Presents you won't use.

Already on the local FB page, I have seen stuff advertised that is obviously unwanted Christmas gifts.

Duplicated toys, games, toiletries, clothing….

Pointless giving.

I was given a bottle of car de-icer wrapped in two tea towels. Practical but it made us laugh as everyone knows I dislike housy gifts. My ex once bought me an iron . It’s probably why he’s my ex!

My very loveliest best friend always hand makes her gifts to me.

I have lavender bag hangers, feltmade bags, a pin cushion toadstool, embroidered scarves, knitted mitts, a rag dolly, etc etc.
They are all at the top of my wardrobe and will never be used.
I will never get rid of them but it’s such a waste of her time.

Martin Lewis covered this off several years ago. I won’t add the link to his video, but it is very easy to find.
Food for thought and very liberating.

I was given a set of three disgusting candles with chrome animals on them all packaged in a beautiful box. I sold them on Vinted.

Far fewer unwanted gifts in our house, since we agreed with immediate family to do a draw- each buys a present for 1 other- often asking what they would like. Among friends, we agreed no presents. Made it easier for everyone- these days if we need or want something, we usually just buy it!

A friend and I agreed no gifts then she gave me one. Eek!

Oreo

Aveline My Nan was the same, we found so many unopened and unused gifts in cupboards but we think she was saving them for best as she had such a poor upbringing.It was sad to see that she hadn’t felt able to use them up.

In the past, my DD has bought me expensive hair and make-up products that I never use because I use the cheap ones and 'save' hers for best.
This year 'I've found this nice mid-price one, so if you like it, you can buy it yourself when this is finished without feeling extravagant'!!!

No, nothing I wasn't very happy to receive. But we usually buy and receive presents from wish lists.

Like me, my AC ‘s both acknowledge that here are a number of items that just aren’t suitable as gifts, toiletry gift sets, jewellery being two for instance. These are never purchased as presents for anyone in the family.

I'd never issue a wish list. It would feel greedy and would take away the surprise and pleasure of opening a well intentioned present from someone who cared enough to give me something.

I’m with M0nica, we do the same. We don’t expect everything on our lists, we include items of very different values, and it means we know that what we get for each other are presents we each really want, often very random things nobody would think of otherwise.

Every year I tell my son I hate Olives. Guess what he gives me every year......

I was - bizarrely - given a stainless steel garlic press.

I had one of these before and they're a bugger to clean, and anyway I'm no fan of garlic.

Away to the nearest charity shop with it!

I keep saying please don’t buy me candles and diffusers but I always get them.
Also this year I got another cook book, I really don’t have room for anymore!

Aveline

I'd never issue a wish list. It would feel greedy and would take away the surprise and pleasure of opening a well intentioned present from someone who cared enough to give me something.

You miss the point of a wish list. You may get nothing on the list if people who know you well see something they know you will like and buy that instead. This applied to me this year. I did get one book I had forgotten I had asked for, everything else, much appreciated. but off list.

For us presents are restricted to near family, so the givers know those they are buying for well, but aren't always inspired.

Re 'wish list' I know exactly the point and why I don't want one. If there's anything I want I can buy it myself. It's much more of a pleasure to see what surprises friends and family might want to buy me.

Any unwanted toiletries like shower gel etc. can always go in the food bank. Someone will be glad of them.

The point of a wish list is that although they are things you could buy for yourself, as they are a bit of an extravagance, you don’t, Aveline. Each to their own, but I’d far rather that than disappointing somebody close with a ‘miss’.

Dorrain I don't think it's reasonable to complain about "thoughtless" gifts, "very ordinary" gifts and then pass them on!

I can't imagine why anyone of our age would actually want more "stuff". I've got enough to hold 100 car boot sales and it troubles me that my son will be left to dispose of it all. The environmental prospect troubles me too. I don't want anyone to spend time, energy or money buying me "landfill". I understand buying presents for children at Christmas but not for adults.

Aveline

I'd never issue a wish list. It would feel greedy and would take away the surprise and pleasure of opening a well intentioned present from someone who cared enough to give me something.

I'm with you on that. I get the point people are trying to make about them, but it just seems a bit entitled to me. If someone gave me a 'wish list', you can bet I'm not buying them anything on it!

We always have wish lists in the family, and it makes so much sense, because you know you are buying something that someone wants, but probably can’t afford, or would find it extravagant to buy for themselves, and although you wrote a list, it doesn’t mean you ll get everything so it’s still a surprise in a way and a joy to get something you want and probably wouldn’t buy yourself, and there’s still the surprise of not knowing if you re going to get it or not.

For friends I wouldn’t dream of doing a wish lists I just know hopefully their tastes and likes, and fingers crossed they know mine.

ViceVersa

Aveline

I'd never issue a wish list. It would feel greedy and would take away the surprise and pleasure of opening a well intentioned present from someone who cared enough to give me something.

I'm with you on that. I get the point people are trying to make about them, but it just seems a bit entitled to me. If someone gave me a 'wish list', you can bet I'm not buying them anything on it!

I don’t really understand this point unless you are doing a list but nobody else is? We all do them, they all have items of varying costs and difficulty to find on them, we don’t expect to get everything, as it’s a wish list not a shopping list, so it doesn’t feel like that at all.

I like a wish list, I ask for vouchers from various stores. I love them and so does the giver, an easy gift to buy. I don't care bout the monetary value either.

I would rather do this, than give to the charity shops, re gift, or even worse end up in landfill. I feel the above is disrespectful to the giver.

A wish list is just that, not a demand. The only gifts I got other than vouchers was a lovely bracelet, with all my adult children's and Grandchildrens birth stones, and my room sprays which my son was happy to get.