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)

Please no more
Candles, I have a 3 year old, flames and him don't mix
Alcohol, I just divorced a violent alcoholic I really don't have much desire to drink plus I am on meds which means i can't drink when I take them.
Boxes of chocolates, we just gave away the last of last year's celebrations.
Photo frames, I have so many and I am planning on moving so not ousting any more up.

Yes please to
Normal soft socks
Cheese, jams, chutneys, crisps.
White chocolate buttons
Any experiences rather than things
Gift cards
Charity donations
Time with people
Non itchy jumpers or hoodies

No to candles, clothing of any type, make up, food, love to shop vouchers, cheap wine. Yes to flowers, Costa voucher, lunch out.

Pandora
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No more body lotion please. I do use it sometimes, but I honestly have piles of the stuff and I can't get through it.

No handbags, ever. I'm picky and they almost certainly won't be to my taste.

Posh hot chocolate, fancy tea, or anything consumable that isn't wine or chocolate, basically. It just won't get eaten.

No necklaces. I like them in theory but just hardly ever put one on. I have several beautiful ones I hardly ever wear.

No coasters. Just. No.

I am always very happy to receive earrings. I love earrings, hoops in particular and am very happy to build up my collection.

I really can't think of anything else I need more of!

Generally I'd like smaller, better quality things - give me one posh lip balm rather than a gift set of four cheap items (for example). Not that I particularly want lip balm, but, ya know.

Yes, please:
Red wine.
Cashmere.

No, thank you:
Anything else.

Yes please:
Scarves in natural fibres
Skincare
Socks
Candles
Nice mugs
Books
Shower gel (specific brands due to allergies)
Handmade or one of a kind items or art
Sterling silver earrings
Perfume that I like
Chocolates or sweets
Cash or gift cards
Upgrades on things I’d normally buy, quality over quantity

No thanks:
Booze (I’m teetotal)
Jewellery (unless sterling silver due to allergies and quirky, no pretty little stars, I won’t wear them)
Clothes
Body lotion or any toiletries that aren’t shower gel
Make up as the colour is always wrong
Novelty items or anything featuring cartoon characters
Underwear

No to-

Generic gift sets- I've still got loads from last year that I don't use

Bedding- it's just weird and I only like white bedding

Cheap bags/clothes

Make up (unless they know what I like)

Yes to-

Candles (but not fruity or ugly one). Homesense have an amazing range

Pjs/lounge wear

Nice chocolates

I don't mind home stuff as long as it's luxury and not something I would buy myself

Nice skincare

Gift vouchers

No thanks:
Generic gift sets
Smellies
Fleece pyjamas (looking at you MIL)
Cheap socks
Wine/gin

Yes please
Bamboo socks
Scarves
Amaretto
Hoodies
Loose cotton pyjama bottoms. Don't bother with a matching top. I prefer a vest with a hoodie to stay warm.

Fortunately DH and I don't do extended family gift giving so I actually get nothing these days (but don't anything either). Much easier.

Cheap toiletry sets. My mum insists on buying 3 for two and giving one to me. I am allergic to most cheap sets and the smell of Dove makes me feel sick. I keep asking for no toiletries.

No thank you:
Chocolate (don't like it, don't eat it)
Silver jewellery (I wear gold)
Any gin or prosecco related stuff that is not just a bottle of gin or prosecco. Gin flavoured lip balm, gin and tonic scented candle, little sign saying "it's prosecco time", prosecco hand cream... please just stop.
Rose wine, or white unless it's one you know I like as I'm a fussy bugger
Novelty socks
Novelty anything - I can't stand joke tat, it goes straight to the charity shop
Photo frames
Diaries and calendars

Yes please:
Nice candles (not necessarily Jo Malone level of nice, I love the Salt & Fog ones from TK Maxx)
Nice, good quality soap, shower gel, body lotion and hand cream - things with proper essential oils are always good, Bayliss & Harding not so much
Anything cashmere, merino, alpaca or sheepskin
Macarons
Chutney and jam
Gold jewellery - I like Monica Vinader style
Bag of coffee from a local roaster
Gin (not novelty sugary flavoured gin liquor)
Champagne or a nice brut prosecco or cava
A nice chateauneuf du pape or bordeaux
Pyjamas
I would also like an owl experience!

Like a lot of you....
No thank you to
gift sets filled with stuff I'll never use (looking at you SIL).
Chocolates (lost 3 stone this year)
Wine (it hates me)

Yes please to:
Pjs
Naice soap
Shower gel
Candles/wax melts
Fluffy throws (I sleep on the settee a lot)

Love how much the owl experience day has taken off!!

In all seriousness though it was literally the best day of my life. I keep dropping hints to DH that I would love to do it again!

