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Original poster

What is the worst Christmas present you ever received?

853 replies

Newdad19 · 12/11/2021 18:08

In the spirit of helping others prevent the same mistakes... what is the worst Christmas present you ever received?

Mines has to be the sculpted hand photo frame I received one year... that looked like someone's decapitated hand that held a photo for you in its palm Blush

OP posts:
Notmrsfitz · 01/12/2021 18:41

I was 12.
My mum had died in the july, I had to live with my stepfather who I’d never lived with before (he married my mum 2 weeks before she died, she was in Christie’s).
I was sleeping on a sofa in the living room of his house whilst his daughter from a previous marriage had her own room and the daughter he had,had with my mum despite never living with us had a small part of the main bedroom partitioned off for her.
So I was 12 with all my belongings in rubbish sacks for 6 months and my duvet hidden behind the settee.
It was all new and I didn’t know what to expect, all the kids at school had Parker pens and that’s what I’d asked for- on Christmas Day I got a pen, it wasn’t a Parker pen and it wasn’t wrapped up but I was pleased - it didn’t work and my stepfather assured me I could get an ink catridge with my paper round money.
So the day after Boxing Day I went to do my paper round and took my pen with me, the newsagent was a grumpy surly man and I asked him could he get me a cartridge for my pen out of his display cabinet that was filled with lovely Parker pens - I left it with him and went to do my paper round.
When I returned, I asked had he sorted out my pen? He said to me, choose any pen out of the cabinet you can have one of those instead - I got a bit upset, I wanted my Christmas pen, it was special I’d been told.

Turned out my stepfather had given me a run out used pen for Christmas that wasn’t refillable.

Pedestriancrossing · 01/12/2021 18:56

NotMrs that is just heartbreaking, sorry you had such a rough time. Hope you have had many happy Christmas Days since then x

Shitandhills · 01/12/2021 22:48

@Notmrsfitz that's such a sad tale, I'm really sorry that happened. Did you get a lovely Parker from the surly newsagent in the end? He must have been a nice man underneath his outward appearance.

DoItAfraid · 02/12/2021 04:28

@DavidDevantsSpiritWife

Many years ago exH bought me a beautiful personalised artisan leather makeup bag. Only problem was it was personalised with the OW's name. The one he gave her was personalised with my name.

I can laugh about it now but I've had better Christmas mornings Xmas Grin

Wow! Shock
DoItAfraid · 02/12/2021 04:34

@Notmrsfitz

I was 12. My mum had died in the july, I had to live with my stepfather who I’d never lived with before (he married my mum 2 weeks before she died, she was in Christie’s). I was sleeping on a sofa in the living room of his house whilst his daughter from a previous marriage had her own room and the daughter he had,had with my mum despite never living with us had a small part of the main bedroom partitioned off for her. So I was 12 with all my belongings in rubbish sacks for 6 months and my duvet hidden behind the settee. It was all new and I didn’t know what to expect, all the kids at school had Parker pens and that’s what I’d asked for- on Christmas Day I got a pen, it wasn’t a Parker pen and it wasn’t wrapped up but I was pleased - it didn’t work and my stepfather assured me I could get an ink catridge with my paper round money. So the day after Boxing Day I went to do my paper round and took my pen with me, the newsagent was a grumpy surly man and I asked him could he get me a cartridge for my pen out of his display cabinet that was filled with lovely Parker pens - I left it with him and went to do my paper round. When I returned, I asked had he sorted out my pen? He said to me, choose any pen out of the cabinet you can have one of those instead - I got a bit upset, I wanted my Christmas pen, it was special I’d been told.

Turned out my stepfather had given me a run out used pen for Christmas that wasn’t refillable.

Oh no! Flowers
UnsuitableHat · 02/12/2021 06:24

One Secret Santa I had a pen holder in the shape of an arse, which farted when you replaced the pen.

Tomeeornottomee · 02/12/2021 08:44

A box of coffee pods. With one missing. And no, I don’t have the relevant coffee machine.

Knitter99 · 02/12/2021 09:06

A dish towel with a poem about the joys of hillwalking on it. I have arthritis and barely walk. That was a bit of a slap in the face.

MuguetRose · 02/12/2021 09:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MuguetRose · 02/12/2021 09:19

Sorry reported. I wasn't even on this thread Confused

MuguetRose · 02/12/2021 09:20

Although it looks interesting so I'll have a read

Beeinalily · 02/12/2021 09:29

@MuguetRose 💐 I'm sure you will❤. But stay on this thread too, it's interesting!

middleager · 02/12/2021 09:51

A Ladyshave. Off my EX.

logsonlogsoff · 02/12/2021 09:57

Anti snoring device given to me in front of whole extended family. I was mortified.

