Presents you won't use.

The people I know give the presents they would want to receive and they have nothing to do with you. Tree ornaments I would never us, scented creams and shower gel that are too sweet, candle of which I have many, scarves which I would never wear. The list is endless. I put them all in a bag in the spare room and just before Christmas of the following year, I give them to a charity shop for them to sell on.

So sad GoodAfternoonTea I would be mortified if I thought my friends did that. I hope I know them well enough, and put enough thought, an energy in my presents for them to be kept

I'm just happy with whatever someone wants to give me. As previously stated I can buy anything I want.

Avaline you don’t give wish lists to friends that would definitly seem greedy and entitled but amongst family it makes sense you are not giving duplicates or buying things you know will go to the charity shop what could be worse than your grandchild opening two identical Lego sets or your son getting the same aftershave from you and his wife !

I love wish lists. We use them in the family and they mean that my AC like all the things I buy them, and I like all the things they buy me.

One friend very kindly buys me toiletries, but they are highly scented and I don't like strong scents. I'd much rather have a gift card.

Aveline

I'm just happy with whatever someone wants to give me. As previously stated I can buy anything I want.

Exactly x

But then Avaline and Iam that’s takes us right back to the charity shops and fb marketplace and grandkids that aren’t happy in the original post !!!

I try to give and receive in a place of gratitude BlueBelle. Apologies if I sound I’m being a clever clogs, I don’t mean that at all.
This time of year is so fraught with emotions I try not to fret. I try to buy something that suits the person. I now have four scented candles which I won’t use because I read they can be bad for dogs. They’ll go to the Salvation Army shop

I suppose I can see the sense in them if you have a large or extended family. We don't. Husband and I only receive two presents - one from daughter, one from son - and we only give to them, their partners and our two grandchildren. No need for any wish lists there.

Dylis

DH and I have been given knitted beanies with powerful lights in the centre. We looked like a pair of Daleks when we tried them on!

My husband received the same from our SiL. He loves it. Off he goes walking the dog of an evening. Him with the hat torch and our dog with her light up collar.
They make a right pair

How come Viseversa I don’t have a big family either but I don’t want to buy my daughter a bottle of perfume if her daughter and son are already buying it 🤣 likewise I don’t want to buy my adult grandaughter a coupon for the gym if she’s already signed up for a year Still needs a bit of asking surely
How do you know what the two grandkids want or are into or already have, unless of course they live with you ?

BlueBelle

How come Viseversa I don’t have a big family either but I don’t want to buy my daughter a bottle of perfume if her daughter and son are already buying it 🤣 likewise I don’t want to buy my adult grandaughter a coupon for the gym if she’s already signed up for a year Still needs a bit of asking surely
How do you know what the two grandkids want or are into or already have, unless of course they live with you ?

We usually just give the two couples a voucher for a meal or something similar. One grandchild is just a baby - this was her first Christmas - and our GS is always very keen to tell us about everything he's into, so we know what he likes and doesn't like.

BlueBelle

You should have just swapped them over when you visited. He probably wouldn't even realise.

That's what I've done with my Dad for the past decade after I started to became irritated at his once lovely Cotton-Traders lovely polo shirts being plastered with tea stains. He laundered them regularly but seemed oblivious to the stains!
.

ViceVersa

BlueBelle

How come Viseversa I don’t have a big family either but I don’t want to buy my daughter a bottle of perfume if her daughter and son are already buying it 🤣 likewise I don’t want to buy my adult grandaughter a coupon for the gym if she’s already signed up for a year Still needs a bit of asking surely
How do you know what the two grandkids want or are into or already have, unless of course they live with you ?

We usually just give the two couples a voucher for a meal or something similar. One grandchild is just a baby - this was her first Christmas - and our GS is always very keen to tell us about everything he's into, so we know what he likes and doesn't like.

I assume your grandchildren are not teenagers and in the computer games and dungeon and dragon. I know what my grandchildren are interested in, but I do not understand the arcane of computer games and dungeons and dragons, clothes are vey specific, and the slightest deviation from what they want can make a garment unweqarable. Likewise with books. I know whatthey are interested in, but their book choices are really specific. The same withtoiletries and clothing for a teenaage girl.

