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When I buy a gift I think of the person and what they like. Many times sending a card is appropriate.
I'm always thankful when receiving gifts, however, over the years have rec'd so many beautiful sweaters and robes that are either the wrong size, color and too much polyester.
Many times if I'm not sure what to buy someone I'll buy a nice throw blanket, it's a great gift.
Last edited by bellamax2; 01-08-2022 at 11:54 AM..
Many times if I'm not sure what to buy someone I'll buy a nice throw blanket, it's a great gift.
Not if you give the same person a throw every year or so because you can't come up with something better for them or you forget what you've given them in previous years. I have one relative in the UK who's sent me multiple throws. Individually, they're nice, but if I were to put all of them on the couch at the same time it would collapse under the weight. The linen closet is packed full so they end up being given away.
The same UK relative sent me a very odd garment this year. It was a loose bunchy weave, part sweater, part poncho. There's a high rolled collar neck and sleeves, but the lower part of it is open on the sides like a poncho. Because of the sleeve shape, you can't wear a coat over it and if its chilly, those open sides are too drafty to be comfortable without the coat. Really not sure how to wear such a thing to be honest.
I recall one odd gift from a godmother. It was a ceramic vase with a partially open zipper down one side. A small gnome-like grinning face peered out from the unzipped part. Other people who saw it thought it was suggestive but I know nothing would have been further from my godmother's mind!
My dad was an engineer. The original shirt pocket protector geek. He went through a phase when he couldn't find his favored knit shirts with breast pockets, so he hired a tailor to cut pieces out of the hems and create pockets out of them. All the hems were left with these cut outs. He'd never leave the house without his half dozen pens/pencils, calculator, and cheater glasses. Even for a beach stroll. Every time he'd bend over to peer at a shell everything would spill onto the sand and he'd curse a blue streak while gathering all of it up again. The family outing giggle. He was famous for giving odd gifts at times; obviously things he saw value in. I recall being given various sorts of multi-meters, pocket voltage testers, "pocket refs" suitable for electricians, builders, chemists, mathematicians, even physicists. All in tiny print with extensive tables of things like Dry Air Specific Sound Velocities, CFM vs PSI for Nozzles, Radio Isotope Half Lives, etc.
Last edited by Parnassia; 01-08-2022 at 04:58 PM..
Second hand underwear and bathing suit (from my mom when I was in my thirties).
And years later, at my birthday party at a park, my mom gave me a FILTHY area rug, which I made my kids spread out and leave under a tree. I was not taking that thing home.
Mom got a vase for me and one for my sister, but announced on Christmas morning that she liked mine so much, she was going to keep it. And did. She said she'd give it to me someday, but never did.
I was not surprised; when I was 16, she announced she was going to buy me a car (I was doing all the shopping, cooking, and cleaning for our household of 5). She chose Christmas morning to announce she'd changed her mind. She really, really enjoyed being a Christmas *****.
When I worked with special needs kids there was this one family who got a lot of my hours. At first they were very grateful for what I did for them, but being who they were I soon turned into a piece of furniture. I remember coming in one day to see a display of Christmas gifts for all the child's helpers at school. Such nice prettily arranged plates of home made cookies and a little especially chosen token, personal to each person. Mother proudly showed me each one and pressed me to tell her how wonderful she was for doing it all.
I received a plastic baggie (well it did have a Christmas theme) with a few squished, broken or burnt specimens of the same cookies that were so nicely displayed for the other care givers.
The difference was obvious. The other gifts would be viewed by everyone at the school. No one else was going to see my mashed bag. They were always all about the audience.
Not that they had to give me anything. But it was so nasty, the way I was expected to admire the elaborate work put into all her school care givers, and then given the dregs.
To me, one of the BEST...but maybe not so to others. About four years ago, DH warned me to act pleased and surprised when I opened my Christmas gift from youngest DD. I wouldn't need to ACT pleased or surprised, I'd love anything she gave me. He told me that she'd done a painting, and I may not like it. It was a framed charcoal portrait of my late dad, in his WWII Army uniform. It was done in her own unique surreal, somewhat abstract style, which isn't to everyone's taste (not DH's anyway), but it's HER signature art style. I think it's awesome and I treasure it. I'm looking at it right now hanging on the wall over my desk as I type this.
To me, one of the BEST...but maybe not so to others. About four years ago, DH warned me to act pleased and surprised when I opened my Christmas gift from youngest DD. I wouldn't need to ACT pleased or surprised, I'd love anything she gave me. He told me that she'd done a painting, and I may not like it. It was a framed charcoal portrait of my late dad, in his WWII Army uniform. It was done in her own unique surreal, somewhat abstract style, which isn't to everyone's taste (not DH's anyway), but it's HER signature art style. I think it's awesome and I treasure it. I'm looking at it right now hanging on the wall over my desk as I type this.
That sounds lovely but you've missed the point of the thread. I believe there is a BEST PRESENT thread going too.
This thread stresses me out. All these missed expectations. I'm worried about all the gifts I've given and all the weird gifts that I received (what did my mom mean to tell me by giving me a paper shredder when I was 21 years old?). I'd rather just not give anyone anything from now on!
This thread stresses me out. All these missed expectations. I'm worried about all the gifts I've given and all the weird gifts that I received (what did my mom mean to tell me by giving me a paper shredder when I was 21 years old?). I'd rather just not give anyone anything from now on!
That's what I did. No gift exchanges. It's quite peaceful. This doesn't mean I don't still make toys and beds for my friends' cats, though.
That's what I did. No gift exchanges. It's quite peaceful. This doesn't mean I don't still make toys and beds for my friends' cats, though.
Happy cats make me happy. A gift for all!
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