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???

Minky - worst/funniest pressie ever was one of those knitted toilet roll covers for then one-year-old DD from a great-grandma! Oh how we laughed.

I wonder if this is her choice of present to your DC. Or is it a present that some other child gave to her child which she has barely looked at and recycled.
Perhaps it is a sad spongebob presrent which has been circulating through a group of children hoping to settle upon a spongebob fan.
Send it on as a gift to the next party.
we will await the thread with interest

.
"wow my DC got a fab SB duvet cover. What an ingenious gift" or " holy crap. some eejit sent my DC this shite "

"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"

Uh, no, I don't think so, actually think the idea is great. Child loves whatever it is, and it's practical too for the parent.

And who the f cares whether it matches the room or not? Once a child gets to an age when they are in a bed, and need a duvet, then they are of an age where they want their rooms plastered with naff sht....

Don't like SPongebob either, so not my taste, perhaps would go to the back of the cupboard for spare, but still.... jeez. I like it as a gift idea!

?is it a present that some other child gave to her child which she has barely looked at and recycled.? well it does make you wonder, doesn't it?

You think so? I think your post was unkind and uncharitable towards the giver of your son's gift. I may perhaps have been a little rude is saying as much, but honestly speaking I think it was an awful thought for you to entertain! You may well have thought bad of the gift at the time, but you - as an adult - should be able to reconsider and rationalise your original thoughts on the matter.

Blimey. You need to give this less thought.

Use as a spare or recycle for another use ie:
tent/camp inside or cut down to make a super-hero sponge bob cape?

If not give it to charity. I think it's actually quite an original gift. Maybe the mum has girls only and is unsure what 5 yr old boys like? i would have that problem.

Are you SURE your ds does not like it?

i think its very nice of them to buy a present full stop.

God, HOW rude are you?? What a cheek.

?it was an awful thought for you to entertain?

So now I'm not even allowed to ?entertain? the occasional uncharitable thought? Yes, if I had said as much to the mum that would have been extremely mean, rude, ungrateful etc. I totally agree. But to suggest that to even think such a thing or dare to whisper it in private is just beyond the pale. Seriously MrsD, get down off your high horse. If you've never had an uncharitable thought in your life then maybe you should be sainted.

posting it on the WWW is hardly thinking it in private though, is it?

This is MN, not real life. Seriously, I agree I was being somewhat uncharitable but some of you need to get a grip.

I agree on nearly all counts. Spongebob is gross, it sounds a really tacky present, and a duvet cover is a seriously odd present for a young child unless you know 100% that the theme matches their current/ongoing obsession!

However, as with all presents, you accept it graciously and then decide what to do with it!

Actually, it sounds like the original poster did just that - she didn't let on to the other mother what she thought of the gift, and helped her child write an appropriate thank-you note.

So yes, you are being wholly reasonable - you hate the gift and think it's tacky and a weird present, but you've thanked the giver and kept your real thoughts 'private'. Sounds fine to me.

I can't believe the po-faced responses from most people - have they never received an odd or tasteless gift and moaned or laughed about it with anyone else? A look through some of the old post-Christmas threads would disprove that one!

Of course I have had uncharitable thoughts before, and yes, I have entertained them. I am soo not a saint, but I TRY to think kindly of people.

However, you are right I am on my high horse, and I will climb down now...

would you like a hand?

Yes please

I'll give you a £5 for it!

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dd spent far too much time in front of my mum's tv when we were in spain.

came home singing 'Bob Esponja, Bob Esponja !

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i heart spongebob

can i buy it off you?? ds2 would adore it!!

how can you not like spongebob? spongebob rules.
imo and the opinion of most five year olds of my acquaintance

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oooh good memory
she has had a spongebob cake two years running ACTUALLY
she loves it.