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Did you get many unwanted presents?

(163 Posts)
kircubbin2000 Wed 28-Dec-22 09:54:21

Everyone has been very kind and generous but often people misjudge what things you will like.
I keep a box of unused presents that I cannot regift. This year I added shower gel, body scrub, candles, a sewing set and a jigsaw.
Did you get anythings you won't use?

Diplomat Thu 29-Dec-22 12:50:41

I got Covid and am still testing positive. Could not spend Christmas with my daughter, new grandson and darling granddaughter, but they and my mum have kept me going with calls. Husband was doing so well until he grumbled about buying me some toothpaste today. Why couldn't I use the tube I gave to visitors, who were full of cold and probably gave me Covid just before Christmas!!!!!!!!! AM I GOING MAD?

Blossoming Thu 29-Dec-22 12:44:14

As someone said above I don’t need more stuff. Family agreed only children’s presents a couple of years ago, but one person has ignored it, so that’s an unwanted gift. It isn’t something I like so it will be passed on to a charity after a decent interval!

Mr. B and I buy each other gifts and those are never unwanted smile

Macgran43 Thu 29-Dec-22 12:40:04

My granddaughter gave me a cosy scarf in lovely colours.Unfortunately It sheds and my black jumper is now covered in orange wool. I don’t think I’ll wear it again.

poppysmum Thu 29-Dec-22 12:21:07

don't have many gifts sadly but my dd thought things out well; one daughter bought us a tin of yummy shortbread, and the other a flower press kit sounds random but I make loads of cards and did mention making cards with dried flower embellishments so I can do my own instead of buying them! she also bought a very useful birthdays reminder wall hanging. ds bought me a furry blanket have a few but always glad for more plus lip balms hand creams and handwashes. Dil usually gives me a smelly set but a cheap one like from a pound shop or similar but this year she gave me a Nivea one with shower gel etc which I can use so really happy. Also had a box of Ferrero to share with oh but I hate them so he was happy!

NoddingGanGan Thu 29-Dec-22 12:20:27

Scented candles. Someone I know is crazy for them and always buys them as a gift but I hate them!

Gabrielle56 Thu 29-Dec-22 12:08:20

Gigi27

Does anyone understand the governments decision, not to test visitors from China for COVID?
Surely the cost of a test, is better than the risk of another pandemic!

This deserves its own thread it's madness and typical of our panic stations government!!! Don't have a scooby doo and will probably land us in the gloop Yet AGAIN!!!!

BlueBalou Thu 29-Dec-22 12:03:54

As I only had a box of chocolates from my best friend and a too-small necklace from a charity shop from my sister I guess I should be grateful for those!
Zilch from DH, DCs. I guess that’s how it is here 🙄

Ali08 Thu 29-Dec-22 12:03:42

It's been fun reading what gifts people didn't need!
I told my daughter not to bother as we'd just buy ourselves what we wanted as we'd both had recent birthdays, too, and she had had a baby so she could spend on herself what sge would have spent on me. Made sense!
My DiL forgets, every year, that I can't use bath bombs, but that's OK as my granddaughters do. And I still have a box of handcreams she gave me last year, to go with the 2 or 3 she got me this year 🤣 I do use handcream, but stick to Nivea as I really like it. I'll find someone to give them to!
I think my best gift was gin (DiL & son) & a new tablet from OH. I wouldn't really say any were really bad, rather not very well thought out!

Harris27 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:59:13

I love my presents and usually get a years supply of smellies! (someone trying to tell me something?) 😂I love bath time so they know me well. My mam was terrible and loved a bargain I’ve had cross eyed teapots telephones than rang in the night! Lots of odd novelty gifts! 😂

Gigi27 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:50:50

Does anyone understand the governments decision, not to test visitors from China for COVID?
Surely the cost of a test, is better than the risk of another pandemic!

Grandmabatty Thu 29-Dec-22 11:50:06

Milest I do a daily quiz on my Alexa, I've set it to turn on the living room lamp and then off again later which is helpful if I'm out at night, it sets reminders for me, I do a running shopping list, it'll give me a weather forecast and it plays music.

