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Original poster

My Secret Santa recipient could not have looked more pissed off at her present today

273 replies

Hassled · 14/12/2016 20:13

I thought it was quite nice - some Occitane hand cream. I don't know her very well but she's always highly groomed, dresses well, seems very pleasant - I thought hand cream would be safe. She has no way of knowing it was me, at least. But seriously - a room of 30+ people opening their gifts, everyone going "Yay! Thanks, Secret Santa!" and generally being cheery, and she just sat and stared at the hand cream like it was a glittery turd or something. I feel bad about it. Anyone else got their Secret Santa present so drastically wrong?

OP posts:
SauvignonGrower · 14/12/2016 20:15

I loathe secret santa. And hand cream. But it definitely wasn't a crazy choice because lots of women like it.

WhatsGoingOnEh · 14/12/2016 20:16

Maybe it made her feel old?

peppatax · 14/12/2016 20:17

I'm always tempted on a Secret Santa to buy something hideously inappropriate just to see their face for a different reason!

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/12/2016 20:17

She was rude. I have lots of hand and foot cream, I don't use either, but if someone bought me some (and they do, often, hence why I've got so much!), I am grateful. They obviously didn't know I don't use it and it's a nice present.

SwedishEdith · 14/12/2016 20:18

That is a fine choice. Hand cream is always a safe bet except when someone buys you some for ageing skin

ZouBisou · 14/12/2016 20:20

Hand cream is about as inoffensive as you can get, and Occitane is a lovely brand. Did she really look pissed off, or just not match the cheeriness of everyone else? Some people are not 'good' at receiving gifts and doing the whole effusive gratitude thing.

Youreyouryouare · 14/12/2016 20:21

I never wear makeup so when someone got me that as a Secret Santa I didn't do much pretending to look grateful. It was clearly someone taking the piss, or possibly they'd got their wife/gf to get it (small dept).

Hand cream isn't too bad, but its possibly seen as code for old lady?

ALemonyPea · 14/12/2016 20:21

I'd have liked that, it's nice stuff. The first time I received it as a present though, and was not familiar with the make, thought the metal tube looked quite cheap. Maybe she thought that?

It is a bit silly to not look at least appreciative of a gift even if you don't like it. If got my gift receiving face perfect for the annual crap I get off my dad.

HallowedMimic · 14/12/2016 20:22

To be fair, I think hand cream is probably the most regifted item out there.

It's a bit like giving someone a bar of soap, or a bottle of washing up liquid.

Secret Santa is hard though.

TeaMeBasil · 14/12/2016 20:23

Well. I love hand cream and l'occitane is a treat so I would have loved you as my secret santa.

You can't please everyone all the time, but don't feel bad, that was not a bad gift at all!

Laska5772 · 14/12/2016 20:25

I got one of these last year .. it was quite hard to seem delighted , but i certainly tried .. ( but perhaps I am also an utter ungrateful cow) ..

Obviously who ever it was hated me or simply had no idea of what I might like... It went in the charity clothes recycling bin on the way home.. ( I got my SS recipient a naice candle , and scarf , and ive seen her wearing the scarf several times since )

I mayBU but I didnt do work SS again this year ..

Original poster
Hassled · 14/12/2016 20:26

No, she was seriously pissed off. I could not have got it more wrong. Thank god she doesn't know it was me - now she'll hate all of her colleagues instead of only this colleague.

And thanks for saying hand cream is a reasonable choice - I have tubes of the stuff everywhere I go, like reading glasses. A set in the kitchen, some in the bathroom, my handbag, some in my dressing gown pocket. But it is a bloody minefield - I don't know why I always say I'm in the SS gang.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hassled · 14/12/2016 20:27

Oh dear at that handbag :o

OP posts:
Laska5772 · 14/12/2016 20:28

Yep. . they hated me didnt they?

Laska5772 · 14/12/2016 20:31

I'd have loved L'occitane handcream btw..

ALemonyPea · 14/12/2016 20:31

Make a mental note to watch out for it in next years secret Santa.

peppatax · 14/12/2016 20:32

That handbag Grin

ElizaSchuyler · 14/12/2016 20:33

I treated myself to some locitane hand cream last year. It's lovely even if it did cost £8 for a small tube b

DiegeticMuch · 14/12/2016 20:34

She sounds churlish. Although maybe she just has "one of those faces" as my grandmother would have said.

DiegeticMuch · 14/12/2016 20:35

Oh wow. That green bag

Donatellalymanmoss · 14/12/2016 20:35

Since when was handcream only used by old people?

It's a nice gift, she could have done a lot worse. Next year you can buy her a multi-pack of sour sweets.

xarpax · 14/12/2016 20:35

I hate hand cream. I think it would have said 'the person who had to buy for you thinks you are old'

Leatherboundanddown · 14/12/2016 20:36

I'd have loved that by the way. I put a lot of effort into mine. I received a bayliss and harding giftset and a £1 bag of thorntons chocs. Every year I say I won't do it but I keep doing it.

Wigeon · 14/12/2016 20:37

Hm, she was just rude. I would have really liked that and I am nowhere near an old lady!

I once got a novelty crumb collector in the shape of some kind of animal. Now that was an awful SS present and I probably didn't do a good job of faking enthusiasm. I think the giver was a panicked male who only had one shop on his route to work and just grabbed the first thing he saw for the SS price limit (I think £5).

queenc81 · 14/12/2016 20:38

She's bloody lucky to get handcream. Last time I did secret Santa I got a mr dick (huge huge huge dildo that looks like a penis also made out of skin like stuff Shock) and a tub of lube!

I had to open it in front of 40 people at our Xmas party. It was horrifying.