Disappointing Christmas Presents.

My husband and I tell everyone we don't want presents. We have enough things. As a teenager I yearned for a record player. When I saw a big wrapped gift I was ecstatic. I opened it to find a large ugly leather shoulder bag.

This doesn’t relate to a Christmas present but still causes a laugh in our family. My husband brought me a set of wheel trims once for a Mothers Day present! I was not amused. To add insult to injury one of them came off the first time I drove with them on - think I was going round a roundabout. Despite him having no clue whatsoever regarding presents (we haven’t bothered for years now) we are still married - coming up to 50 years.

We really should try to be grateful for gifts and thankful. Presents are almost always given with the best intentions, and remember - there are plenty people who receive nothing, for various reasons, and would probably be so grateful to receive a gift, whatever it was.

Years ago my husband gave me four lovely wrapped Christmas presents. I opened the first one and to my delight it was my favourite perfume. The second one was too, and the third, and the fourth!

I am generous and share everything I make. I have made shortbread for years my family and friends all know this. Lavender or rose petal in the summer currant ginger or cherry in the winter. I make pickles and jams all seasonal it’s a pleasure to make them.
I have received as additional gifts four tins of shortbread. I am not a lover of chocolate yet I received three tins of chocolates.
I would prefer people didn’t buy these for me and every year I request no biscuits or chocolates. Our local food bank are getting them next week I hope a sweet treat brightens someone’s day as they are wasted on me.

Why would you ever ask for anything? Be gracious and thankful for any gift.

Wheel trims.

I don’t like getting presents. Never really have. It’s so awkward when most of the time, you simply don’t like what you get...and you have to look as if you do?.

The best times are buying for children, and seeing them open them.

I must say one year we had loads of fun with presents. We all bought our own...put them in a big box...unlabelled. On Christmas morning we all had to guess who had bought what for themselves.

I loved all my presents that year?. We just don’t buy for adults, and we don’t want them back.

Happy New Year everyone.

My mother lost her mother when she was 9 years old and became the person who was expected to cook, care for and clean for herself, two younger brothers and a father who turned to drink. For Christmas she was given a scrubbing brush as a present.

Despite this, you would have to go a long way in life to find someone who gave willingly of herself to all. She was the kindest hearted person I have ever met.

I don’t ask anyone for presents I don’t like money being wasted.

A long time friend of mine has a habit of buying me CDs for Christmas and birthdays because she knows I "like music". Trouble is, she guesses what she thinks I'll like or gets ones that she likes herself. Our tastes are quite different! She's only ever bought me a couple that I actually like, but I already had them both.

I loved all my presents and as we’d agreed as a family to stick to a budget of a tenner per gift some imagination had gone into the gifts. Same for the ones I gave, no young children to buy for so no plastic stuff.
My ex though usually managed to disappoint me in spite of many dropped hints. He was generous but spent in the wrong things. One year I was desperate for a sewing machine and had actually said I’d really love one. He bought me a lovely, original water colour painting! I still like the painting but it was some years before I acquired a second hand sewing machine courtesy of my sister who gave me her old one. Still in use.

I can never think of anything I want when it comes to my sons requests for Christmas or birthday present suggestions so anything I receive is a pleasant surprise.

I had a boyfriend who gave me an enormous bottle of Chanel No 5 actual perfume, not eau de toilette - it must have cost him a months wages.
Never having worn or tried it on, I didn't know what it was like. Well........ I put it on and it smelled like old lead pencils. I gave it to my Mum, it smelled lovely on her.

Many moons ago, the year I gave birth to my first child, a daughter, I really wanted an eternity ring. It was a tradition in his family that this happened on the birth of a first child. Come Christmas, my exH gave me an enormous box and proudly said he knew it was something I'd always wanted. I thought I'd be unpeeling box after box, but no.

It was a food processor.

Apparently only boys warranted an eternity ring - and 'perhaps I'd get it right next time...'

I’m usually of the opinion that kitchen gadgets are not good gifts but after buying myself a small air fryer a few years ago was hankering after a much larger double sided one which I can’t afford. So I was over the moon when my DD bought the Ninja one for me for Christmas. I use it most days and it’s one of the best presents I’ve ever had.

Our family this year (I have two sisters who in turn have partners with various offspring and partners), agreed to try doing a secret santa, so just one present to buy. It saved lots of stress rushing around buying numerous presents, to say nothing of lessening the cost. The only individual presents we did were for the little 4 year old great niece we have, and very small gifts between us sisters. Worked well for us so I think this will be the way to go for us for future Xmases.

A food processor that I hadn't asked for from my ex. He broke it 2 weeks later by trying to force some thick sliced gammon through it and it burnt the motor out ! Never got a replacement.
From when I was about 13 I desperately wanted a bike like my friends Raleigh 14. I got my brother's bike with the crossbar removed!
One of my cousins was given a large toy dog that our aunt had made for her - he was dressed in West Ham colours that she had followed me in supporting . I would have loved one the same, but I got a pink mohair cardigan instead! I hated pink and could only wear it once as it was too itchy even with a t shirt or jumper underneath it!

Cs783

I favour the Martin Lewis (money saving expert) call to ban unnecessary Christmas presents. In our family, we buy for children but are dropping buying for adults. Adult children / grandchild get treated by us as and when we want, and hopefully fairly, but not to schedule.

Yes, I agree with this. I tend to give my children useful presents or money for what they need, at the time when they need it.. This year my daughter in law asked for saucepans and my son asked me to make some curtains for him. My daughter had some lovely gold ankle boots, not something you would see as a necessity unless you actually knew her! My other daughter had a new bed earlier in the year and my other son had cash towards his bills.
DH and I don't give each other presents now, unless I see a book that I know he'd love. But he did give me a car this year so that I can continue to drive in the ULEZ, I think that will be enough to cover Christmas and birthdays until I pop my clogs.

I remember writing a list for my husband which included paving slabs and a drill. For my birthday he turned up with expensive lingerie which he thought was a far more suitable present for a female. I think he might have found his re-education a little painful but not half as much as finding that his gift was a waste of money because I was allergic to the elastic used and you can't take lingerie back.
My request for brown jeans became burnt orange as he appears to have difficulty with colours. My request for a back pack style handbag became a tiny leather cross body bag. We've come to an understanding now and I write an Amazon list with links!

I keep a box labeled gifts. Put in the unwanted ones and then they go for raffles or the charity shop.

HiPpyChick57

I’m usually of the opinion that kitchen gadgets are not good gifts but after buying myself a small air fryer a few years ago was hankering after a much larger double sided one which I can’t afford. So I was over the moon when my DD bought the Ninja one for me for Christmas. I use it most days and it’s one of the best presents I’ve ever had.

I love my Ninja too! It was a present to myself...

This year we told friends that we were no longer going to send/exchange presents at Christmas. I wish I had done it years ago. Family is easy as we just send money. It’s time we all stopped buying stuff because we are pressured into doing so.

Son No1 handed me a huge box, and I asked him if Pierce Brosnan was inside ? ...... sadly not, however, it was a beautiful floral Radley suitcase ready to fly down to Son No2 who’s just moved to Jersey .... am spending the New Year here so it’s just perfect.... and maybe I’ll get Pierce for my birthday ?

I wanted a red silk shirt one year but got a bicycle! It was a better buy in the end as I used it lots but I never got a red shirt. My beef is why ask me and then disregard it.