Anonymous wrote:For Christmas my one year my MIL gave us a professionally done 8x10 photo of her and her new husband. It was beautifully wrapped and when we opened it my husband and I had the hardest time stifling our laughter.

For about a year it was shoved in a bookshelf and I'd pull it out before she visited. Finally my husband outed me and it's been on the bookcase permanently since then.

AHAHA my ILs also did this just a couple of years ago, gave us a framed olan mills style picture of themselves. They used to send us tons of photos of themselves, lately they do it less. It would be nice except they are both so over the top vain (especially about their weight, they never shut up about their weight).

Least thoughtful: maid of honor got me wine and wine bottle opener as a shower gift. I do not drink and she is well aware of that, but thinks that I should.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got regifted a lemon candle as a secret santa gift in college. It wasn't on my idea list and I didn't get it until Christmas was well over, almost into February. I know it was regifted because it was one of the items my roommate had given her to help cheer her up after her mother had died a few months earlier.

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

(That situation definitely calls for a pass.)

Um no. Her mom had died the previous summer (several months before the secret santa). And she could have opted out of the Secret Santa entirely if she still wasn't up to participating.

You're a total ass. If she got the candle when her mother died, she probably was in a fog and forgot where it came from. Also, did you know that sometimes when parents die that can cause financial issues? Or maybe grief can even last "several months"? Geez. I'd re-gift to you too.

Thanks for your kind words but it's not about the candle, it was just how the whole thing played out. While I know she had a difficult time with her mom passing, the entire thing was very typical of her personality (flaky), which is how she was even before what happened with her mother. There's no need to go into other details here, but I'm pretty sure she just didn't give a crap rather than grief or financial hardship playing any major role in what happened. You'd have to meet her to understand I guess.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got regifted a lemon candle as a secret santa gift in college. It wasn't on my idea list and I didn't get it until Christmas was well over, almost into February. I know it was regifted because it was one of the items my roommate had given her to help cheer her up after her mother had died a few months earlier.

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

(That situation definitely calls for a pass.)

Um no. Her mom had died the previous summer (several months before the secret santa). And she could have opted out of the Secret Santa entirely if she still wasn't up to participating.

Agreed you are an ass. I can imagine having those feelings about the candle as an immature teen, but I would imagine that upon re-telling this tale as an adult, you'd realize what horrible pain that poor girl was in, and how you, in fact, were the thoughtless one. Maybe you are still in college?

I'm a New Year's Day baby. Worst birthday gift was the Caboodle make up case I got (age 13) from my parents as a Christmas gift in the "wrong" color/size returned/re-purchased re-wrapped for my birthday. The replacement had a broken mirror. My mom was so frustrated, she returned the damn thing, got her money back and...I never did own a Caboodle, damn it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got regifted a lemon candle as a secret santa gift in college. It wasn't on my idea list and I didn't get it until Christmas was well over, almost into February. I know it was regifted because it was one of the items my roommate had given her to help cheer her up after her mother had died a few months earlier.

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

(That situation definitely calls for a pass.)

Um no. Her mom had died the previous summer (several months before the secret santa). And she could have opted out of the Secret Santa entirely if she still wasn't up to participating.

You're a total ass. If she got the candle when her mother died, she probably was in a fog and forgot where it came from. Also, did you know that sometimes when parents die that can cause financial issues? Or maybe grief can even last "several months"? Geez. I'd re-gift to you too.

Most thoughtful:
My Grandma was very poor and on a limited fixed income. There were 8 grandchildren, all girls, and every year at Christmas she would give us each a few samples of perfume (you used to be able to get these little plastic vials at the "fancy" department stores back in the day)

She would collect and save them up all year from her trips into the city. We would all "ooh and ahh", compare scents, thankfully all truly grateful for such a sweet gift from my little gram.

Least thoughtful? The year my inlaws decided they were done doing gifts due to the expense and sent us 6 cookies. Probably cost more to send than to buy something. Sent the other 6 to my BIL. They were (are) mad we moved away from the (dying, no jobs, crime ridden) place we grew up and have to travel to see us. This was their big protest.

My sister says the most thoughtful gift I gave her was a portrait painting of her beloved orange tabby. He died a few weeks later and she has this wonderful reminder

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got regifted a lemon candle as a secret santa gift in college. It wasn't on my idea list and I didn't get it until Christmas was well over, almost into February. I know it was regifted because it was one of the items my roommate had given her to help cheer her up after her mother had died a few months earlier.

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

(That situation definitely calls for a pass.)

Um no. Her mom had died the previous summer (several months before the secret santa). And she could have opted out of the Secret Santa entirely if she still wasn't up to participating.

Most Thoughtful Gifts would have definitely come from my husband - a great bag when I started grad school, an amazing pair of heels to wear to our sons baptism, and then small things (a bottle of champagne waiting at hotel for my girls getaway). Oh and from my mom... she will buy me new spatula's and kitchen stuff for Christmas when she hears me say I need a new one. I love that she buys me stuff I really will use and not just "stuff".

Anonymous wrote:I got regifted a lemon candle as a secret santa gift in college. It wasn't on my idea list and I didn't get it until Christmas was well over, almost into February. I know it was regifted because it was one of the items my roommate had given her to help cheer her up after her mother had died a few months earlier.

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

(That situation definitely calls for a pass.)

Anonymous wrote:I got a pair of plastic earrings from an ex boyfriends mom. She was so nice and said she saw them and thought of me. Nothing about me indicates that I would wear plastic jewelry (I hope).

DH's mom got me a 'welcome to Jamaica' long shirt or sleep shirt- not sure which. I have only ever worn it as a joke to indicate to my DH that I am pissed off about something, since looking at it puts us both right out of the mood.

I get a lot of really random gifts. I think it's because I fake thankfulness so well.

I got a pair of plastic earrings from an ex boyfriends mom. She was so nice and said she saw them and thought of me. Nothing about me indicates that I would wear plastic jewelry (I hope).

DH's mom got me a 'welcome to Jamaica' long shirt or sleep shirt- not sure which. I have only ever worn it as a joke to indicate to my DH that I am pissed off about something, since looking at it puts us both right out of the mood.

I get a lot of really random gifts. I think it's because I fake thankfulness so well.

The least thoughtful gift was a porcelain doll my brother's fiancee gave to my young DD with autism. This was during the time when she could not play with any toy appropriately and would mouth and chew it. She gave me a blouse that was two sizes too large. She was a brilliant women (MD/PhD) but completely narcissistic.

My DH gave me a huge paella pan (so big I have nowhere to put it in my kitchen). I don't like paella, and he knows it. He really does like paella.