Christmas Presents You Don't Want

My mum had the same happenwith brass, and later frogs.
She didn't like either.

RVK1CR

melp1

Keep getting scented candles & have so many I don't need any more. Also Liqueur Chocs that I dislike from the same person every year.
How to make it know without offending I really do not want these type of gifts.

It must be annoying but I have nobody to give me presents, the last time I received anything was 2013. I often sit and cry at Christmas feeling lonely. All my friends from childhood, work, college have passed on and I have no relatives that care about me.

I'm so sorry to hear that RVK1CR, its easy for us to forget how lucky we are,

My ex mother in law had the funniest tale, one of her son't bought her a china siamese cat which she claimed she loved but didn't and put in a corner of the stairs. She seemed so fond of them that for the next five years or so everyone hunted high and low for more china cats, which again she seemed to love!! But eventually she had to confess and the cats went to the charity shop and we all had a good laugh!!!
I usually get things I don't need so they go straight to the charity shop too, I'm sure they are useful for those on low budgets.

Not mem - Me!!!

Aah, if you feel you could trust mem inbox me your address, and I'll send you a little parcel, just for you x

melp1

Keep getting scented candles & have so many I don't need any more. Also Liqueur Chocs that I dislike from the same person every year.
How to make it know without offending I really do not want these type of gifts.

It must be annoying but I have nobody to give me presents, the last time I received anything was 2013. I often sit and cry at Christmas feeling lonely. All my friends from childhood, work, college have passed on and I have no relatives that care about me.

I had really thoughtful gifts from a DIL who normally gives tat. However, a little deeper thought about why anyone would want to receive homemade fruit, Christmas pudding and cake when they are things we have already purchased because it's Christmas. Still, it's the thought that counts...!

I've managed to convince friends that I'd much rather they spend any money gifting something to me at a food bank or their favourite charity , I do likewise .

We put all unwanted gifts in a box , our local school / church . Take them as donations for fête's etc

I have just moved house so not much time to think about Christmas - I said to my adult kids, just get me ‘unwanted gifts’ that most people don’t like, so I was delighted to receive an arty teatowel, numerous bathroom salts, handcream etc, choccies and a houseplant. Very happy and stress free all round.

My dearest lady friends here in The Madrid Capital and I, select a day before the Christmas Holidays and we go out for a special lunch ..

Sort of a reunion.

We do not exchange physical personalised gifts.

We can all open a 2nd hand boutique !!

Sometimes a "white lie" can curtail these unwanted presents:
1) I developed an allergy to chocolate for example.
2) Another is I developed a mild case of bronchoistis and cannot use any scented toiletries or candles.

That might solve the problem !

theworriedwell

It's a bit of a trap isn't it. You will see lots of threads about being grateful for gifts even if you don't like them and I am always very thankful, tell people it is lovely etc. There comes a point where you feel like OP and the thought of another smelly candle is just too much but how do you say I know I've been telling you for 20 years that I love the smelly candles but actually I can't stand them so please stop. I know that's a bit of an exaggeration but I think you know what I mean.

For me it is the flowers, I really don't like cut flowers, having a big bunch delivered is expensive and I hate that someone has spent that money and then I just feel sad as they wilt and die and then I clear them up. How do I tell them without upsetting them? It is hard and I sympathise with OP.

Sorry OP i am definitely with you but no idea how to deal with it.

My eldest son has sent me flowers at Christmas for years, always the same florist who knows me and which blooms I like.This year she has retired and closed the shop and I just knew my son would find a different florist and pay a fortune for perhaps flowers I wouldn’t like so I dived in head first and phoned him with a request.
I am due to have a hospital stay shortly so I asked if he would buy me a pretty nightdress instead of flowers as my current nighties are getting rather worn.
The relief when I asked him I could feel over the phone, yes of course if that was what I wanted he was quite happy to buy me but what kind. We sorted out one I liked on Amazon, he ordered it, paid for it and I received it, washed it and it’s now ready when needed.
It cost him half of what the flowers would and I, hopefully will enjoy wearing it.
Problem solved 😊

Cateq

We’d said to all our AC’s not to buy gifts or vouchers for us, as we didn’t really need or want anything. Our DD sent a message on Christmas Eve to say she’d made donations to Marie Curie and Dogs Trust, which she knew we’d appreciate. However on Christmas Day eldest AS brought in a fancy coffee machine from all of them, apparently DH had mentioned months ago he saw this was on sale but when he went to buy it, it was sold out. Spent yesterday trying to figure out how to work it.😂😂

I hope you manage to master your coffee machine, they usually just take a bit of practice - there are often YouTube videos about the individual machines which can be useful. Amazon reviews often give helpful tips too.
Your post is obviously a happy one, but many of the posts are so sad, adult children who must surely know what presents their parents would appreciate but just can't be bothered to find suitable presents.

Donate them to someone who will appreciate them.

Toiletries are really handy for people with no relatives in care homes.

My children do usually ask me what I'd like so I think of something useful that I need, or say that I'd love some flowers or a "kill-proof" indoor plant.
I keep an ear out during the year for anything that they say they need and instantly say that I'll give them that for Christmas, or I go with my daughter when she is shopping for the children and buy her something to wear for herself.

We’d said to all our AC’s not to buy gifts or vouchers for us, as we didn’t really need or want anything. Our DD sent a message on Christmas Eve to say she’d made donations to Marie Curie and Dogs Trust, which she knew we’d appreciate. However on Christmas Day eldest AS brought in a fancy coffee machine from all of them, apparently DH had mentioned months ago he saw this was on sale but when he went to buy it, it was sold out. Spent yesterday trying to figure out how to work it.😂😂

There is no harm in regifting I have already passed on a gift to my friend for her grand daughters birthday coming up in February. Way to go. My daughters now ask what I would like so I get my face cleansers, creams and vouchers for beautician treatments this saves me money perfect.

As previously suggested. Don't offend the giver. Pass unwanted presents on " one man's meat is another man's poison". And there are food banks, charity shops etc who would welcome them.

Primrose53

I’ve said this on here before but I volunteered for 15 years in a charity shop. Every year as soon as we reopened after Christmas we were inundated with unwanted gifts. Toiletries, nightwear, slippers, books, calendars and diaries, ornaments, socks, perfumed candles, preserves etc.

It always stuck in my mind but one year a lady came in with a bin liner full of WRAPPED gifts. She said she couldn’t be bothered to open them as people never gave her things she really liked.

that is really quite sad isn't it? like she was invisible

I agree with most on here.
*You could give to a charity.
*Do a £5.00 maximum next year.
*Say I'm not buying this year I'm donating to a charity (perhaps one close to the "givers" heart- because like you I have everything I need and there are a lot of people that don't.
But Re-gifting is definitely tricky. 🙄

I have already “ regifted “ some items , with no compunction !

DD tries to buy activities for people rather than stuff. At our age we don't need or want more stuff! When my DiL was expecting my younger GC, DD gave them a weekend of chidcare looking after my GS so the parents could have a weekend away. I went along too and we had a weekend of fun. Unfortunately we caught Covid while there and both got ill when we got home! If I don't know what to give I tend to opt for a handmade gift, or a voucher.

Presents are not a contract - they are a GIFT. Appreciate that someone loves you enough to give you a present - I’m sure you could find other members of your family to take them off your hands.

I hear you! Every year I get Percy Pig stuff from M&S 🤷🏻‍♀️ and despite my stepdaughter asking what I fancied she gave me some slippers that won’t fit. They were costly too, had she given me what I’d asked for she’d have saved some money too smh

For some people it is the pleasure of giving that is important to them