Inappropriate present, hideous bookends and me in drag!!!!

[confusedgoldilocks]

I love christmas, and I love christmas presents, I got my best friend a lovely calendar showing photos that were precious to me throughout the year of all the good times we have shared, in return, and this is so strange, I got two bookends, which have obviously been handmade, but look like my face, but in a grotesque punch and judy way, I'm not sure whether they are supposed to look so scary, but they are hideous, I actually had nightmares about them last night, and on top of that, a smaller 3D figurine which is basically me looking like a drag queen in hideous blonde hair and a massive red bow, they obviously took a long time and I get that, but I wonder what they are trying to tell me, they have sent me a message asking what I think of them and I really don't know what to say, to be honest, Im quite upset they see me that way. Im just a normal person who loves christmas, I was hoping for tickets to see a christmas carol or something like that.

The sinister bookends sound awesome. I love a bit of spooky decor.

You were hoping for tickets to see something yet bought a calendar?
The bookends and drag thing sound a bit weird and would be binned here without much thought tbh.

You are being unreasonable not to post a picture of said bookends.

Don’t get the calendar - but love the thought of quirky bookends. 😂

Obviously we need a picture now…

A calendar can be a great gift, it’s had thought & time put into it. My mum cried this year (this NEVER happens) as she was so emotional regarding what we had done with the images.

We need to see them! But if they are handmade by them maybe it makes them acceptable…

Were they handmade by her?

All sounds a bit odd but she probably meant well. Art is very subjective! It sounds like you both did handmade gifts, is that right? If so it may be that the thought was there but not the execution.

They do have a partner, and I have met them, we all went out for dinner just before christmas, and it seemed fine, although I think I may have embarrassed them, I offered to pay and we all ordered quite a lot with quite a lot of drink which I encouraged as I was paying, but then my card got declined, well, I say my card, I ended up trying a few, as you do, and in the end my dear friend paid and refused to let me pay, so I thought it was all sorted but maybe they are trying to tell me something, its quite confusing because the book ends really are quite scary versions of me, maybe I should send them the money for the bill, as they refuse to take it in person.

Scary bookends sound awesome. I would love them. But it seems as though they have missed the mark with you. I doubt there was an unkind intention behind it, more just a misjudgement

I feel like you’re most upset that the gifts made you feel ugly, which sounds like you have insecurities about your appearance. You shouldn’t let a representation of you make you feel unfeminine! Were they satirical gifts where you were supposed to look exaggerated or were they representations of your actual appearance but they turned out a bit wonky?

Im not posting a picture, I cant even look at them without feeling uneasy

Bookends can be as good or as a bad as the maker's talent - it doesn't have to mean they are attempting to portray a scary version of you, just that they aren't terribly good at creative endeavours. Think how many sitcoms have had a poorly painted portrait as the central conceit of an episode.

In terms of the meal, surely you would have just sent the money via bank transfer if you'd offered to pay for it but for some reason all of your cards were declined. I don't see what it's got to do with Christmas presents.

Oh god 😂

In light of this debacle I think hoping for tickets to something was a bit rich.

Next time don't offer to pay for dinner unless you're sure you're in funds!!

I second this!

Well its only because they both kept mentioning a christmas carol at the old vic, and how lovely it would be to see it, and how much I would enjoy it if I did see it, they way they spoke, I honestly thought I was getting tickets, the meal was a sort of christmas present ,and yes, I honestly thought I would die as each card got rejected, it was so humiliating, maybe I should just bank transfer the money, but I dont know the account number, and to be honest the bill came to a bit more than I thought it would, i think they are laughing at me, I feel miserable about the whole thing

This is a very odd thread. Of course you need to send them the money for the meal and drinks. How on earth can you think it’s ok not to?

Why did you keep encouraging them to have more of everything? Did you honestly not know you couldn't afford to pay?
You sound very socially awkward and a bit clueless tbh.

Omg the shame 😳😳 Yes they made you ugly bookends after the whole meal scenario.

Why would you encourage people to consume more if you weren’t absolutely sure you’d have the funds?? This is beyond embarrassing 😭

I don’t think there was any hidden message in the gifts so I’d just store them away and take them back out if they ever come round to visit.

Not everyone values handmade gifts the same way. DD also always wants to give handmade gifts to everyone and their mum and quite a few of these people are individuals I know will see them as tat. It’s a waste of her time and she’d be very hurt to find they don’t value it the way others do.

Please do, I'm so curious!