Presents you won't use.

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.

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 ?

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

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.

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

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 !!!

Aveline

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

Exactly x

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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’.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!

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