy, money, and also its so much better for the environment, your lack of space at home, you're getting older and don't need things as much now, its a waste as you dont use them, you have everything... pick a reason to not exchange gifts any more.

The skull and the goblets send to me, please 😬 The rest charity shop asap.

Yep, first post has it. I’ve been known to be in the charity shop 2 days after Christmas with unwanted gifts… ruthless….

I'd get rid. And then I'd have a conversation with your mum along the lines of - don't need presents, have enough stuff, let's take a day and treat each other to lunch/afternoon tea/spa treatments - whatever you're into. Suggest going for experiences rather than things.

No me!!! 🤣

Sell or charity shop them. She's not going to remember what gift she bought you and when and she must have already noticed that none are dotted around your house anyway.

Just be very careful that she can't see them if you decide to Facebook marketplace them!!

I regift to others who will like, not birthdays etc, just a gift and I tell them it's a Regift

I either sell the items on eBay or take them to a charity shop. It depends on the items to be honest.

What doesn't sell goes to charity shops. There are some companies collecting on your doorstep that look genuine - not the ones who drop plastic bags. I book them too.

I hate mess, I hate knick knacks, and I am not accumulating anything that is technically to my taste but is basically clutter.

I sell or give most books when I have read them already, I wouldn't wait if I am never going to read them anyway/

I sympathise, as my dear departed MIL had completely different taste from mine and bought me (to me) horrendous ornaments and jewellery. She was permanently offended so if the ornaments and jewellery weren't on show often enough, we got the sulks. As soon as she died they all went to the charity shop.
I agree with pp, either decide you only want experiences for gifts from now on, or explain that you are overrun with "things" and would like to choose your own gifts.

I either sell it or fling it into the charity shop.
Who's gonna know ?
If she's not asked about the dolls before now she probably wont, so sell the buggers. If she does ask oh the shelf they were on fell off the wall & they broke. Didn't want to say because I knew you'd be as upset as I am.

Charity shop.

I have also been known to open a present and without even sitting back down, chuck it straight in the black bin. Couldn't even be arsed to charity shop it. But that might be because my mum brought me a big brown bag with long handles wwhen i asked for a small black back with short handles.

Regift, charity shop, sell.
I don't have any guilt about not keeping gifts I don't need/want. I don't have the space to hold onto unused items.

Recycle, regift, charity shop or bin depending on what they are.

Just sell them doesn’t seem much point it keeping everything in a room hidden away

You aren't creating a Museum Of Useless gifts, you're living your life. If something doesn't work for you, move it out of your house.

It's enough to thank someone for thinking of you. You don't need a permanent monument to their taste (and not yours). Go to the charity shop or sell things online. You will feel so much better to be without all the stuff.

Fine to sell or give away and tell her you don't want any more gifts as you're trying to be minimal.

Move them on.
You've done the dutiful bit and said thanks.

Move them on.

I'm currently considering moving a bottle of booze into a school bottle raffle!
My booze cupboard is over flowing and it's something I've never tasted never mind it adding to the cupboard clutter.

Put it on Vinted or Ebay. A surprising amount of weird shit stuff will sell if it's brand new and unopened.

Any unopened toiletries/bath stuff etc you don't want can go in the food bank bin at the supermarket.

The rest I will take to the charity shop. Can't bear having clutter lying around the house that I know we will never use.

i donate them to DD xmas fayre/raffle. I have a drawer of shit gifts i keep stocked and if I need a quick go to gift or donation etc I first look in there. I always get gift sets of handcream/body cream etc i never use so it ends up there ….

I’d be wondering what kind of mother she is that she doesn’t know you at all. You’ve nothing to feel guilty about (I know guilt doesn’t work like that!).

If they were tasteful but not my taste try to regift, if they are awful ebay or charity shop.

Thank the recipient - the gift has then served its purpose.

then straight to the charity shop