What is the Worst Present You Ever Received?

My future MIL gave me for our engagement a late 1950s vacuum cleaner it was in perfect working order. I know she meant well but I was gobsmacked at the time and didn’t appreciate it.

When I was about 10, I had saved some money; a very small amount received for doing jobs around the home. It took me months to earn.
My school required us to provide our own pocket dictionary, so my mother took me to buy one, then informed me it was my money that had paid for it. Her words were "It's your book, you wanted it, you've paid for it".
I have never forgotten how much that hurt.

A star shaped box with nothing in it.
It was my gift from Secret Santa at work one year.

A pair of horrible brown leg warmers from my husband the first year we were married!

He made it up by buying me some lovely presents for a while until he bought me the same perfume he bought his mother!

Love this thread!

My father had a girlfriend who was very envious of me. One year a very large fancy gold package appeared. Opening it, I discovered an enormous granny gown and a pair of cloth slippers (no left or right type). Plainly Dollar Store cheapies. Come to find out, girlfriend had shopped for my gift and he, trusting her, had not even seen it! I was embarrassed to pass it on to charity and refused to ever meet girlfriend again!

A truly nasty table lighter inside a large shell.
This was a wedding present from a couple who were friends of my parents. And they actually asked if they could bring their teenage daughters to our wedding as well.
Second-worst present: a new vacuum cleaner from my husband after I commented that I disliked vacuuming. He got a proper earful and could be persuaded thereafter to do some himself.

Steelygran

A box of Hotel Chocolat out of date chocs from a friend. They were awful! I'd never buy an "out of date" gift for someone. It gives the impression you don't think they're worth spending the full price of a box of chocolates on. A bit sad really.

I think the chocs were probs an old gift your friend wanted to recycle. Gift recycling is tricky, we only do it if a friend or neighbour we hadn't expected to buy us anything turns up with a present, then we take something someone else gave us from under the tree - yes we do unwrap smaller gifts from friends before xmas day in case they are edibles we can enjoy with the family - and pop it in a gift bag.
But one year we recieved a gift from our SiLs parents that we had given to them the year before. We said nothing, just thanked them. Easy mistake to make if you are into recycling gifts. Luckily this gift was a rather lovely tiered cake stand so was not out of date.

A bunch of red roses , by my philandering husband. He is now my Ex.

My (now ex) husband bought me a kitchen clock for my birthday. While I was looking at it in disbelief he added insult to injury by saying his mother had seen it in a shop window and suggested he buy it for me 😆

It’s between the frying pan my old boy gave me one Mothers Day (no I didn’t bash him with it but it was close!) and the, frumpiest and most middle aged, dressing gown ever for Christmas. As a very young mum at the time neither of these were a big success, thankfully his taste has greatly improved over the years… I’ve trained him well!! 😬😁

kittylester

DH once gave me one of those irons that sat on a big water tank.

All presents are now judged on whether they are better or worse than 'Dad's iron'.

My father bought one of those irons for my mother. He was so proud of it when he presented it to her, saying it would make the ironing easier. I think if she could have, she would have thrown it out of the window. She hated it and it sat for years in its box while she ploughed on with her old Morphy Richards!

My late mother-in-law was a great fan of car boot sales.
One year for my birthday she gave me a jumper that smelt of sweat under the arms.
I never did like her.

DH once gave me one of those irons that sat on a big water tank.

All presents are now judged on whether they are better or worse than 'Dad's iron'.

A box of Hotel Chocolat out of date chocs from a friend. They were awful! I'd never buy an "out of date" gift for someone. It gives the impression you don't think they're worth spending the full price of a box of chocolates on. A bit sad really.

When I was about 12 my Aunt gave me some thick green and black diamond-patterned tights with matching spats! I was absolutely horrified.

A used lavender coloured petticoat, from my mother's best friend. For quite seperate reasons this long friendship ended abruptly shortly afterwards.

Perhaps she saw the writing on the wall.

3 pairs of school grey long socks because the aunt concerned felt this would help my struggling single parent mother. I don’t think I have ever been more disappointed!

I was convinced my (ex) husband had bought me a sewing machine for Christmas - but it turned out to be a collapsible shopping trolley because I'd complained about walking up a steep hill 7 months pregnant with a 2 year old in tow to get to the nearest supermarket.

However - the next Christmas he bought me a voucher for a swanky independent clothes shop - when I went to spend it the owner sheepishly told me the cheque he paid with had bounced so it was void.

One of the many reasons he's ex.

My MIL once bought me a candle snuffer. We live in a 3-bed semi, not a castle

I think that accolade would have to go to my grandmother when I was about 9, she always sent me rather odd presents, but generally included a 10 shilling note or if I was really lucky a £1 pound note. So I unwrapped this beautifully wrapped bulky parcel and found a load of material off cuts I spent ages rummaging through them trying to find the elusive money, but alas it wasn't there maybe she'd conveniently forgot to include it. What I was expected to do with the pieces of material heaven knows! given I hated anything to do with needles and thread, sewing was my most hated subject worse than maths!

A used candle, it was my bran tub gift where I used to work.

It wasn't a present, but a card.
The man I was with made a big song and dance about fetching it, and presenting it to me.

When I opened it, it said "Best wishes, Kevin."

Many years ago a rack that should of been fixed to a wall and which should of had the ironing board hung from it with the iron on a tiny shelf above it. And yes it was my OH that had the strange idea that it would be loved and cherished!!!!
That was the last year we bought presents for each other, wonder why

A glasses case off a great aunt when I was about 7/8, I didn't wear glasses but still had to send a thankyou note.

A cover for the tv times from my sister in law!! Years ago