No fan of crafty Christmas presents

Notradespeopleareavailable · 2021-08-26T12:46:38+00:00

I know it's a bit early for Christmas, but locally the art and craft events are doing the rounds. The thing is, most of the stuff being peddled is dire - so twee, safe and cliched (see pebble art example here). Does anyone really like this stuff? And is this typical of the UK as a whole (I'm sure I've seen more contemporary and exciting stuff abroad).

Original poster

Notradespeopleareavailable · 26/08/2021 14:14

Just me?

OP posts:

Wavypurple · 26/08/2021 14:20

No I honestly really don’t like stuff like that.

However my MIL loves it and owns lots of it.

Personal preference I suppose but it’s not really a unique and thoughtful gift anymore because 1000s of sellers sell those exact stones in a frame type crafts.

YukoandHiro · 26/08/2021 14:21

I loathe this stuff, but some people seem to love it including members of my family.

Each to their own.

Viviennemary · 26/08/2021 14:25

Its total tat. Imagine buying that for someone's present.

SoupDragon · 26/08/2021 14:33

It's heaps better than the glittery/personalised wine glasses.

Harvestyo · 26/08/2021 14:57

It's tatt.

I hate being given "stuff" for Christmas that just clutters up my house.

Tobebythesea · 26/08/2021 18:04

I hate it too. Total tat

Mushtullo · 26/08/2021 18:07

It makes me feel itchy and conflicted — someone went to the trouble of making that, someone else liked it enough to buy it and give it to me, but I loathe that sort of twee stuff. It’s worse when someone actually makes it themselves, too. I’m still dealing with the guilt for letting a hat crocheted for me by a friend blow away while out for a walk. She was so upset!

AliceMcK · 26/08/2021 19:27

I like them but not as a gift. My DCs have been collecting pebbles and we intend to make some of our own. These I will definitely keep as they are personal to us and home made. I wouldn’t give them as gifts unless they were to family or friends that I knew would like them or asked for one but they certainly wouldn’t be a main gift.

We were given something similar a couple of years ago and although it’s nice and personal they didn’t get our surname correct so it’s pointless.

StarryStarrySocks · 26/08/2021 19:32

It's dreadful. I wish some people could get away from the idea that they need to give presents for the sake of it just because it's Christmas. Very few adults need - or actually want - more stuff, let alone tat like this.

mayblossominapril · 26/08/2021 19:34

I think they are great if you’ve collected the pebbles and made them with children for a grandparent
Hand made items as presents that are usually well received are cushions, peg bags etc. If it wouldn’t be look out of place in a shop it’s fine.

Bigoldhag · 26/08/2021 21:41

Not a fan of stuff you picture. The only handmade I enjoy truly are things made for me by people I love that has had their time and skills put into it. Stuff like sticking pebbles or scrabble tiles in a box frame doesn’t really qualify for me.

Of course, happy to purchase specific ‘professional level’ homemade things, like fabric things or food related haha.

BittaOrange · 27/08/2021 06:34

@Mushtullo

It makes me feel itchy and conflicted — someone went to the trouble of making that, someone else liked it enough to buy it and give it to me, but I loathe that sort of twee stuff. It’s worse when someone actually makes it themselves, too. I’m still dealing with the guilt for letting a hat crocheted for me by a friend blow away while out for a walk. She was so upset!

’itchy’ ?

SquirryTheSquirrel · 27/08/2021 07:14

so twee, safe and cliched

Perhaps there'd be a market for avant-garde pebble art. Pebbles representing a cow being sliced in half or something.

Or, perhaps not.

GoodnightGrandma · 27/08/2021 07:16

No, I’d hate to receive that sort of thing.
And I’d be resentful of the wasted money, and the fact that I now have to keep it somewhere when I’d want to bin it.

SmallPrawnEnergy · 27/08/2021 07:20

No one will admit it on MN it’s ever so gauche to admit to liking things like this you see. It’s for the common folk. However there will be endless shite in peoples houses that is absolutely awful yet they will insist is classy / tasteful and isn’t. There is obviously a market for it, and does it matter what others find nice?

AllhailTomnook · 27/08/2021 07:21

@StarryStarrySocks

It's dreadful. I wish some people could get away from the idea that they need to give presents for the sake of it just because it's Christmas. Very few adults need - or actually want - more stuff, let alone tat like this.

Exactly.

Save your time, money and effort and just buy me a bloody box of chocolates or some socks if you must insist on getting me something FFS. At least they serve a purpose. As do glittery wine glasses.

Tat like this just clutters up the windowsill gathering dust.

Angel2702 · 27/08/2021 07:23

I only like crafty presents if it is something the giver has made themselves.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/08/2021 08:22

Thank goodness nobody I know would send me anything like that pebble picture. Obviously it takes all sorts but I struggle to imagine who would want it on their wall.
TBH I don’t want any more ‘stuff’ at all.

I do a lot of knitting for charities and Christmassy things for Gdcs’ school Christmas fair raffle (e.g. Nativity set) but I do wonder who on earth would want some of the things in the Christmas pattern books. Christmas pudding tea cosy, anybody? Maybe just about one up from a crinoline-lady loo roll cover. At least I’ve yet to see a reindeer or Father Christmas loo roll cover, but you never know…

NautaOcts · 27/08/2021 08:29

I think for me it sort of goes along with the scrabble tiles in a frame, Lego super heroes in a frame, ‘hamper’ of cheap chocolate and stuff put together in cellophane, and ‘bouquets’ of confectionery type of thing. Admire people for having a go and trying to make money on the side but all too often it’s a bit crap and there’s a massive mark up, stuff is more often ‘raffled off’ than actually sold and tends to be family and friends that are targeted.

Original poster

Notradespeopleareavailable · 27/08/2021 09:24

I have just done a big clear out all over the house and even after that, we have all the 'stuff' we could ever need. Personally I'd be happy never to receive a gift again, as it has to go somewhere or get chucked out.

The presents I do welcome would be -
Fresh flowers
Alcohol (though I don't drink but I have partner, friends etc that do)
Book / garden tokens.

OP posts:

Twilightstarbright · 27/08/2021 09:42

Not a fan either. I think there’s a lot of buying pointless things as gifts though- I cringe a bit at some of the suggestions for hard to buy for people as it all comes under pointless tat IMO.

I’m a crafter and I sometimes make people something, but I talk about what colours, style and textile first. No point making a jumper for someone who would rather have a cardigan.

simitra · 27/08/2021 10:04

I wish some people could get away from the idea that they need to give presents for the sake of it just because it's Christmas. Very few adults need - or actually want - more stuff, let alone tat like this.

I came to this conclusion years ago - back in the 1970s in fact. Keep the christmas gifts for the DCs and set a budget. Crafty gifts are ok when they are made as personal gifts because there is some real sentiment attached to them.

Brian9600 · 27/08/2021 10:07

I would like this if made by one of my own children. Otherwise absolutely not.