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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Come on then, which gifts are going to the charity shop?

164 replies

lemonsherberts6 · 25/12/2025 23:09

2 soap and glory gift sets. My skin is sensitive, so I can’t use anything like that.
Baylis and Harding hand set - same deal.
A candle - never use them.
Pink gin - don’t like and never drink it.

It’s always the same people, no thought put into it. I think they just grab random bits from the 3 for 2 at Boots. I’d never say anything, of course, but it’s the same stuff every year and it gets a bit disappointing as I always make an effort to buy gifts that people actually enjoy or will use. Honestly, I’d prefer if they just saved their money.

What has everyone else had?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 26/12/2025 23:43

LokeyCokey · 26/12/2025 23:31

No because I can’t bring myself to appear ungrateful and I think they’d be offended.

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It's not ungrateful if you literally can't use them.
I don't understand just not saying anything. There's a difference between "we don't like this gift" vs "we can't use this because there's nowhere we can get to in order to use it".
One might be considered rude, the other is stating a fact.

SusanChurchouse · 26/12/2025 23:45

TwooooDoooozenRoses · 26/12/2025 23:13

Not a charity shop job but four(!) bottles of wine and a bottle of gin. All from close family and friends. I’ve been sober for nearly two years and have talked about that with all of them at various times…

Well done on your 2 years. That’s shit, I’m sorry. I’m 4 years in and found that the booze gifts have slowly dropped off now people are aware of the situation. I handed a lot of bottles in to fetes etc the first few years.

PermanentTemporary · 26/12/2025 23:46

I’ve had a wonderful Christmas for presents but I did get a shower gel which I will give away somehow. I like bar soap and very particular smells. I used to keep all toiletry gifts and use them even if I disliked them, but after nearly vomiting from the smell of some hand cream one year I would rather pass it on to someone who might like it.

Moortown · 27/12/2025 00:04

I didn’t get many gifts but two from my mum will be going to the charity shop. A wooly hat, nothing wrong with it but it’s the exact same one she bought me last year 😂. And a calendar, I never use a paper calendar these days as everything is in my phone diary.

therewasafishinthepercolator · 27/12/2025 00:08

JDM625 · 26/12/2025 23:20

100% polyester duvet set- bed size unknown as still in the vacuum bag from possibly temu and MIL didn't know the size she bought us. OH, and the pattern is a massive head of dog 😬

Wow. That sounds both terrifying and a little bit awesome.

ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 27/12/2025 00:29

Coffeeishot · 26/12/2025 08:13

I have chocolates that i don't like, I can't even charity shop those,

Food bank?

ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 27/12/2025 00:43

therewasafishinthepercolator · 26/12/2025 22:57

Temu slippers and socks. 4 pairs of each.

Is it OK to send to charity? I've read that Temu stuff does not meet safety standards so we don't want it but I'm not entirely sure what to do with it. It's so wasteful to bin it but I don't want to pass on potentially unsafe items...

I really wish SIL would stop present buying. Every year with the Temu stuff. So wasteful. And i hate her wasting her money. We have tried. We agreed no presents from now on as our kids are all adults but then she sent a pile of presents down to us via MIL anyway.

It’s cheap electrical goods, toys, toiletries or foodstuffs that could be a problem, or candles maybe. I can’t see that there would be a problem with socks or slippers.

Gettingbysomehow · 27/12/2025 00:51

Nucleus · 25/12/2025 23:29

My Avon room scents Advent calendar from MIL that she says lots of people recommended it to her as a perfect Christmas gift. Can someone make it make sense to give an Advent calendar as a Christmas present?!

I get migraines from room scents/air fresheners etc, so I cannot use it, which she does know. I am also pretty sure it is from last year as it says packaged in 2024 on the back and that she probably got it as a tombola prize. It would not be the first time she has done this.

The only acceptable calendar Xmas gift is a diptique calendar. Id love to get one of those for sure but its £399.

Buscobel · 27/12/2025 09:31

Our gifts came from a supermarket and a garden centre. There isn’t anything to charity shop, but I’d love something connected with our interests.

brightnails · 27/12/2025 09:50

DolefullySingingMotherfucka · 26/12/2025 07:24

And how would that work on an anonymous forum?

