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Peculiar birthday gifts

Mander

(website)

Veteran

Most of the time I do pretty well on birthdays -- people tend to get me things that suit my taste or are suitably generic that just about anyone would like them. And I am not picky, nor hard to please, so it is rare that I get gifts that are just completely wrong.

However, this year I have received a gift set of fancy perfume (I rarely wear perfume because it gives me a headache), a CD by an artist I don't like and in a style of music that I can't stand, and a cheesy romantic comedy (I'm more of a sci-fi comedy or documentary kind of girl).

I'm not upset or anything, just slightly mystified. And of course, wondering what to do with these items. I'll probably give the CD a listen, because you never know, but I'm kind of tempted to eBay the perfume...

Do you ever get gifts that leave you bemused?

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17 replies

Latest reply was from ManidipaM

Laurinda

Veteran

I'm lucky I guess, I never get gifts from people that are not my closest & bestest.

Any gift is yours to eBay.

MsMary

Veteran

I got a gift set of perfume one Christmas and the next year I took it to a ladies' lunch/holiday gift exchange where we played the "steal the gift" game. Turned out to be the most popular item of the day!

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Oh yeah! 4 yrs ago, I got a Xmas gift from my BIL/SIL who gave me a set of Men's Tshirts that were size 3XXX (a not so sly reference to my weight problem.) Against my wishes, DH called them to complain (he knew they upset me, but I wanted to just let it go) so the following yr they sent me a young child's size tee....nothing since, which is fine by me

Mo

(website)

Veteran

An old roommate of mind would get the same thing from her fiance's mom every year - a white turtleneck and thigh cream! For like 10 years. Sheesh. She never did marry him but I wonder if she would still be receiving the same things if she did!

Irene

Veteran

I got a weird gift from an exchange student (I went there, then she came here).

She didn't know much about me and she decided I was super girly. She bought me some pink stuff -I think a pink mobile holder with a teddy bear? and a pendant?-. Wow, that was... ahem... sweet. Maybe a bit too much. But she didn't know me so I guess it's fine and she was just trying to be nice and polite.

I have returned several presents by my mom. We are both quite picky (she usually returns mine as well). It can be disappointing at times but we both understand each other.

Oh, also I received a horrible set of earrings once by the mother of one of my students. Somehow she thought I had gone 'boho all wrong'.

Louise

Veteran

For my birthday this year someone at work bought me a really cheap looking large face plasticky strap white watch, when I have the most beautiful chunky face white leather strap timex watch that BF bought me for my 30th birthday! For Christmas last year she gave me a gift card with no money on it! I'm guessing she'd been given it previously and it hadn't been used for 12 months and the balance had been lost. I'm looking for something equally naff for her Christmas present any ideas??? X

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Louise, a Chia pet is always a WTF?? gift http://www.chiapet.com/index.php/chia-products

Ana

(website)

Veteran

My aunt and uncle gave DH and me a big box of random stuff for Christmas one year. I could tell it was a bunch of stuff they had in their cabinets and wanted to get rid of. Some of it was food that had expired YEARS before. And then a bottle of Softsoap (the kind you get at the grocery store for $1). We don't exchange gifts with them anymore.

Louise

Veteran

Oh Mo I love it! X

Anonymous

This thread is making me giggle!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

This is at the funny stage - oh my I really can't complain but I did have a friend who always bought me things she would love like tiny pendants & pink gym socks for example.

People like to be known for who they are as well as loved for who they are, & receiving these thoughtless gifts can be hurtful.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

Anyone who knows me, knows that I just love dogs.

One year, I got a very cutesy purse from my elderly Grandma. It was a beige purse with a hand-painted dog on the front of it. It was very sweet (for a kid or a pre-teen), and yet, the painting of the dog on the front of the purse was beautifuly done and very creative - quite artistic. It's just that I am not in the habit of carrying handbags with painted dogs on the front.

You know what? I kept it. I don't use it...but I still pull it out from time to time, just to admire the pretty doggie on the front of the purse, and appreciate the fact that my Grandma tried to get me something that she thought I would love. She's 97 years old, and went to some craft fair or artsty type of place and bought it for me. Like I said, the painting on the bag is really nicely done...just that it's not something I'd actually use.

But still - I appreciate the effort, the love and care that went into it. So I still have that thing!

anne

Veteran

Mander, are these from people who knows you well and should know all this? Because all three sound like generic gifts that someone who doesn't know you might assume a girl might like

Glory

Veteran

I have had a few good ones over the years but this one you have to just laugh about. Last year I received a used cookbook, in another language from an SIL. I mean really used, with food marks and a note saying her company gave them out as a holiday gift and this one was extra.

Mander

(website)

Veteran

It would make more sense if these were from people who don't really know me, but the perfume was from my mother-in-law, and the other two from my brother-in-law, who is fairly close with my husband and often comes to visit us. I thought that we all shared similar tastes in music and films, so I find his choices rather odd. My best guess is that he had no time but felt he had to get *something* and just picked up some items from whatever shop was most convenient.

But really, I would have been fine with a card.

MNsara

Veteran

Oh, guys have a reputation of being last minute, clueless giftgivers. I have to presume that rap was assigned because SO many men fit it.

I might guess that your MIL received the perfume as a gift, and it was a lovely gift that she wouldn't use, but hoped you would appreciate it, so she regifted. Dont' know her age, but typically the older we get, the more likely we are to do that sort of thing

I don't know about your family's insistance on gifts, but I'd be tempted next year to say 'no gifts' from anyone (except my own DH)! But I've gotten fussy enough that if I really want something, I'll probably buy it. It's unlikely that another family member could randomly know what I want/appreciate.

We DON'T give out gift lists, except between my DH and me -- and that's because we've gotten so particular.

Anyway, I feel SUPER STRONGLY that once a gift is given the giver should NEVER ask about it. It is now yours to do with HOWEVER you see fit -- including Ebay it

ManidipaM

Veteran

Mander, feel free to ebay or pass on, I think. Mystifying as it is, Sara's reconstruction certainly makes sense.

As for the gifts Biscuitsmom got, the mind boggles o.O... My head is steadfastly refusing to wrap around that one. UGH! The NERVE of some people!