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Original poster

Worst presents

103 replies

MrsCatE · 21/12/2024 15:48

My ex gave me an Iron.
A bit of forethought that time; normally, he'd leap out of bed when he clocked it was my birthday or even Christmas? perhaps the landline calls (before mobiles) wishing me a happy birthday activated his one, remaining brain cell. He'd return from the corner newsagent and present me with a pack of Sweets and top shelf Magazine - I would Chuck latter at him but he'd just add to his collection; probably because pictures and didn’t require comprehension or ability to read.

OP posts:
DrMadelineMaxwell · 21/12/2024 20:06

DH once did his entire Christmas shopping for me in halford's.

I got a car alarm and a thing for holding CDs that clipped onto the visor above the windscreen.

I did not have the means to play CDs in the car.

PickledOwl1 · 21/12/2024 20:07

A pair of huge yellow and red clown shoes - ones that go over your actual shoes like people dressing up as clowns for a party or whatever wear

I had never expressed any interest in clowns let alone their shoes

LittleGreenDuck · 21/12/2024 20:17

A cheese grater. Upon questioning, DH claimed that it was from DS (then aged about four), so I thought "ok, maybe he took DS to the shops and that's what he picked. Random, but cute."

Nope, DS had no involvement in the process.

Sevenwondersofthewoo · 21/12/2024 20:18

An urn for pets to be engraved I was not pleased at all

LittleGreenDuck · 21/12/2024 20:18

LittleGreenDuck · 21/12/2024 20:17

A cheese grater. Upon questioning, DH claimed that it was from DS (then aged about four), so I thought "ok, maybe he took DS to the shops and that's what he picked. Random, but cute."

Nope, DS had no involvement in the process.

Just to add to this, on DH's next birthday I bought him an egg slicer.

PoissonOfTheChrist · 21/12/2024 20:20

PickledOwl1 · 21/12/2024 20:07

A pair of huge yellow and red clown shoes - ones that go over your actual shoes like people dressing up as clowns for a party or whatever wear

I had never expressed any interest in clowns let alone their shoes

I'm jealous, I would've loved those.

PickledOwl1 · 21/12/2024 20:21

@PoissonOfTheChrist are you a part time clown by any chance? You'd have been welcome to them

Dungareesarecool · 21/12/2024 20:22

ChocolateBiscuitsandaCuppa · 21/12/2024 20:04

An ex bought me a colour-changing lightbulb.

I wouldn't have minded so much if he'd not spent several days beforehand going on about this 'great' present he'd chosen for me, and how he'd waited in for the delivery etc. Completely got my expectations up. Idiot.
I gave it back to him when I ended things.

I hate people doing that, I had a friend do that with a farewell present she got me. In the end it was a very heavy and thick 5 year notebook. It was nice enough but the way she kept on going on about what a perfect gift it was, was a bit much. It’s for the person receiving the gift to talk about what a wonderful present it is, not the giver!

Tracystubbs · 21/12/2024 20:25

Toothpicks

Do thought it would be funny to wrap them up and give hints that they where earrings

So I saved that box til last

Fucking toothpicks

Milkshakes00 · 21/12/2024 20:32

(from Ex of 5 years) - a weight loss book (I was only size 12 at the time and had never mentioned anything about my weight or wanting to change it…. In the same bag .. was a pair of leopard print high heels (no idea where from) with the bright red ‘reduced to £4.00’ sticker still on the bottom. Oh .. they were size 4, I’m a size 6 🥲 he’s gone now.
I have only myself to blame here 😂

Emptyandsad · 21/12/2024 20:33

BathTangle · 21/12/2024 19:05

My mum taught me that if you're giving someone a knife as a present you must also give them a coin so as not to cut the friendship.

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I was taught you couldn't give knives away, you had to take a penny from the person you were giving them to

Also, never give anyone an empty wallet; you always have to put a coin or a banknote in it

EmmaMaria · 21/12/2024 20:39

From my first "proper boyfriend", in the dim and distant past, a copy of the collected works of DH Lawrence because he recalled me talking about him. What I said was that I can't stand him and I think he's highly overrated.

LlamaDrama20 · 21/12/2024 20:42

Me: A food mixer for an early Xmas together (I hadn't asked for one...)