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by PMing that’s how it would work @DolefullySingingMotherfucka🫠

ToffeePennie · 27/12/2025 10:00

I had a lovely gift set from a posh spa but sadly I have dermatitis and can’t use it. That’s a donate present for sure. Everything else is what I bought or put on my list.

redboxer321 · 27/12/2025 10:03

I wonder what the record is for how many times an individual Baylis and Harding gift set has been regifted 😆

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 15:49

I was really grateful at everything I got but there were a few things I won't use as I already have a lot of them. So my partner's sweets and biscuits went to the food bank and I sent some small bits and pieces to the charity shop. I feel guilty but at the same time, it's helping charity and hopefully someone will love the things I don't need.

Most of mine were a hit though and I'm lucky to be surrounded by thoughtful people who know me well.

I have stopped friend's Christmas and birthdays though which has stopped a lot of things might not like but I always appreciated the thought. It was just too much money in the end.

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 15:55

Brightbluesomething · 25/12/2025 23:29

A relative who’s known for very bizarre gifts has outdone herself this year. Not even the charity shop would want it!
I dug out her previous contender for worst gift and my DC’s couldn’t decide which was the ugliest. This years is certainly the heaviest. I’m going to keep it in case we get burgled as a weapon (for self defence of course).

Please enlighten us!!

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 16:16

Gcn · 26/12/2025 11:42

One of these. It's a calendar, that you need to change manually every day (so need to know the date???) it's big and pointless and the latest shit gift from dsil. I think she thinks it's funny to get shit gifts, but what a waste of money...

Oh that's bad. 😵‍💫

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 16:18

PhantomOfAllKnowledge · 26/12/2025 12:38

Yes, I remember it. As well as Covid, as the site grew larger, the thread started to attract scammers - people were sending off their gifts to swap, and getting nothing in return. I never participated as I only receive a few gifts from immediate family, but I enjoyed lurking on the thread.

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Wow always some arseholes, who have to ruin a nice thing. This is why we can't have lovely things. :(

BlackCat14 · 28/12/2025 16:18

We got three Christmas outfits for our five month old baby. We’d already bought him two to wear on the day, so these ones from relatives that we only opened Christmas morning felt like a total waste! I put him in one on Boxing Day, and could over the next couple of days I guess, but it feels very much “for the sake of it.” Not to be ungrateful but if people wanted to buy him clothes, I’d rather they got non themed stuff that he could wear all the time!

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 16:18

Olderbutt · 26/12/2025 12:53

Three things from one friend, sadly, no thought whatsoever but is very picky about what she receives. One of the items is a complete mystery and even she doesn't know what it is!

Super bizarre!

Isayitasitis · 28/12/2025 16:21

TwooooDoooozenRoses · 26/12/2025 23:13

Not a charity shop job but four(!) bottles of wine and a bottle of gin. All from close family and friends. I’ve been sober for nearly two years and have talked about that with all of them at various times…

That's so disrespectful!

Food bank will have them.

iwishihadaname · 28/12/2025 16:23

Coffeeishot · 26/12/2025 08:13

I have chocolates that i don't like, I can't even charity shop those,

could donate to the shop for the volunteers to enjoy

insomniacalways · 28/12/2025 16:27

Most of the stuff from my Mum she loves to support independent crafts. It's beautiful stuff but I've been clear neither I nor the kids want anymore stuff. She bought me a lovely pendant when I was with her that I loved and I was clear that was all I wanted. My house is full. So someone else can enjoy them.

KnittyNell · 28/12/2025 16:42

Gettingbysomehow · 27/12/2025 00:51

The only acceptable calendar Xmas gift is a diptique calendar. Id love to get one of those for sure but its £399.

Show quote history

I absolutely loved my £20 Nivea one.

WhineAndWine1 · 28/12/2025 16:43

Nothing because we give each other lists in my family. Totally the way forward

sidsgranny · 28/12/2025 17:06

menopausalmare · 26/12/2025 07:58

Most of our presents come from elderly relatives who no longer drive, don't shop online and can only walk to the local shops. Every year we get calendars, amaryllis, hats, mugs and lots of food items. Kind but a bit boring. I'll be donating a calendar as I already have one.

Ahh bless them. Could you maybe suggest some cheese and crackers and chutney that would probably be easy for them to get you from their local shop?

Tresd · 28/12/2025 17:08

Nothing is going to the charity shop. I put a stop to this crazy shit years ago.