Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this was a pretty crap gift?

152 replies

Sugarmagnolia · 08/07/2008 10:50

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???

OP posts:
stitch · 08/07/2008 11:23

my kids would love a present like that.
so would i, because it is something that can be used, as opposed to plastic tat.
and i would admie the wojman for finding something in the sale. however, i would also think her a dufus for forgetting to take the tag off

Ledodgy · 08/07/2008 11:24

So what was the issue? The fact she left a reduced to clear label on? She probably realises this now and is cringing about it. It's not like she did it on purpose. Mil is always doing this to us and it just makes us laugh. She wasn't to know your son doesn't like Spongebob and yes she may have staple gifts she buys throughout the year in her wardrobe and gives gifts accordingly but there's nothing wrong with this and lots of people do it.

Ledodgy · 08/07/2008 11:25

I just hope she isn't a mumsnetter because I can imagine how hurt and embarrassed she'd feel if she read this.

Original poster
Sugarmagnolia · 08/07/2008 11:28

?it's an odd choice of present?

thank you egypt, that's all I was trying to say.

OP posts:
ChickenBurger · 08/07/2008 11:30

?it's an odd choice of present?

thank you egypt, that's all I was trying to say."

Sugar, be honest, that's not all you were trying to say.

"sponge-bob gives me the creeps"

"no way am I then going to use some bizarre looking duvet"

You were having a good old bitch. At least have the courage of your convictions.

MinkyChunky · 08/07/2008 11:31

SM

You did not say that, your OP says pretty crap not odd

TotalChaos · 08/07/2008 11:33

what stitch said, pretty much word for word.

Original poster
Sugarmagnolia · 08/07/2008 11:33

ok, I was having a bit of a bitch. isn't that one of the things MN is here for ? to say those things we can't really say in RL? Geez, I hope you didn't all see the thread on the things I sometimes wish I could say to my children.

OP posts:
hatrick · 08/07/2008 11:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sheepgomeep · 08/07/2008 11:38

yabu

dal21 · 08/07/2008 11:39

Sugar - I was given a gift for DS for his first christmas....to say I loathed it would be an understatement.

Said toy is now one of his faves.
I hear the song it plays in my sleep

nametaken · 08/07/2008 11:39

YANBU - friends of your son should buy toys or books, not soft furnishings! I think it's wierd too.

If I was redecorating a room I might ask my mum to buy the matching duvet cover as a gift but certainly would never buy soft furnishings for a friend of my dcs.

I sounds to me as though she's just grabbed something out of her cupboard she doesn't want and given it to your son.

As the other posters say though, you can keep it to mop up shit

piratecat · 08/07/2008 11:43

honest question, would you consider flogging it to me, as dd is totally spongebob mad?

ta

Original poster
Sugarmagnolia · 08/07/2008 11:47

piratecat - I would be happy to send it to you for cost of postage but it might actually cost more to send than it's worth. Have to go to post office later anyway so I'll check it out. I'll get back to you later.

OP posts:
piratecat · 08/07/2008 11:49

ok thanks!!

themildmanneredjanitor · 08/07/2008 11:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsDaisyFlower · 08/07/2008 11:51

Good grief!! What an ungrateful spoilt brat indeed! I sincerely hope you are having a bad day, and are feeling a tad irrational at the moment, because I am struggling to equate such a complaint with adult behaviour!

Perhaps she has previously heard you complaining about gifts you have received from others, and is now teaching you a lesson by snubbing you!

On the other hand, she could be struggling at the moment (having a nice house means nothing, perhaps she recently lost her job/had a loan rcalled/has many children to school... are you really so insensitive to other people's lives that you need these things pointing out to you!!)

And it was you who brought up the issue of money: twice in you OP "with massive ?REDUCED TO CLEAR" label still attached" and "just spent a lot of money" and then later with your comment about her having a nice house. Perhaps this is your real problem, Supermagnolia: that you interpret the world according to the value of money.

kiddiz · 08/07/2008 11:52

For several years running my fil kept buying me books on household management and cleaning... I think he might have been trying to tell me something!
He excelled himself when he bought my then 8 year old ds an adult book on spirtulism and yoga.
My fil's gifts are a source of much amusement in our house. We accept them graciously and thank him accordingly, appreciating the thought that went into them even if his taste and reasoning are a little odd.
Then we pass them on to the charity shop....did keep some of the cleaning ones though so if you want any cleaning tips I'm your woman

Original poster
Sugarmagnolia · 08/07/2008 11:56

Oh dear MrsDaisyFlower, I think you are over-reacting just a tad.

OP posts:
CrushWithEyeliner · 08/07/2008 11:59

OMG what a horrid reaction to present. Just give it to charity if you hate it that much don't get so indignant that they dare to buy you something so tasteless...

Idobelieveinfairies · 08/07/2008 12:01

spongebob is lurrvedd in this house, my 15 year old dd down to the 3 year old twins love spongebob....if your ds isn't into it now i am sure he soon will be!

spatula is one of my lots favourite words!

i think its a great pressie!

Doodle2U · 08/07/2008 12:02

ooooohhhhh - It will be brill for him to use in the garden - duvet covers make great dens, especially over the washing line. Just give it to him and see what imaginative play he comes up with for it!

MinkyChunky · 08/07/2008 12:04

Hey you should set up a swap shop with TDWP- her mum/MIL buys her stuff she loathes that doesn't go with her decor too.

Quids in.

Flier · 08/07/2008 12:06

Agree that a duvet cover is a crap present, especially for a 5 year old.
Also agree that perhaps she should have tried to remove the price sticker.

Blu · 08/07/2008 12:10

New duvet covers cost about £17 minimum - the hideous polyester character ones fom Argos, soloved my most small children, anyway.

Would you expect a freind from nurser t pay as much as that?

I wouldn't!

Not a crap pressi at all - you just don't happen to like it.

I wouldn't either, but wouldn't react like you have, even in private!