Some posters on here sound very ungrateful to me. I would never dismiss a gift even the most tacky one, because it shows that someone thinks enough of me to spend time and money on me.
I had some lovely gifts, especially hand-made soaps which I love, and hand cream I get through tons of it, so that always gets used. I wouldn't throw any of it away, or even take things to charity shops.

I was going to add I had some hand-made jewellery given. A close family member had clearly devoted a lot of time to making this unique item just for me. It is completely hideous but I will wear it to any event she attends to show my appreciation for her efforts.

To be honest I’m happy with all of my presents this year. But I’ve had some strange things in the past.

Flippin2

My DIL does an unwanted pile which I think is awful, people have bought those presents for her and the grandkids,why not put a Xmas list out to receive things you would like,have to say my other DIL usually,as her birthday is beginning January,receives a gift from aforementioned unwanted pile which we find amusing

I have an ongoing list for people to choose from but no one takes any notice of it. I get what I get... and try to use them...

Dylis, I love the darlek hats, imagine they'd be very handy if, like us, you have a dog to clear up after during the late night walk 😂 and they have much more potential for fun uses than the bleeping duster I was given for Christmas by a sil.....🙄

Foot cream?

As a family we have a ‘secret Santa’ arrangement which involves buying for only one person. We each make a list of things we would like and we each spend about £30. Each list contains an assortment so no one knows exactly what they will receive, except that they will receive things they actually would like. Children are given cash so they can have fun spending it. We all open them together after lunch on Christmas Day.

M0nica

ViceVersa

BlueBelle

How come Viseversa I don’t have a big family either but I don’t want to buy my daughter a bottle of perfume if her daughter and son are already buying it 🤣 likewise I don’t want to buy my adult grandaughter a coupon for the gym if she’s already signed up for a year Still needs a bit of asking surely
How do you know what the two grandkids want or are into or already have, unless of course they live with you ?

We usually just give the two couples a voucher for a meal or something similar. One grandchild is just a baby - this was her first Christmas - and our GS is always very keen to tell us about everything he's into, so we know what he likes and doesn't like.

I assume your grandchildren are not teenagers and in the computer games and dungeon and dragon. I know what my grandchildren are interested in, but I do not understand the arcane of computer games and dungeons and dragons, clothes are vey specific, and the slightest deviation from what they want can make a garment unweqarable. Likewise with books. I know whatthey are interested in, but their book choices are really specific. The same withtoiletries and clothing for a teenaage girl.

Well, considering that I did say one is just a baby, it's pretty obvious that she's not a teenager. Why do some people assume that because they do things a certain way, that everyone wants to do the same. We do what suits us and our family - I guess others do that too. It's be a very boring world if we were all the same.

My friends group (8 of us) do Secret Santa, limit this year £15, as we've all known each other for many years, it isn't generally difficult to buy a present. This year I received coffee flavoured chocolates and a Chocolate Therapy set containing a variety of flavoured syrups and sugars to go in my coffee's - very much appreciated and will be savoured. Other than that I receive and give only to daughters and their children - we usually exchange ideas of what we would like, I couldn't really think of anything and told daughters to just buy me some chocolate. Christmas day I received an Air fryer from them all and couldn't have been happier as I've been going to replace my old one for a couple of months because the handle had snapped off. I don't mind receiving household gifts if it's something I need. Daughters and family members all received something from their wish list.

JamesandJon33

A relative keeps sending my aunt, who lives in a care home , hampers. My aunt and me have told her repeatedly that hampers get taken into the kitchen and all residents benefit from them. My aunt would like a Christmas present just for her.

Disgraceful! That is stealing!

Dylis

DH and I have been given knitted beanies with powerful lights in the centre. We looked like a pair of Daleks when we tried them on!

🤣🤣
I bought DH one a couple of years ago for winter evening walks with the dog.
He also thought Dalek! Now I wear it instead.