Well meant gifts that didn't hit the mark

[imnotthatkindofmum]

Here's a thread to post your disappointing gifts that you can't be disappointed with in real life! Let off a little steam without upsetting anyone!!

My lovely daughter bought me some novelty earrings. I never wear novelty earrings but she's so proud of them i have to wear them. She was so secured about me opening them but now I have to work out how little I can get away with wearing them so she doesn't realise I hate them!

Also DH only bought what was on my list. It was a cheap and simple list. I would have liked him to choose something he thought I would like. After 22 years not sure why I expect that though!

Mine wasn't bad exactly, but I am still secretly disappointed to only get one present this year. Which DH bought on Christmas Eve, after I sent him links to three small gift suggestions when I realised he hadn't bought me anything! At least I got something I wanted... but it would've been nicer if he'd chosen something himself. Meanwhile I got him quite a few presents, all very thoughtful!

We live abroad and the parcel of gifts from family back home has gone AWOL I'm on mat leave and this seems to mean I don't even get a present from work this year.

Sigh.

My husband and I received a jigsaw from my sister of her wedding day. Which would have been lovely, except my husbands head was completely blocked by someone in front of him and my abusive dad was clear as day on the photo. 😅

@Sash95 it's not Esther Lauder Cinnebar or Opium is it - my gran used to wear them and our house reeked for days

But this begs the question, why would you spend £200 each on in laws, driving hours etc? That’s a crazy amount to spend on in-laws, and they clearly do not want to exchange gifts at such a high price point. What do you gain by going so overboard?

It can be quite overbearing to overspend on people like that. Puts a lot of pressure on them. If you’d be happy with socks, candles, books, then surely that’s the kind of gift you should give too.

Every year DH buys me my favourite Molton Brown shower gel for Christmas and Birthday This Christmas he bought me 10 bottles of it. Slightly overwhelmed. A bottle lasts me about 3 months.

Going off my favourite now. Can’t say anything, he would be upset.

I always write on my list ‘a surprise’, along with a list of several things I’d like as a suggestion to get or inspire surprises. I always want a book and sometimes sadly don’t get k e.

This year we were Christmas shopping and I ha e my husband 3 books and told him he would be choosing one as a surprise book. One of my best gifts yet.

its amazing how some people manage to fail even if they try. My husband surprised me with a Lego set that wasn’t one of the 3 I suggested. Luckily in the evening he surprised me with the one I wanted so I guess this year he did good, after a specific list and actually handing him choices of book.

I did feel a bit bad for my husband. one of his presents, I gave to him in the bag it was delivered in. we left wrapping to very last minute, and I wrapped his after I went to bed on christmas eve and I couldn't find that one present.
until I'd got back off the floor with my back all seized up, then I found it. so I just taped it closed again with a gift label sticker, and explained I was hurting too much to wrap that last one properly. he was understanding though, and he loved it. so it's all good. his main present is money towards his next tattoo appointment in a few months, which is what he wants.

I love PJs and socks
couple of years back, my in laws got me my first Oodie style fleece thing. I've now amassed quite a collection and live in them year round (got summer weight ones, winter weight ones, in between ones, several that reach my ankles) first thing I do when I get home is change into one, and I only change out of them to sleep (nuddy sleeper) or just before leaving the house.
things to make you comfy and cosy are perfect presents

Exactly. I have 1 oodie. I love it. It gets washed every other day but luckily I have a tumble dryer and so it's still fluffy and warm when it's done. Viva la pyjamas! Lol

my mother in law makes it. she's from Goa, and has one of the extruders you put whatever that stuff is through to make the little thready bits. she makes amazing Indian food actually. I keep telling my husband he should spend more time with her and learn her recipes while she's still with us. I think it would be a lovely bonding activity for them, and help continue his heritage. also, she makes the BEST Dhal I've ever tasted. it's delicious

I feel like such a bitch, every year I ask my other half for PJ's and Ferraro Roche chocs. Only once have I received the PJ's, never the chocs. He tries really hard to get me useful things instead or something I have shown an interest in throughout the year.
So this year's present is a full electric drum set, all because I said I fancied having a go at playing the drums all the way back in June after watching a live band.
WTF do I do?

I don't want to say the exact one in case it upsets someone but it's one of the Elizabeth Arden ones...it's also a HUGE bottle🤪

I love gift vouchers.
So much better than being given stuff I don't like.

Northern Knife? they take a while. that said, my Loki Knife is fantastic. really pleased with it. getting used to the weight and heft of it will take a while, but it cuts like a dream.
nothing quite like a good kitchen knife

He bought you a full electric drum kit? Without checking you actually wanted one?

Thank you for this thread!
I feel so ungrateful for posting but this year has been quite a bit of a disappointment so far.. My gifts to other people are always thoughtful and I look forward to seeing their reactions.
I’ve had a couple of well considered gifts, but also several generic sets of skin/shower stuff from people who should know me better which makes me feel sad and unseen.

DP unusually managed to get it wrong- I only wear high waisted pants (post hysterectomy) as part of a matching set. He bought a box set of super soft briefs in a rainbow of pretty colours. They barely covered my scar and he hadn’t realised they have days of the week embroidered on them! 12 year old me would have loved them.

Dbro has form. This year I got a tea and biscuit gift hamper. I have never drunk tea and have not eaten gluten in over a decade, which he knows because we have been out for meals many times. I passed it on to adult DD who was delighted.

Will exchange gifts with dsis on Saturday and I know she has bought me a beautiful jumpsuit that I tried on when we were shopping together recently. She will also love the candle in a wine glass that is scented with her favourite perfume that I have bought her so I will get over myself then!

As well as the nail varnish tip up thread, you can get 'converters' that convert pierced earrings to clips. https://pearlcompany.co.uk/clip-on-earring-converters/

My brother has form for spectacularly bad presents that I asked him not to buy anything for me.

I have arthritis in every joint of my body so I struggle to do a lot of things. I used to do a lot of arts and crafts but I can't any more. My brother knows this, over the years he has bought me:

Fimo
A banjo
Adult colouring book and pencils
Soft toy making kit
A huge art kit with paints, pencils, brushes etc.

He has also bought me books. Now I enjoy reading but the arthritis means I find it hard to hold books so I use a kindle. He buys me books from Amazon. So I return the book to Amazon and buy the same one on kindle.

Then the year I became diabetic he spent £50 at hotel chocolat!

Apparently I am difficult to buy for.

I don't think I am. I wear the same perfume and have for 30 years. I love red wine and I'm partial to whisky. I have a kindle, vouchers for books would be great.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon

I have donated the art materials to a local charity, they support people overcoming addiction and they have an art therapy session, I'm sure there would be something similar who would love your unused canvasses etc.

Are you planning to marry him? It won’t get any better than this you know!

This deserves a regift back to her next year. If she says anything you can claim you thought it was a deliberate joke as she knows about migraine/ preferring dry white wine.

My late DM always bought me a chocolate orange. DH took it over the first year after she died and I howled but for all the right reasons. It’s an integral part of Christmas for me!

It's a thoughtless gift for someone who is already lonely.

That’s a shame I think a lot of markets sell copies in her size north Weald in Essex had a lot.

Ewww

"oh my goodness, the clock you got me, Im very sorry to say I dropped it as I was unwrapping it and it smashed to smithereens, !"

For the second year running I've had earrings from my mum.
I've not had pierced ears for 20 + years, but for some reason she thinks I do.
They are very lively ratings as well, so I'm going to see if I can repurpose then into something else.