I will receive any gift with acclaim but if you would like to prevent it going straight to the charity shop, it's a big yes to -
Books, including 2nd hand
Nice soap or bubble bath
Wine, and I'm completely unfussy
Really good walking socks (think £15 minimum, West Yorkshire Spinners or top of the range Bridgedale)
Fine art jigsaws

'You really shouldn't have' to -
Spirits
Candles
Toiletry gift sets
Nostalgic jigsaws featuring an idealised village high street circa 1950 etc

No to -

Hand lotion

@PermanentTemporary

I will receive any gift with acclaim but if you would like to prevent it going straight to the charity shop, it's a big yes to - Books, including 2nd hand Nice soap or bubble bath Wine, and I'm completely unfussy Really good walking socks (think £15 minimum, West Yorkshire Spinners or top of the range Bridgedale) Fine art jigsaws

'You really shouldn't have' to -
Spirits
Candles
Toiletry gift sets
Nostalgic jigsaws featuring an idealised village high street circa 1950 etc

No to -

I love receiving second-hand books!

no candles, toiletry gift sets, mugs or socks
add to that tins of tea , novelty slippers
and gadgets from QVC (the now abandoned velvetiser)

yes please to a nice pen, notebook and a book token.

oh...and no more handbags that are nice but just not quite right (DH im talking about you - stay away from TK Maxx)

Hand/body lotion- I suffer with eczema (everyone I know knows this as my hands have already started aging horribly since I was 30 due to all the steroids in the cream). Just stop! It will never get used!

Rosè wine

Booze filled chocolate

Clothes! Please can no one except my mum ever buy me clothes again?

I’m sooo fussy about the fit and feel of clothes and never wear anything people buy me (which I then feel guilty about!).

No thanks to:
scented candles
soap with bits in
slippers
silk scarves
ornaments
nuts
chutney
biscuits

Yes please to:
Book tokens
Cashmere
Crisps

No thanks-
Clothes from anyone except my husband
Cheap stinky candles
Poor quality cosmetics that will give me a rash
Jewellery ditto.

Yes please-
Literally anything else. I am easy to please.

Body lotion/moisturiser/bubble bath/bath bombs/smelly stuff of any variety. It has now just become a task to be able to store that many gift sets in my cupboard all year. Im a teacher so I usually get it from all of the kids as well as the in laws yet they’ll ask every year what I want, like they have any intention of not getting me an exact replica of the previous years present 🙈 I end up with a massive gift bag in the spare room after Christmas and the things still left in it after a month are the things I really didn’t want/need

Funny so many people have said about the body lotion type gift sets, no one wants them! It’s just another random bottle of something to have to repeatedly ram in your bathroom cabinet as it falls out every time you try to shut the door 🙈 If people got me a gin gift set instead I would actually appreciate and use it!

No to:
Perfume (unless it’s something unique that no one else has) Hate anything that is advertised by celebrities or name branded by them.
Chocolate (especially if it’s cheap)
Bath smellies/skin cream (I only use specific ones)
Wool clothing (it’s like having nits to me 😂😳)
Random mugs
Cheap candle sets (I prefer wax melts and I’m very individual in my taste)
Chutney/marmalade/random sauce gift sets (unless it’s Nutella in which case carry on)
Scarves (Probably different to most but I have a ridiculously high body temperature and scarves just make me uncomfortable)

Yes please:
Comfortable soft bed socks
Different scented wax melts
Anything to do with crystals or the chakras
Hotel chocolate or similar
Hot chocolate kits
Amazon gift card or those visa ones that include a lot of different shops
Craft kits
Afternoon tea/spa day experiences
Make up (prefer anything individual rather than those gift sets eg a Mac lipstick)

No Thank You:
Body/Bath products
Spa days - absolute hell, will never go
Experience days - on the way to absolute hell, will never redeem
Alcohol
Cheap chocolate
Anything from a 3for2 selection from any shop
House tat, ornaments, collectables, mugs, photo frames
Anything with slogans, especially alcohol puns like ‘Gin O Clock’
Candles/Wax Melts
Cushions
Cat themed anything
Scarves
Anything from an MLM

Yes Please:
Books from my wishlist (only)
Houseplants
Potted trees or shrubs for the garden
A lovely carrot cake or fruitcake
Good quality PJs (no slogans, cartoons or themes)
Box of Pilot V-Pen fountain pens (Black)
B&Q Vouchers

@Ducksareruiningmypatio

Actually I agree with the experience days I was bought a helicopter ride for my birthday once. Seems an amazing gift at first. Except I had to drive an hour and a half to get to it and it was only a 10 minute flight! I paid more to upgrade it to make it worth my while. It was like a conveyer belt, tiny seating area outside, overpriced refreshments etc. I paid double the cost of the actual gift which was bloody annoying as it wasn't something I'd have chosen for myself.

I try and buy experiences that don’t have stings attached or extras you need. I tend to go directly to the company rather than through experience websites as you get better deals on where and when and often a price not too dissimilar.

Some of our best experiences:

• indoor skydiving (so good we paid to go again)
• skid pan driving
• segways

I avoid the weekends away or spa trips because there are usually so many rules about when you can go and what’s included.