Bad Gifts

[daisylu]

I was reading this article, but I do not think I ever received a truly bad gift like the ones in the article. Sure there were clothes I would never wear, pierced earrings for my unpierced ears, cheap soaps and lotions I would never use, and when Cabbage Patch Kids first came out and DGM bought one for every grandchild BUT me, but nothing horrible or mean.


What was the worst gift you ever received?


From the article:


2"A set of miniature butter knives with ceramic fruit and vegetables as the handles. From an aunt who said that I was 'so hard to shop for.' I was 7."


8."A ceramic jar for holding dog treats when I was 15, when we had JUST given him away. Miss you, Rascal.".


11."When I was 10 years old, my grandparents gave me an unwrapped suitcase for Christmas. In the interests of convenience, they used that suitcase for the wrapped presents for my sisters."


15."An ex gave me an engagement ring for herself, on the idea that I would use it to propose to her. She also gave specific instructions on how and when I should do it, as well as stipulations that she would be the one planning our wedding."

16."My grandma bought me an ornament with the name Eric on it. My name is Morgan."

[andi9899]

Not for Christmas but for my first mother's day my mom gave me a horrendous dress. I never wore it even once it was so awful.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

It became tradition to see what kind of God awful Christmas sweater my grandmother would give me for my birthday.  One was so bad my mom actually rolled on the floor laughing.

From the time I was about 8 to just a couple of years ago my great uncle would give me and my mother size L cheap "leather" driving gloves.  I am kinda disappointed that it's likely Gwen isn't going to get them, I wanted to see if it carried to a third generation.

When DH I and I were on our 2nd/3rd? Christmas he worked at Bass Pro when it first opened so he got a MASSIVE discount so of course everyone's gifts came from there.  Instead of picking me out something from say the handful of jewelery they sold he got me felt blankets that were so small it would have taken at least 5 of them to cover me up.

He WOULD NOT SHUT UP about how cheap he got them and how proud he was of only spending $5 on me total.   He missed the increasingly pissed off look on my face.  I can laugh about that one it 
has become Christmas legend in our house.

Then there was the $75 dead sea minerals manicure kit he got conned into buying me when Gwen was born.  I had my heart set on a Greenberg's charm bracelet that was like Pandora but less expensive and wanted the "mom" charm.  I sent him to the damn mall with the exact amount of money and instructions.  He got cornered and was convinced "every woman does her nails" and bought that instead. When have I ever had manicured nails besides the wedding?  I worked as an animal technician and in a lab setting you aren't supposed to have manicured/painted nails anyhow.   

He went back but since he spent almost all the money I had budgeted he could only get the bracelet itself, not a single charm.  I had to buy my own charm.  That one I still get pissed about if I think about it too much.

After years of coaching I finally got him to stick to a list upon pain of death.  He tends to be one of those people who buys what HE thinks you should want, not what you actually want.  I had plenty of that with both grandmothers I expect my husband to know me.  It's not about the GIVER it's about the person getting it!

[andi9899]

Baby Daddy worked at a grocery store. One year they gave him a fruit basket for Christmas which he regifted to me. Then him and the kids ate it.

ETA: They ate the fruit, not the basket.

[apple 2]

I had a parenting fail, worst christmas gift ever when my kids were quite young.

My youngest wanted fish, I bought a small tank and fish. I was rushing around and didn't get to do this until the day before Christmas.
Once all set up I put the tank by the Christmas tree.  Youngest got up early Christmas morning, ran to the living room and found two dead fish on the ground. They jumped out.

[andi9899]

Dec 3, 2021 14:47:35 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

I had a parenting fail, worst christmas gift ever when my kids were quite young.

My youngest wanted fish, I bought a small tank and fish. I was rushing around and didn't get to do this until the day before Christmas.
Once all set up I put the tank by the Christmas tree.  Youngest got up early Christmas morning, ran to the living room and found two dead fish on the ground. They jumped out.

I'm sorry, but I laughed when I read that.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Dec 3, 2021 14:47:35 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

I had a parenting fail, worst christmas gift ever when my kids were quite young.

