to think this was a pretty crap gift?

[Sugarmagnolia]

DS(5) was given a sponge-bob duvet cover (with massive ?REDUCED TO CLEAR" label still attached) for his birthday by a friend from nursery.

Ok first of all, sponge-bob gives me the creeps. He's a sponge. Why does he need to wear pants? What exactly is he hiding?

Second of all, just spent a lot of money totally redecorating DS's room so no way am I then going to use some bizarre looking duvet that doesn't match.

Third of all, isn't a duvet a pretty weird gift anyway, regardless of what's on it unless you know the person's taste or at least have the slightest clue what the child's room looks like?

So I can't help but think, did someone genuinely think I might like this or was she just trying to get rid of something she couldn't stand to have in her own house and/or forgot to buy DS a present and found this at the back of a cupboard???

keep it as a spare if you don't like it

she could be skint and that is all she could afford

maybe she is feeling the pinch with rising food and fuel costs?

Mybe the little boy picked it himself, doesnt matter what it cost. Just say thanks very much and send to charity shop if you dont like it.

Message withdrawn

I agree with hatrick.

Question - does your DS like spongebob? If he does (or the mother of the friend knows he does) - then isnt a weird gift at all.

i actually think a duvet cover does show imagination

YABU.

It was a gift. The giver didn't necessarily know your foibles regarding the character and recent decorations to the room etc.

Right now people are finding the going tough so does it matter if the gift had a reduced label.

You need to be grateful and show your DS how to receive gifts with good grace.

Does your DS like it?

How has your DS got all the way to 5 without getting weird/ugly/inappropriate presents before now? My DS gets at least one thing every Christmas and birthday that gets 'lost' quite soon after it's been unwrapped. That's just the way it is because people's taste differs.

agree with hatrick too

YABU and ungracious.

I think it's a good present. My ds is 6 and would LOVE that.

Mind you he'd like brussels sprouts if there was a picture of SB on them.

YABU you're not necessarily going to like everything your ds is given! Donate to charity or give to another child you don't like very much! (although maybe remove reduced to clear label first!)

My dc always like the presents I find
hideous the most. I find the best thing to do is remove during present unwrapping frenzy and hope they don't remember.

(Please don't report me to the pedants - that should obviously have read 'people's tastes differ' )

Lots of kids LOVE Spongebob. We ALL love bargains. Don't be so bloody rude.

Ok, maybe I'm being ungrateful but just to be clear - I didn't actually tell the other mum I thought it was crap, DS and I wrote her a thank you note same as everyone else. Secondly, don't think money was the issue (I've seen her house!) and third, no, DS does not like sponge-bob.

So anyone want an unopened sponge-bob duvet cover?

YABU.

Either keep it for emergency spare, or if you are never going to use it, leave it wrapped and send it to a charity shop, and hopefully some spongebob-mad DC will get something their parents could not otherwise have afforded.

Exactly how was she supposed to know that sponge-bob gives you the creeps and that it wouldn't match your ds room. My ds was given a bob the builder duvet for Christmas from someone who has never been in his room. I don't like it very much but ds loves it. I think a duvet is quite a good gift.

YABU to expect very thoughtful gifts that match your taste from a random 5yo at nursery. Its not like they are married.

YABU I'm afraid.

Just because you don't particularly like it does not take away from the fact that it was a gift to your son.

She probably started a thread on here asking what five year old boys liked and was told that they all love spongebob so when she saw the duvet cover, reduced which put it in her price bracket, she probably thought "waheeeey, he'll love this"

Tis a pity you don't like it, but I think YABU to complain about it. Thank her graciously, tell her that it was a fab present and don't invite her child round for a play date until it's on the bed

YABU and you do make yourself sound a little spoilt and prima donna-ish. Nursery presents from one child to another are not meant to be tasteful and costly. They are meant to be what 3 or 4 year old children like which is quite often tacky, brightly coloured and definitely not fitting in with your colour scheme.

did someone genuinely think I might like this

um - it was for you ds not you !

I think with presents from non-close people you accept whatever is given with a nice smile, sometimes boggle over their choice, use or not as appropriate and then forget about it.

One word of warning - trying to keep kids rooms to matching themes and banning anything that doesn't match is not usually sustainable.

Save it for those times when DS has thrown up over all his nice matching duvets - or use it for making tents/dens in the garden etc.

I think when it's her birthday you should buy her some knicker elastic.

About 300 yards of it.

I agree with you. How outrageous she obviously has no taste and the thought of you using that pervy bottom-feeding sponge as an accent colour to your decor makes me shudder...

she deserves to be humiliated or poked with a sharp stick.

John Lewis sell knicker elastic I think.

Spidermama - obviously telling the other mum what I thought would have been ?bloody rude? but I hardly think voicing an opinion here on MN qualifies, do you?