HannahLoisLuke Thu 29-Dec-22 11:49:18

Only exchange gifts with close family and we always ask for ideas from each other so we know we’ll get something we like. I just asked for vouchers but also got some lovely little extras, like the calendar with a photo of my new little great granddaughter for each month.

Milest0ne Thu 29-Dec-22 11:45:28

OH got an Alexa. ,last year. Still in its box. What can it be used for? we do not have any "smart" tech in the house. SiL suggested telling it to play the radio but OH has the TV on all the time. Any ideas?

Nannan2 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:43:07

I guess rather than re-gifting them giving it to charity would be better option.It doesnt mean they are not nice gifts just not to folks taste.

Nannan2 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:40:30

A top from primark😐

Chaitriona Thu 29-Dec-22 11:37:00

I don’t understand these regifting boxes. If it wasn’t a very nice present, why would you give it to someone else. A mean gift is no gift at all.

Frogs Thu 29-Dec-22 11:35:04

My son got me a beanie hat - nice colour but it’s got a light on the front for walking/hiking in the dark?! My 3 year old grandson will probably wear it as he likes getting a torch and hiding in dark places.

Chaitriona Thu 29-Dec-22 11:32:16

Some scented tea lights which I react to but the thought was very welcome and much appreciated. A man’s electric shaver which my husband bought for me on my daughters instructions but misunderstanding the packaging. Other than this, I have had lovely gifts. An electric throw which my husband is also using for his after lunch nap as our sitting room is large and hard to heat. And Japanese sashiko cloth and thread in beautiful colours. Both from my daughter. I love to give gifts people will like too. But one has to accept that between what one thinks a person will like and what they will actually like can fall a shadow.

Gabrielle56 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:29:31

Tell me about it!! I once had a few salt and peppers sets I'd got either on holiday or as a joke for us, one DS spoofed these and for years..........that's all I got for birthday and Christmas! Enough already!!! No it's the gin!!! Gin gin gin!!!! I started having a refreshing g&t on the now rare occasion we eat out and mentioned unlike a port after a meal OCCASIONALLY!!!! So it's bottles of port and gin!!! It honestly takes me a full year ++ to get through a port bottle and similar gor gin!! How do I say " stop" without offence???

Keffie12 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:28:37

I'm told and I I think I I am good with getting others presents. I always put thought to it and know what each person likes. I've done some really unexpected gifts for my late husband and my family.

Where's the other way round nah not good. Most presents I get are not for me. They go in the regifting box. Pointlessly saying anything. It won't change anything.

My late husband used to ask what I wanted for my main present. Then he would fill me a stocking up with bits and pieces in toiletries, and various beauty things I use so I had some stuff I didn't know I was getting.

I love baking and cooking so make Christmas cakes, truffles and so on for friends presents. I've tried saying the other way round. Doesn't make any difference.

I've told my eldest I'm happy to have the gifting of my favourite perfume for presents yearly. Doesn't always work.

As for candles; argh! I'm not into them. I always get them

Neilspurgeon0 Thu 29-Dec-22 11:25:49

Oh yes, forty pairs of socks and three of slippers !!!!

My feet have never felt so coddled !!!

TerryM Thu 29-Dec-22 11:20:03

I got one present , chocolate. For which I was truly grateful . Husband got the same. It was from our son and his family. They know we pretty well buy what we want for ourselves and we do.

CleoPanda Thu 29-Dec-22 11:18:31

We’ve had a “no gifts for adults” agreement with family and friends for 17 years!
At a conservative guess we’ve saved at least £8000 on possibly unwanted/unused gifts.
Everyone agrees we were ahead of time with the “less waste” ideas of today.
We buy ourselves something nice instead but not necessarily at Christmas.

Saggi Thu 29-Dec-22 11:17:13

From the same friend …every year…bath salts! I had to have my bathroom replaced with a shower room for my disabled husband 6 years ago. He’s now in an Alzheimer’s care home and I’m in process of getting a bath reinstated. No doubt her gifts will then stop and I’ll get something else I can’t use!

Bevthecake Thu 29-Dec-22 11:15:09

I got 6 packs of bath bombs from different people .. I think they’re trying to tell me something 😬