The list of unwanted gifts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Piles of cheap Chinese-made toys from Amazon. Just...why?! Why no-name, probably toxic "art supplies" in a gaudy plastic container my toddler can't even open herself when a box of washable Crayola crayons is less than $2? Why a puzzle for ages 7 and up for the same toddler (while her 8 year old sister got a Lego set for 4 year olds)? My ILs delight in giving us giant piles of cheap gifts, but every year 90% of it gets donated or thrown away (because it immediately falls apart). Would honestly 100% prefer no gifts, but they refuse to hear it.

My kids always get things from the ILs that they aren't into - they got Polly Pockets this year that they would have been thrilled 2 years ago to get and SIL gave one the same thing as last year. Kids are learning a good lesson about passing things along to a kid who will love it I guess.

[Anonymous]

From my brother and SIL: every year they give my kids (ages 9 and 6) a 1000 piece puzzle. The kids aren’t interested in doing puzzles and we have never even started one. I don’t know where they got the idea we like puzzles. I wish they’d give us nothing instead of a giant puzzle every year. It also does annoy me that I buy their kids gifts that i actually put time and effort (not to mention more $$ since I’m buying each kid a gift instead of one joint gift) into thinking of something I know they ‘ll like and be excited to open, that’s personal to each kid.

My BIL gave my 6 year old daughter a packet of miso soup mix, which is not something she has ever had or would want to have. I just don’t understand…

My parents are good gift givers now because they finally got to a point after years of bad gifts where they will actually ask me what the kids and my husband and I want and get exactly what I tell them. But honestly the whole gift giving thing is so ridiculous at this point. Either you are shopping from a wish list which is a way to guarantee you’re getting something someone wants but it’s not very fun since the recipient knows what they’re getting. Or you give them useless junk. There’s no in between it seems, in my family anyway.

[Anonymous]

I have mostly succeeded in stopping all this insanity and I can't tell you how much more I enjoy the holidays now! I give my kids (older teens) one gift plus cash. They like to give me gifts and know I prefer items I can use up like nice soaps and fancy tea.

My mother and siblings and I contribute to a family trip as our mutual gift. My friends and I may do small gifts (cookies, hand lotion, etc.) if we happen to get together around the holidays but nothing is expected. I focus my gift efforts on birthdays, but still try to focus on consumable gifts and/or experience-based gifts. No one in my life needs or wants more stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t do presents this year, so for once, NOTHING!

I did receive a metric ton of cookies and fudge that I could never eat. Sampled each and threw it away.

People are putting this stuff on my local buy nothing group and there is actually a competition for it. You don't realize how many people here are living close to the edge and would like some treats or some nutritious food.

Really? Wish I had known. It’s too late now, sadly. It hadn’t even occurred to me to offer it up that way. I figured nobody would want partially enjoyed confectionery.

Mostly people just acquire things on buy nothing as sport or as an activity that feels economically comforting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my brother and SIL: every year they give my kids (ages 9 and 6) a 1000 piece puzzle. The kids aren’t interested in doing puzzles and we have never even started one. I don’t know where they got the idea we like puzzles. I wish they’d give us nothing instead of a giant puzzle every year. It also does annoy me that I buy their kids gifts that i actually put time and effort (not to mention more $$ since I’m buying each kid a gift instead of one joint gift) into thinking of something I know they ‘ll like and be excited to open, that’s personal to each kid.

My BIL gave my 6 year old daughter a packet of miso soup mix, which is not something she has ever had or would want to have. I just don’t understand…

My parents are good gift givers now because they finally got to a point after years of bad gifts where they will actually ask me what the kids and my husband and I want and get exactly what I tell them. But honestly the whole gift giving thing is so ridiculous at this point. Either you are shopping from a wish list which is a way to guarantee you’re getting something someone wants but it’s not very fun since the recipient knows what they’re getting. Or you give them useless junk. There’s no in between it seems, in my family anyway.

I don’t understand why you don’t just get them a puzzle every year too. They’re telling you they like puzzles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand not liking candles. I wouldn’t give one because I think they’re generic but if I received one I would use it.

