Worst gift ever?

A bottle green, long, fill sleeved nightie/tent from my mum

My sister in law gave me a second hand thing for tumbling new potatoes to get the skin off. It was as big as a stand mixer and it was 'stored' at the back of the wardrobe but had to come out whenever she came as she always asked if it was useful!

I think I might be the odd one out here but some of these gifts sound jolly useful. If someone buys me pans or kitchen tools then I can spend housekeeping money on top end perfume or cosmetics.
I have told DH not to buy any more gifts as the house is full to overflowing.

I had an allotment and a close male friend presented me with a lorry-load of fresh manure. He thought I'd be delighted and he might benefit by receiving some of the super crops I would grow. It took two years before any of it was mature enough to use.

A small jar of instant coffee from my daughter's ex boyfriend for last Christmas. He was a bit strange lol

I can’t pretend to have read all of this thread, but am wondering if I am the only one who finds complaining about presents rather distasteful.

Father in law gave mil a garden hose one Christmas and a bottle of whisky another time. She didn't drink whisky but he did!

I am enjoying this thread, very funny, and most have said they have got out present when the giver is in their home, so I don’t think it distasteful to complain about a present that’s a little odd, this is a light heartened thread?

Just remembered the time when I looked after my then 8 year old daughter's school friend for a week to enable her mother to join her husband on an international work trip. When collecting her daughter she proudly handed over her thank you present - a bag containing the freebie toiletries from the hotel!

My great aunt bought me a pair of fishnet stockings with a red seam up the back!
A friend bought us a sink plunger as a wedding present. Another bought us an ashtray and said "I know neither of you smoke, but it might be useful!"

Grandma70 We are not complaining about presents in broad terms, just highlighting, usually with humour and bemusement those truly appalling ones that one very occasionally gets given.

Has no one ever given you a present that you looked at and wondered what on earth possessed the giver when they chose it for you?

My ex in-laws would give me a tin of biscuits to share while carefully choosing more expensive personal gifts for their son!

Before we married Mr Polly and I went to a friends wedding, we bought them a pressure cooker. When it was our wedding we had two veggie knives off this couple. Fast forward almost 25 years and when I had breast cancer Mr Polly didn’t get me flowers he bought me a set of saucepans!! He had bought me some lovely presents before then and since but did think it was an odd thing to get me. We just laugh about it now. Also I have a friend who always asks me what I want for either a special birthday or anniversary. I don’t like to say as I don’t know how much she wants to spend so if I say xyz it might be too much for her to spend or not enough plus I can never think of anything, consequently I never get anything! I use my imagination and get her presents that I think she’ll like.

Polly why don't you just say you would really like a surprise.

A lady I used to work with was given a large catering pack of cling film one year by her partner.

Mabel2, I guess she was the clingy type but afterwards she was Glad All Over..........?

Many years ago we had new neighbours move into the house next door to us and we invited them, and their children, to join us on our usual Boxing Day family gathering. They were delighted to be invited because they had no family or friends nearby and knew no one in the area. They duly arrived bearing gifts. I got a box of Nivea for Men moisturiser wipes and my OH received a Zip Lighter. He didn't smoke!

A strange Chinese mask. Just ugh.

My was a packet of Tesco disposable razors from Tesco, was speechless when I undid them and even more so when I realised he had put them in my shopping basket and I paid for them and wondered why he was changing brands

The worst gift I received that is the baja hoodie from my grandfather when I was six year old.Now I know where he has buy this drugruger.com/category/baja-hoodies/

The worse gift I've ever received was not receiving anything, but it was fine because now God has blessed me too receive so much!

I was (and still am) a great admirer of former President Obama. My well-meaning son recently gave me the gift of Obama's latest book, A Promised Land. It's 768 pages long. I made to to about page 400 and finally gave up.

No one should ever give anyone else a book that long!

SunnySusie

We got married in 1976 and that Christmas my Mum bought me a pair of slippers (and a hat and scarf set). I was in my early 20s and thought slippers were for old people so I just stashed them in the wardrobe and thought nothing of it. However it turned out that slippers were going to be a regular festive pressie and soon a stack of slippers had accumulated in the wardrobe. OH found them about 12 years later and in amazement pointed out they were all size 4 and I take a 5 and a half. Fast forward to 2014 (38 years later) and I am still receiving size 4 slippers from Mum every Christmas but by now she cant drive, so I take her shopping. I find myself in Hotter with Mum buying a pair of slippers for myself in the wrong size. We then drive back to her place where I wrap the slippers up and address the gift card to myself, putting them in Mum's cupboard until Christmas day when I open them and exclaim in delight at the lovely slippers. It was her last Christmas and she never knew - bless her.

This is such a nice story and really speaks to the love you felt for each other.

Although the gift was as wrong as it could be, the act of giving and receiving here is so rich and meaningful.

My rotten sister bought my exDH a tie and hanky(just the one) set from Asda with the 89p ticket left on it. Same time I got a blue Delft plant pot cover......which I had given our mum a couple of years earlier.....!