My youngest wanted fish, I bought a small tank and fish. I was rushing around and didn't get to do this until the day before Christmas.
Once all set up I put the tank by the Christmas tree.  Youngest got up early Christmas morning, ran to the living room and found two dead fish on the ground. They jumped out.

I shouldn't laugh at that but the mental image.  It sounds like something out of National Lampoon. 

[apple 2]

Dec 3, 2021 14:49:12 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Dec 3, 2021 14:47:35 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

I had a parenting fail, worst christmas gift ever when my kids were quite young.

My youngest wanted fish, I bought a small tank and fish. I was rushing around and didn't get to do this until the day before Christmas.
Once all set up I put the tank by the Christmas tree.  Youngest got up early Christmas morning, ran to the living room and found two dead fish on the ground. They jumped out.

I shouldn't laugh at that but the mental image.  It sounds like something out of National Lampoon. 

Ha ha.. no worries. I laugh about it now, I'm sure it will come up in sons therapy one day! lol

[wvugurl26]

I remember that nail kit. It's a wonder he's still alive.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Dec 3, 2021 15:22:16 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

I remember that nail kit. It's a wonder he's still alive.

Yeah quite a few of his male coworkers at the time said the same thing.  If she gives you a list you stick to the list!

They were at Sam's Club a few years ago I couldn't help but point and go "Look DH your favorite people!"  I will be reminding him of it till the day we die.

[raeoflyte]

Our out of state grandmother gave my 21 year old sister a go-go walking pup toy.

[Cookies Galore]

A few years ago, we started doing a pollyanna with husband's siblings and SOs. His one sister picked me and asked what I wanted. I feel like I was pretty helpful when I gave her a list of easy things to get me - Pinot noir, sheet masks, and a gift card for either Ulta or Sephora. Husband's family aren't great gift givers, so I figure set my bar low and I don't be disappointed. What did I get? A lunch bag that had one snap closure instead of a zipper (cute but useless, since I wouldn't be able to carry that on my train easily), a gilded bee journal (I don't journal), and a bee cuff bracelet (I don't wear bracelets, I hate how they feel on my wrists). That shit has been living on the third floor untouched for two years and I can't wait until I draw her $@#& name.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Isn't it the thought that counts?    I'm going to run and hide. 

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Our first Valentines Day after eloping I got her a blender. Well we needed it. I was told never an appliance again. 

[andi9899]

My friend is gay and very flamboyant which is one of my favorite things about him. He said one Christmas many years ago the grandparents gave all the male grandchildren a flashlight and all of the female grandchildren a necklace. Since he was so obviously different they didn't know which way to go, so they gave him a blanket with a dog printed on it. Not a bad gift, just kind of funny. He says he still has it.

[apple 2]

Dec 3, 2021 16:00:09 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Our first Valentines Day after eloping I got her a blender. Well we needed it. I was told never an appliance again. 

Rookie mistake! 

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Dec 3, 2021 16:18:47 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

Dec 3, 2021 16:00:09 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Our first Valentines Day after eloping I got her a blender. Well we needed it. I was told never an appliance again. 

Rookie mistake! 

I did learn my mistake and have made it to our 51 year anniversary this December 20th.  I found out diamonds are never wrong. 

[NoNamePerson]

Dec 3, 2021 16:00:09 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Our first Valentines Day after eloping I got her a blender. Well we needed it. I was told never an appliance again. 

I requested a vacuum cleaner for Christmas one year. NOW the back story is that we were building a house and it would be completed around Christmas and I wanted a NuTone Central Vacuum system installed. I got it and was happy as a clam!! Back in my married/domestic days (1976)  

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

My brother gave me a parakeet one Christmas…..I had 2 cats.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I almost forgot every year I got a random black purse from the time I was 8 all the way through to my 20's when I begged GU and my grandma to stop because I lived in a dorm.  I shoved them all in the closet.

Surprised my brother didn't get killed by an avalanche when he moved into my room. 

And NEVER tell your grandparents you like something.  You will get a theme related item every birthday and Christmas till you die.  Someday archeologists from Mars will dig up my parents' basement and wonder about the cultural significance of pig tchotchkes. 