Riverlee · 02/12/2021 09:59

Secrets Santa gift - one of those handbag bags that fold into a little bag and a notebook - I did wonder at the time what they were thinking! (Although still have the bag, so maybe not such a bad gift)

Aposterhasnoname · 02/12/2021 10:50

Many years ago, when PCs were much more expensive than they are now, my DF, bought himself one. My DD who was 16 at the time, was desperate for one, but as a single parent there’s no way I could afford it, so DD used to go to my parents and use theres. For Christmas, all she asked for was money so she could save up to buy one. My parents duly obliged with £20.

On Christmas Day, sat round the dinner table, my DF announced that he didn’t want the computer any more, and would therefore be giving it to…….. my two year old nephew.

Twats.

Clovacloud · 02/12/2021 10:51

A jigsaw from the pound shop from the in-laws with the price on.. I don’t even do jigsaws!

DottyHarmer · 02/12/2021 11:03

The farting pen holder doesn’t sound that bad a secret Santa present Blush

Some of these stories are very sad. Hope you’ve put that part of your life well behind you, @Notmrsfitz .

kjdmnbxz54 · 02/12/2021 12:07

I have some corkers - the book on how to manage your mood through food for example, but the absolute worst was a not so secret Santa at work. It was my first year there post uni, and I was very hard working , conscientious but painful shy. I blushed if someone so much as looked at me. The department's senior (so one grade above me) was handing out presents at the department xmas dinner, and giving a little 'funny' speech for each one. Nice idea, only it wasn't, the gifts were a bit barbed. When it came to my turn, she announced loudly, 'Now everyone please turn at look at kjdmnbxz'. So everyone did, and I blushed scarlet. "and for this type of situation, we have this!!!!" she continued, holding up a tube of green foundation 'especially formulated to tone down a red face'.

How she laughed. I was mortified, and went home shortly afterwards.
So G if you are reading, you utter bitch, I hope your life has progressed beyond humiliating others to make yourself feel better.

IJoinedJustForThisThread · 03/12/2021 08:52

It seems several people don’t like the Boots 3 for 2 presents. I think they bring out the worst in the shoppers - so many times I’ve seen people in Boots’ gift aisle saying out loud “That’ll do for Alice”, “That’ll do for Barbara”.
It shouldn’t be “that’ll do”, it should be “Barbara would like that”

IJoinedJustForThisThread · 03/12/2021 09:03

From someone who had known me for 30+ years I got a cook book for meat. I’m veggie.

Then there was one which wasn’t so much that it was bad, more that it was confusing. I hate the colour blue and am very vocal about it. Ex DP’s parents gave me a blue dressing gown for Christmas and said “I know you don’t like blue but they didn’t have any others in your size. You can exchange it”. I was puzzled as to why they had deliberately bought me something they knew I wouldn’t like and wondered why they didn’t get me something other than a dressing gown if the shop didn’t have one in my size. They could have given me vouchers to save me from having to take it back to exchange it.

DottyHarmer · 03/12/2021 09:11

@IJoinedJustForThisThread - I hear you. Though one year I gave dm a selection of presents and as she opened them she murmured, “This’ll do for Carol, this’ll do for Joan….” It’s one thing to regift surreptitiously, but she was planning the next year’s birthdays/Christmas right in front of the gift-giver, ie me!

ProfessionalWeirdo · 03/12/2021 18:24

[quote DottyHarmer]@IJoinedJustForThisThread - I hear you. Though one year I gave dm a selection of presents and as she opened them she murmured, “This’ll do for Carol, this’ll do for Joan….” It’s one thing to regift surreptitiously, but she was planning the next year’s birthdays/Christmas right in front of the gift-giver, ie me![/quote]
Geez! I think that's even worse than my childhood experience, when my mother would watch as I opened my Christmas and birthday presents, then spirit them away for re-gifting at a later date!

littlepieces · 04/12/2021 19:24

@kjdmnbxz54 That's just awful. Can't believe a grown adult would be so unkind in the workplace, especially towards a grad. Two fingers to her!

merrymelody · 04/12/2021 19:26

One earring from XH, with the assurance that I'd get the other for the following Christmas 😑

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