I hate candles and chocolate for gifts. It screams "you're a woman and I don't want to think about what you'd really like and you're supposed to like these (and flowers), right"

I don't like flowers either.

[Anonymous]

I spend the winter in south Florida so why does someone give me a puffy down vest for Christmas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GIANT blanket hoodies for each of the four members of our family. They are ENORMOUS and take up a whole drawer when folded. I don’t know what to do with them. We live in a small townhouse and I feel like there was malice behind giving them to us.

My SIL gave me one and I love it! I hang mine up in the closet when not in use.

OPP here. Maybe it’s still too early in the season but we found them stifling! It just feels like they will be stored more than used, and storage is in short supply around here!

I would love this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A wooden snowman MIL “found at craft fair.” Except she left the manufacturer’s sticker on it and it’s a mass produced tchotchke sold in places like Michaels.

Lol! I got one of those "found at craft fair" wooden cutting boards from my mother. I believe she got at a craft fair, as she goes to many (not in this area and just pay to have a table), but when I turned it over, sure enough a small clear, "made in another country" sticker on the bottom. I have a cutting board and will donate.

To be fair someone could have been selling that at a craft fair and your Mom got duped!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband gave me a custom family name sign. The problem is its grammatically incorrect. Our last name ends in s and he didn't make it plural. So the sign says (for example) "The Jones" instead of "The Joneses" or "The Jones Family" I don't honestly know what to do with it.

My DH's family did the same thing one year, well a similar thing: They gave us a sign that had an apostrophe possessive instead of making the sign plural -- "The Larloson's". My big issue was the grammar, but fwiw, I didn't take DH's name, so...

[Anonymous]

I got something I wanted, but monogrammed with the wrong initials. With our parents, I get a lot of household stuff (towels, food items, mugs) while DH gets cash gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:-Hot sauce sampler set from a white elephant party
-Random Avon assortment from my Avon Aunt (Avon products don't agree with my skin, but I've never said anything to her b/c she's older & on a limited income)
-3 candles (all floral scents, which I can't handle) from the IL side of the family

Not bad, honestly. My brother ended up taking the hot sauce sampler home with him. I usually offer up the Avon products to my friend group and anything not wanted I donate. I'll probably donate the candles too.

This reminds me of the dermatologist I dated for a couple of years. He got lots and lots of tiny smaller-than-travel-sized Aveeno lotions and Cetaphil cleansers and stuff like that as samples. Instead of tipping the doormen in his building, he gave them all a plastic bag full of that stuff. It was embarrassing. That doormen did not want sample sized itch cream ffs. He thought it was the most wonderful amazing gift. What a cheapskate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got something I wanted, but monogrammed with the wrong initials. With our parents, I get a lot of household stuff (towels, food items, mugs) while DH gets cash gifts.

I hope your DH splits the cash or gift cards with you. That's obnoxious. The message is that you are not an individual person deserving of a gift for yourself.

[Anonymous]

There's nothing malicious about a snuggie, LOL. No one is thinking about your storage space issues when they buy you a gift. Its a generic , inoffensive gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Hot sauce sampler set from a white elephant party
-Random Avon assortment from my Avon Aunt (Avon products don't agree with my skin, but I've never said anything to her b/c she's older & on a limited income)
-3 candles (all floral scents, which I can't handle) from the IL side of the family

Not bad, honestly. My brother ended up taking the hot sauce sampler home with him. I usually offer up the Avon products to my friend group and anything not wanted I donate. I'll probably donate the candles too.

This reminds me of the dermatologist I dated for a couple of years. He got lots and lots of tiny smaller-than-travel-sized Aveeno lotions and Cetaphil cleansers and stuff like that as samples. Instead of tipping the doormen in his building, he gave them all a plastic bag full of that stuff. It was embarrassing. That doormen did not want sample sized itch cream ffs. He thought it was the most wonderful amazing gift. What a cheapskate.

Wow, not tipping the building people is really asking for it. Maybe he sent money you didn’t know about. Sometimes there’s an organized system for collection.