Did you get many unwanted presents?

I agree Iam64.
Let’s do our bit for the planet and stop buying consumer cr**p.

2mason16

Pashminas!! I could open a shop with the one's I've received over the years. They are all nice but not my thing. Any ideas for other uses for them?

I got one from SIL two years ago it shed so much fluff it ruined whatever you put on. I washed it decided it had a false label on and put it in the recycle I couldn't let anyone else fall for its charms and a repeat last year. This year I got a diffuser made in China with all the warnings of not lighting sticks or to be careful of contents as they might burn, so again a visit to the bin.
I think I am getting the message she wants me to self-combust while choking on a scarf that pretends to be a pashmina.

For the first time ever, this year I made a list of several items from £5 up to £30 of what I would like as a Christmas present. I emailed the list to my eldest daughter & she chose an item then forwarded the email (less the item she picked to buy for me) to my other daughter who then also picked what she wanted to buy, she then passed it on .... etc. So, I received lovely presents and my family spent what they wanted to on my presents. It worked really well and my family thought it a great idea.

I spoke to my friends about stopping gifts, four were happy enough to stop, two others got upset. These friends won't hear of present stopping as they seem to think I need gifts to open on Christmas morning as I live in my own, but I really don't need anything, especially if I can't use them. There's just my sister and I and we have a £15 limit which is great. It's usually chocolates and gloves or a scarf which I can wear walking dog.
The two friends that still buy me are the ones that bought me the clothes that are far too big and endless boxes smellies that I can't use, so going to the charity shop anyway.

Stopping gift giving with most people at Christmas = best thing ever.

I got literally three gifts this year and loved them all because the givers asked me what I wanted and bought specifically that. I also gave what was specifically asked for. Anything else is just a waste of everyone's time and money.

Alioop

I spoke to my friends about stopping gifts, four were happy enough to stop, two others got upset. These friends won't hear of present stopping as they seem to think I need gifts to open on Christmas morning as I live in my own, but I really don't need anything, especially if I can't use them. There's just my sister and I and we have a £15 limit which is great. It's usually chocolates and gloves or a scarf which I can wear walking dog.
The two friends that still buy me are the ones that bought me the clothes that are far too big and endless boxes smellies that I can't use, so going to the charity shop anyway.

So sorry to hear that Alioop. It's not a good gift if it's actually giving you work to do taking to the charity shop. It's going to be hard to say something, but it would be good to. Or maybe if they absolutely insist on swapping gifts, you could introduce a £5 limit AND point out you can't use smellies. That way they couldn't buy you clothes, at least.

I know charity benefits from it, but having to pretend you like something when you don't can't be good for us.

RVKICR. These virtual gifts are for you, with my good wishes.

I successfully stopped gift giving/receiving a few years back but it has started up again. Sister now gets me a 'little something' as I think she feels sorry for me no longer having a significant other, so I get her a small present too.

BIL does the same. It's a bit embarrassing as I've never reciprocated. He said, 'I know we agreed just to get cards, but we saw this and thought of you,' so he took the suggestion on board but chose to ignore it. He's a strong character so the only way to get him to actually listen would be downright rudeness - I'm not confrontational so I smile politely and say thank you, for what else can I do?

I think it’s better, rather than feel duty bound to buy gifts at Christmas, to give other small tokens of appreciation at random time/s during the year, when you see something that you think a friend/relative may like.

If you explain this to them I think it takes pressure off Christmas buying.

I’m shocked at the amount of stuff such as toiletries that are unwanted and re gifted. Aren’t toiletries personal preferences? I wouldn’t want them, even cheap from a charity shop.

Some of my earliest memories of Christmas are of my Mother opening beautiful gifts from her friends and family , then saying she didn't like them.

She has always been very hard to buy for. She could never enjoy or take pleasure in what was given, always relegated it to her "gift drawer" to be regifted, but always thanked the sender profusely in a wordy letter.

I have tried hard over the years to buy her nice things, that she might actually choose to use and not regift. Some of the gifts are displayed but un used. This year she did not acknowledge my gift at all, or that it was even Christmas. I don't think she can enjoy things.

I'm grateful she didn't buy me anything at all as last year's gift was a pretty awful scarf in vomit shades and patterns. I said thankyou , of course. If she had given me something this year then I'm sure it would have been an unwanted gift- probably one that she'd not wanted.

What is the best claw clip for fine straight hair? I’ve tried so many and they slide off my hair. I don’t want the tiny ones but about 4” long so I can easily tie my hair up in one clip.

Baglassy I have fine straight hair and buy hair claws on line from TegenAccessories. They have plenty of choice for fine hair, hand made French, so not cheap. They are excellent quality and even small ones never slip in my hair. No connection to this firm btw. 😀