DS (aged 15): A whole load of photography equipment DH was interested in and believed DS should be too... I had been v. busy with family issues and DH volunteered to sort out the kids' presents.
Ended in a huge row with DS in tears on Xmas day as he didn't get anything he actually wanted from his list (computer games, books, clothes etc).
I ended up giving him the cash to get what he wanted and told DH to send all the photography stuff back. He had the audacity to call DS ungrateful! 😡

StrawberryWater · 21/12/2024 20:44

A giant toy helicopter. Not one of those cool pieces of tech you see nerds playing with. No, a toy bloody helicopter for babies. I was looking at it in a shop and saying it would be a neat toy for my 2 year old nephew. For some strange reason my husband thought I wanted it for myself. Why I don't know. The winch was cool I guess but ffs.

I think this year is going to suck and be worse though. I've just found out he hasn't bought me anything (apparently he's been too busy and seems to be allergic to shopping online nowadays). He went out to the shops yesterday and came back with something that looks like a boardgame which he says is from ds. Fair enough but I don't play board games.

He was like "I couldn't find you any jewellery you'd like, or perfumes or flowers". I don't like any of those things but I do have a TON of hobbies, I'd also like an air fryer, a hamper would be nice but nope. Couldn't think of any of that. I'm debating whether to return his very expensive and well thought out gifts.

StormingNorman · 21/12/2024 20:48

Daleksatemyshed · 21/12/2024 18:53

A workmate of mine either got domestic items, like a new kettle, or power tools like a drill. When she saw the light and left him he refused to let her have the power tools, obviously they were never really gifts for her

😭😭😭

Whataretalkingabout · 21/12/2024 20:50

BathTangle · 21/12/2024 19:05

My mum taught me that if you're giving someone a knife as a present you must also give them a coin so as not to cut the friendship.

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No , it's actually the reverse. The person who is gifted the knives must give you a few token coins- as if they are buying the knives from you.

Itsaswelltime · 21/12/2024 20:50

DH buys very expensive surprise gifts. Usually I end up liking them but we are so poor and there are other cheaper things I’d love to have and have asked for. For Christmas this year and my birthday 2 weeks ago there is no gift or anything as DH spent so much on a gift when I had a major operation in September (which was very kind…not something I wanted but it couldn’t be returned so I’ve grown to love it; I had asked for something else and DH said I could have it after the operation but no sign yet and, as I said, we have no money.) He is very generous just also very random.

StormingNorman · 21/12/2024 20:51

I knew this thread was going to be hilarious.

Itsaswelltime · 21/12/2024 20:52

All my worst gifts are from DM. She buys the most random things and gets furious, distraught and self-pitying if I don’t act like it’s amazing.

headshoulderskneestoesheart · 21/12/2024 20:56

One of those egg tower things. For storing eggs. As my main birthday present. I also received a bunch of flowers, which were identical to the bunch I'd received for Mother's Day the previous week. Didn't feel massively cherished that year.

drspouse · 21/12/2024 21:00

DH got me a mouse mat. I read him the riot act and he's mainly got nice jewellery since then.

mindutopia · 21/12/2024 21:01

My MIL used to get me a Burt’s Bees gift set every single birthday and Christmas. I don’t even like Burt’s Bees and somewhere I still have a pile of them. One year dh’s uncle ran the gift set over with his mobility scooter and left a tire print across it. I still got it though. 😂

Growing up I had an auntie and uncle who collected antique glass milk bottles. It’s a thing apparently. 🤷🏻‍♀️ One year I expressed feigned interest in their collection. I must have been the only child in the family ever to acknowledge them because every single birthday and Christmas after that through uni, I got a milk bottle. 😂 It became a bit of a joke in the family, but I was very polite about it. That was over 20 years ago, and jokes on me now - I should dig them out - because they are probably worth a lot of money now!

Jingleballs2 · 21/12/2024 21:01

MIL bought me tea towels.. not a cute set of tea towels, just basic cheap checked ones 🤔

cassy16 · 21/12/2024 21:10

LondonFox · 21/12/2024 20:03

Tbh I love getting food as gifts!

My worst one was a make up bag with "LAZY" written allover it from my MIL.
At the time I worked two jobs (one ft and one p time) while doing my pt master and supporting DH who was looking for a new job for few months second time in a year.
It was 10 years ago and I srill have her in my black book.

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This is made me actually laugh so much, I think it’s because it’s something my MIL would do she once gave me a size 28 night dress another year just regifted what I’d given her for her birthday that year 😅

peachystormy · 21/12/2024 21:16

My cousin once got his older sister a full punch drink set 🤣🤣 she was only about 20