[raeoflyte]

I asked for a vacuum in our young and poor days. Dh was dead set against it so I finally told him I would return anything else he bought me and put the money toward a vacuum. We needed one!

I just this year realized that dh still can't handle the idea of needs being gifts and that line of thinking has rubbed off on me. But that I'm trying to reverse.

[apple 2]

Dec 3, 2021 16:26:10 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Dec 3, 2021 16:18:47 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

Rookie mistake! 

I did learn my mistake and have made it to our 51 year anniversary this December 20th.  I found out diamonds are never wrong. 

Wow OMK, 51 years, that is truly amazing. Congratulations, you most definitely got something right. 

[wvugurl26]

DH keeps saying he's putting a bow on the new washer and dryer. Those are household needs not gifts.

I like to do a mix of needs and some fun stuff.

[susana1954]

My daughter gave me more than a few presents that would look awesome in her house but not so much in ours.  DH and I used to joke that she was planning ahead for what she wanted after I died.

This was actually what prompted me to suggest that adults stop exchanging presents.

[TheOtherMe]

Way back when my mom's family still drew names for the grandkids.  

I was about 9 or 10 and got a sweater.  I didn't want a sweater.  I wanted some kind of toy like all the other kids got.  There is a picture of all of us holding our gifts.  The look on my face shows my displeasure.  I was never told who gave it to me and never wore the sweater.

My sister got a china set for her dolls and I wanted that so bad.  

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 3, 2021 16:00:09 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Our first Valentines Day after eloping I got her a blender. Well we needed it. I was told never an appliance again. 

I asked my MIL for a blender years ago. She bought me a combo blender/food processor, and also told me it goes against her belief of buying a woman appliances. I assured her that I genuinely wanted an appliance and was very happy with it. I still have that thing because it's smaller than typical and perfect for dips, spreads, etc. So good work, MIL!

Husband and I stopped exchanging gifts when we first started dating, probably within our first year. He's just not good at it, and we already spend more than enough on our parents, siblings, niece, nephews, etc, so I just cut out gifting early on. Now we agree on an event and that's our Christmas present.

[Tennesseer]

Dec 3, 2021 16:26:10 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Dec 3, 2021 16:18:47 GMT -5 apple 2 said:

Rookie mistake! 

I did learn my mistake and have made it to our 51 year anniversary this December 20th.  I found out diamonds are never wrong. 

I've got a diamonds story though not related to Christmss or even a gift.

I one time lived in a highrise apartment. One of the residents was moving and had some of his belongings for sale. I bought a plant from him. He mentioned his mom had recently died and left him some unset loose diamonds. He showed them to me and asked me what I thought they were worth. I told him I had no idea. He also had a parakeet and it's cage for sale.

After I left his apartment I called some friends and told them about the parakeet and cage for sale. I also told them about the guy's mom passing and the loose diamonds.

My friends and I went to his apartment and they bought the bird and cage. The guy then brought up the diamonds. He told us his mom was sick and needed to sell the diamonds to pay her medical bills. My friends looked at me and mouthed "Sick?" The guy with the diamonds looked at my questioning face and then said "My mom's sick.....ummm...very sick.....in fact she's dead."

We were out of his apartment pretty fast after that. My friends and I had a good laugh over the lie.

[Tennesseer]

My sister would say the worst Christmas gift from me was a new Supremes album back around 1964.  I was a fan of the Supremes-my sister was so-so.  I wrapped up the album and put it under the tree.   Several days before Christmas I told my sister what I bought her.  I then said to her "Let's open it and play it."  Without waiting for a reply,  I opened it and played it on the record player. 

[skeeter]

Dec 3, 2021 16:33:12 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

My brother gave me a parakeet one Christmas…..I had 2 cats.

I'm sorry, but I laughed so hard at this I almost sprayed my screen with coffee.

What happened to the parakeet after the holidays?

[jerseygirl]

Husband gave me a vacuum cleaner one year. It was in our bed that night - no more appliances!!