Worst present YOU’VE bought for someone…

[DottyHarmer]

… when you thought you’d got it really right.

I was remembering when mil had mentioned a book she’d enjoyed at school, and for Christmas I tracked down a first edition and presented it proudly to her. The reaction was… silence. I garbled about how she had talked about it fondly. Shortly afterwards I overheard her loudly whispering to fil, “Why on earth did Dotty give me a charity shop book.” Pah.

@IncyWinceySpiderWillies

Not me but there was a thread a few weeks ago where the poster entered someone into a marathon as a Christmas present. Worst gift ever.

Someone once booked me a bungee jump for my birthday. Thankfully the person driving us there took a wrong turning and they were packing up for the day when we finally got there. Thank god.

@DottyHarmer

Agree - I would never, ever say I didn't like a present, and do my best to show enthusiasm. Some people, however, seem to think it's perfectly appropriate to express their disappointment, nay, displeasure, and even make the gift giver feel guilty.

Mil would say straight up if she didn't like something. Dh just took it on the chin, but I was steaming when instead of just saying thank you for what was clearly a thoughtful present, she'd announce, "You've failed!" or on one occasion (large button calculator) "I don't want this!" (I had seen her struggling with a calculator with normal-size buttons.) Fil was a total enabler, and the dcs were open-mouthed with horror a the rudeness when he'd say, "You'll get her something else, won't you? Dilys! They'll get you something else!"

I just fire back 'of course not, mannerless children get nothing else and what a terrible lesson on spoilt entitlement that would be for the children if we bought more'

A crappy box of "classic" sweets (think drumstick lollies, flying saucers, white mice) as a wedding gift for a cousin 🤦🏻‍♀️ I was only 20 and at the time, there was some logic as she'd been on an intense diet before the wedding. As an adult I'm horrified that I did that! Luckily she was very gracious

My Mum was moaning that she got "domestic" presents like kitchen gadgets and my Dad got "real" presents like things for his hobbies. When Dad said he wouldn't be opposed to a domestic present I bought him a 6 pack of loo roll. Then when he put it in the bathroom we all had to ask if we could use his loo roll until it was used up

I bought a present from a list from a local homeless charity. The request was from a lady for a jumper, size 18.
I misread it and bought a size 8. I felt awful!

And I bought a very passive aggressive secret Santa copy of “the pedant’s guide to life” for someone in my office

[quote FarrahformerlySwtPea]@itsacat
Have you heard about these glasses for colour-blind people?

This Christmas you can make up for the colour gradient puzzle you gave your DH!
I dont know how to attach links so I've screenshot shot the YouTube videos titles....
I know they are expensive...maybe friends and family can pitch in and give them as a group gift...before you watch the videos make sure you have some tissues handy😭[/quote]
Yes I’ve seen those videos! Very touching. I have actually thought about getting them for dh, maybe now is the time

@itsacat get him another puzzle and make sure he opens it first, he'll think you're losing your mind. Then follow it up with the glasses

@monotonousmum hahah good one!!

I got my Grandmother BLANK postcards when I was 9 or 10 🤦🏼‍♀️

She had loads of postcards from places she’d visited, attractions etc. We lived next to a very historical village and I assume I thought they had pictures but the backs were showing. She made such a fuss thanking me, saying how useful they would be etc bless her heart.

A couple of years ago I came across them in her wardrobe while emptying her house after she passed. They were in a paper bag with “gift from my name Christmas and the year”

Ive been astounded by the posts I’ve been reading about ungrateful parents, I can’t imagine upsetting my kids like that over a gift. My favourite gifts from my kids are when they take their carefully saved up money to the pound shop and are let loose. The weird and wacky things i end up with are amazing-and I’ve kept them all! Even the fish tank gravel (we don’t have fish she thought they were gems)

I"m genuinely shocked at some people's reactions to a child's innocent gift. How sad for the child. My son once bought me the ugliest, tackiest, ornament to have ever been made. It stayed in the lounge for a week, but I was so worried that it would be accidentally knocked over and broken that it was removed to a place of safety, i e. my bedroom. He was so proud that I thought so highly of it 😄

I bought my step mum bath bombs. She was very bemused because they lived on a boat and only had a shower! My intention was that she could use them when she stayed at her mums house (which she did, often!) but I felt too embarrassed to say that by the time my dad had stopped laughing at me.

The day after I gave birth to my daughter, my dad turned up and gifted me a potted plant

What's wrong with that? A potted plant is less faff than a bunch of flowers that you have to find a vase for and cut off the stems etc etc. A potted plant is fine!

It's just another thing to remember to look after. I already had a newborn to figure out what to do with!