Xmas gifts I hate receiving

[JammyRed]

As Christmas is approaching the gifts I dread getting that I get every year are : Xmas themed socks , slipper socks , body lotion , body scrub. Christmas ornaments , Christmas mugs and glasses . Really cheap pound shop chocolate . Mulled wine or spicy biscuits. They don’t go to waste as I donate them to charity . What are the gifts you dread getting ?

Omg I'd cry if bath bombs did this to me 😳 I love getting bath bombs for Xmas!

I hate when my MIL and SIL buy clothes for my kids because they're always awful. Just ask me what to get them!!

CHEAP BRANDS DO NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL ALLERGIES

There - I’ve shouted it. Those trumpeting about Baylis&Harding etc - just read the ingredients of some packs. You will find that “fancy” brands are just as likely to contain nasties.

People on this thread are simply being unpleasant snobs - and rather lower middle class snobs at that. It’s one thing to complain about barbed gifts or purposely mean offerings, but sneering at what you consider to be not expensive enough presents is horrible. What an example to your dcs!

If someone knows B&H brings them out in allergies, who are you to tell them different?

The worst reaction I’ve had to anything was some very nice Laura Mercier make-up. The giver would hardly be able to know that in advance. How dare they give me that present!

Some of us try it but it falls on deaf ears. Every I try to reduce the spend and quantity of gifts exchanged in our family. Every year this is ignored by most of the family. So we end up looking cheap and feeling cheap as we have reduced our gift giving, but others have not, so we still receive either totally over the top expensive presents that we feel obligated to reciprocate, or a ton of tat that we feel less obligated to reciprocate, but still have to get rid of.

What I would l love is time, and space, what I get is experiences that i have to plan and book and stop me doing what I really want to do, or thoughtful hobby gifts that sit staring at me and laughing at my lack of time to do any of them, or lovely 'things' that i have no space for and so have to take time and worse mental space sorting, packing and disposing of guiltily.

Just pop round with a mince pie and play a board game then go away again leaving nothing but happy memories.

In our family we decided to do Secret Santa for adults a few years ago.

We realised over time that as our families expanded we had automatically started buying more and more and with limited time and funds the presents weren't as considered or thoughtful as they had been, resulting in (I expect) a lot of waste and it was starting to feel like a chore.

We now do one present for each adult within a set budget, and it works so much better for everyone (giving and receiving). I hate waste of any kind so giving and receiving gifts that I know will not be used sits uncomfortably with me.

Honestly I don't dread or hate getting anything! It is 100% the thought that counts! If there's something that I really won't use then I can donate it (or my family will eat/use it) but I'd still be grateful!!

Absolutely love Lindor, esp the balls, can't believe so many people dislike them!
Have zero issues with Baylis & Harding toiletries and the like - they will get used eventually!

Your cats sound like right characters. 😂

I would rather just not receive gifts that a very much given for the sake of it. I spend a lot of time thinking about what someone might actually want or need and it's a bit hurtful when they just give random tat clearly picked up last minute. It absolutely does not have to be expensive stuff mind you. Every year I end up taking a pile to the charity shop. I'd also be happier to just say no gifts at all to save the waste!

You can ask people to make a donation to your chosen charity. That might sink in.

Lindt will be cringing to see their balls spoken of as the Baylis & Harding of the chocolate world.

People on this thread are simply being unpleasant snobs - and rather lower middle class snobs at that.

Hahaha, oh the irony, @MaturingCheeseball.

I don't have lots of people buy me presents (and the five family members that do ask what I'd like!) so I don't really have to worry about this but I have previously hated and would hate:

• Homemade food -unless 100% sure about kitchen/hand hygiene
• Fruit smelling bath stuff (e.g. strawberry smelling shower gels)
• Cheap make up

I am very happy to receive donations of unwanted Lindt balls (no Bayliss & Harding thanks, I'm itching just thinking about it).*

*Sarcasm, although I tend to interpret generic toiletries sets as a very minimal effort/minimal thought gift, unless the giver knows the receiver will appreciate the brand or products.

I think it’s fine to don my snob drawers when it comes to ill-mannered people who’re all “it’s not to my taste” (what a gruesome phrase).

Smellies and alcohol. I have sensitive skin and I don't drink. It's why I barely bother with secret Santa.

I do have this conversation, but you can't control how other people spend their money, and that's the issue.

I've had this exact conversation that went round in a circle with my nan this, and for the past 6 years about buying the kids tat. I've said, please don't buy anything that's cheap plastic tat as it doesn't get played with, breaks or I end up taking it to the charity shop because we don't have space to store things that are being used. Ok, she says, and then goes on to say, I'm just going to buy them all cheap plastic tat that can be thrown away when they've finished. Ok but nan, we don't want to just throw things away, we are conscious of the environment, the kids would much rather spend time with you baking or making crafts, please don't feel like you have to buy things for the sake of it, because we don't want cheap plastic tat, if you'd like to buy them something how about a gift card so they can have a shopping day with you and choose something they want or need? Ok, she will say, and then on Christmas day rinse and repeat, a massive sack of plastic tat.

Swap plastic tat for skin irritating gift-sets, candles that give us migraines, perfumes that leak or won't get worn.

We tackled this by telling everyone we were collecting one type of toy and making suggestions around it.
Lego, Duplo, K-Nex, Brio, Playmobil etc.

All expensive, so sets suggested to others were small too.

A set of minis of the chocolate I buy all year round anyway. Except I don't like all the mini flavours so they go to waste.
Home made food. Not in a house with allergies.
Alcohol, don't drink it.
Lotions and creams. If the smell is nasty I don't even want it as handcream. I will always use a shower gel though.

Tbh the only things I want are what I ask for. The 8hr face cream I love and some nice waitrose snacks I can't afford all year round. Consumables or pension contributions! I do like fluffy socks though as I'm a cold person.

My mum used to always get me a dressing gown, slippers and a hot water bottle literally every year growing up. Hot water bottles are useful but I didn’t need a new one each year and I have never worn a dressing gown or slippers really, ever.

Hate it when MIL gets me books. I’m an American Lit lecturer and she never asks me what books I want, she just knows I like reading so buys me any old shit. I think last year’s was Carol Vorderman, in previous years it’s been random vampire books.

Also hate generic bath sets, skincare sets etc.

I hate it when I receive bath products as I have very specific ethical brands I like and like only natural ingredients. So bath gift sets will be wasted on me.

I love hampers normally, but got one this year that was filled with just alcohol and crisps and I didn't like that

I don't want to be "that person" but my husband's family doesn't celebrate Christmas; my own family is full of issues; I live in a foreign country. I rarely get Christmas presents apart from the ones from husband and kids (which I orchestrate myself). Sometimes, someone gives me a candle or a little present, and it makes me feel nice/valued.

This

Also some people are missing the point. With gift-giving it's the thought that counts. It's the thoughtlessness that people are going on about.