What gifts do you never want to be given again? And what do you wish people knew you would always like to receive?

[escapingthecity]

My never again list:
Mugs
Tea towels
Socks
Biscuits
Jam
Wine
Tea

Drawers and cupboards bursting with all of them!

What I would always love more of:
Knitwear, esp fair isle jumpers
Scented soap (it goes in drawers to deter moths if it's too pungent/floral for hand washing)

Jams, chutneys, pickles, honey, marmalade - I don't eat any of them.
Bath and shower products - don't use them.
Board games. Books (am v poor reader these days). Fancy teas. Chocolates, sweet things in general. Scarves: I have one, don't need any more.

I always ask for no presents, please . .

Fortunately I basically never get presents I don't like. The only people who buy me presents know me very well and know what I like. Plus we all tend to swap vague wish lists.

Things I always like:
knitting-related presents (yarn etc)
Nice toiletries (Neal's Yard, L'Occitane etc)
Good quality, proper wool knitted items (socks, gloves, hats)
Perfumes (they know which ones)
Books (from my wish list)

What I never want:
Food (chocolates etc)
Drink

No -
Mugs, we’re downsizing so any bought will go to charity shop
Cheap bath/body products
Bog standard scented candles
Cheap sugar laden chocolate
Ornaments - all will go to charity shop
The same fleece as bought for DH no, it doesn’t keep me warm, and no, buying me something I don’t like because DH does like it is not treating us the same.
Celebrity perfumes

Yes-
Chocolate
Coffee beans- those are the go to options for DDs, currently impoverished students with better things to do with their money
Red wine
Anything in cashmere or merino wool
Perfume of my choice
Skincare or body lotion etc of my choice

I just don’t want ‘stuff’ I have to find a home for. I would much rather have nice things to look forward to:

Comedian/theatre/music gig tickets

I also love new pjs, socks and novelty T-shirts, jumpers, hoodies (bought by DH or DM because they know what size I like)

No thank you:
Random bath stuff
Alcohol
Fancy chocolate boxes - I don’t like most of them
Clothes bought by DH’s family - they’re trying to be polite in their sizing I’m sure but I am not a small or a size 10 and I love oversized clothes that hide my post-baby bulges.

Always always very happy to have house plants! Have nowhere near enough and can always find a space for another!

Never again
Anything scented. I have horrible allergies. Even starting to open the package will ruin my day.
Most Christmas food. Almost all of them contain at least one esoteric allergen.

Always welcome
Good paper and pens

No to:

Liqueur chocolates - yuck! Whenever I receive them I always presume they've been re-gifted)
Socks - I'm picky over quality so often won't wear them
Cheap toiletries - they make my skin itch
Homemade food/drink, just the thought gives me the ick

Yes to:

Candles
Shortbread

No to:
Prosecco, hot choc mug kits, thrush inducing bath products, chocolates, picture frames, bonsai trees (my dad seems to think I can’t get enough of these)
Yes please to:
Fresh flowers, plants/herbs for the garden, books, wool.

Please don't buy me clothes unless it's something I've specifically asked for.

I cringe at the waste of novelty/joke presents.

I've got boxes full of toiletries.

I don't use candles, diffusers, anything like that

I don't wear dainty jewellery.

Always welcome:
Eye catching earrings
Dark nail varnish
Food and drink gifts
Good books (not chick lit)
Nice stationery
Decent socks

No thanks:

Candles
Mugs
Bath bombs/bath salts (don't have a bath so they're useless to me but no one ever remembers this!)

Yes thanks:

Guylian seashells
Body butter
Books
Yoga pants/comfy leggings

Never again - photo of MIL with her son and grandson (ie my husband and son). I am not featured in the photograph nor was I asked to be in it.

Always welcome, high quality 100% cotton PJs, expensive glerups slippers, decent hand cream, silk pillowcases, book vouchers. ie things I feel guilty spending money on for quality

No gift sets! I hate the plastic and they always come with body butter which I never use.

No flavoured gin. Gin is lovely but just as itself, not flavoured with stuff.

Gloves, scarves, fluffy socks. I don’t wear them often enough. Likewise jewellery unless I’ve chosen it.

More:

Things off my Amazon wishlist. Especially books which are all I ever really want.

Chocolate.

Wine.

Eco friendly homewares.

Notebooks and candles.

No to any festive/Christmas tat
Any shower gel/bath set
No hand creams
No perfumes

Yes to
Small stud earrings
A decent thermos mug
Lip balm
Gifts cards / tickets for days /nights out
Gloves
Slipper socks
Slippers - like ugh boots but slippers

It sounds like we should all stop doing duty gifts for people. The people asking for expensive stuff instead of mugs and and body cream are probably being a bit optimistic.

What I don't want
Baileys, I drink about 1 glass a year so people buy me it. I've got two unopened bottles already.
Any alcohol since I only drink it very rarely. I've got an unopened bottle of whisky from last year.
Smellies, except Lush stuff.
Anything that will clutter my house up.
candles.

What I want

Posh chocolates.
Plants.
arts and craft stuff.

People wanting cashmere, champagne, sheepskin mittens

Those items cost quite a bit more than a pair of fluffy socks 😂

Gin
Sloe gin - which I get given every Christmas
Prosecco
Hands cream
Body lotion
Dog tat (pictures with cartoon dogs etc)
Calendars

Not me, but anyone who gives my daughter a slime kit again will feel my wrath in future

@IDontDrinkTea

Not me, but anyone who gives my daughter a slime kit again will feel my wrath in future

One year my DSis gave my DS a drum kit.

Still haven't managed to get revenge for that one!

Candles!

I'm the sort who falls asleep with a candle burning. To me they are dangerous, unnecessary and made of palm oil which means they are why the rain forests are being cut down. I've lost count of how many I've regifted (or binned).

The only candles i have are beeswax candles for the Xmas dining table. They are sweet smelling, beautiful and never been near a rainforest.

No to:

Duvet cover sets (if I kept every set MIL has every given us we'd have over 50 duvet cover sets )

Yes to:

Anything just for me. Books, chocolate, bubble bath, shampoo, posh crisps, biscuits...I'm really not fussy! We don't have a lot of money and I genuinely really appreciate Christmas presents

Don't give me perfume I don't wear. I always got perfume that I then had to give away.

No to:
Decorative knick knacks
Smellies, especially in gift sets (sensitive skin, I'm super fussy)
Make up, unless specifically requested
Crappy chocolate

Yes to:
Books or book vouchers
Nice chocolates, especially dark
Red wine, especially French
Bed socks
Plants/flowers for the garden

No to:
clothes (I am fussy)
smellies (ditto)
books (unless you know me very, very well)
cheap chocolate (other than After Eights)
Yankee candles (or any sweet, synthetic smelling candles)
mugs

Yes to:
locally produced stuff - local chocolates, cheese, honey
Prosecco
nice chocolates, especially coffee flavoured ones
After Eights
book tokens
meal/afternoon tea vouchers for places I actually want to go to
cashmere scarves/wristwarmers/socks
good candles
anything handmade with love

Never again: pretty much anything in the Boots 3 for 2 but especially Dove shower gel.

Always: a specific bath oil I love that never lasts more than 4 baths.

No:
Cheap fashion accessories
Jewellery (I have specific tastes)
Travel gimics

Yes:
Experiences
Fancy pyjamas
UGG style slippers (the next ones are great)