Gifts that missed

[teachermom2834]

This is meant to be lighthearted and not a true gripe about dh. Dh is a terrible gift giver. Even with pretty specific instructions he messes up. Like he’ll get something a couple degrees off that doesn’t work at all. For example, one year I asked for a t-shirt for our favorite team in size M. He got some other size that didn’t work at all because they didn’t have M. But he felt like he did good because it was almost what I asked for.  This year I shopped for myself and just gave him some things to wrap and that worked great but he must have felt like he wanted to get something. So he got me an ornament. One of those family ones- it is a fireplace with stockings hanging. To me it is obviously meant to be one for each family member. He got one with 5 stockings. We have four kids so 4 would have made sense- or six. But five just doesn’t work at all. Lol.

My 20 yo ds bought candles for all the women in his life. That is usually a good bet as we all enjoy them and he got nice ones. Problem was he included his little sister is the “women get candles” group. She is ten and was not impressed. I told him he had a couple years before she will be excited about a candle. 

Overall we all did pretty well without going overboard which is always a challenge. 

[rebcoola]

I think we had mostly hits this year though we got 3 new copies of Exploding Kittens.  MIL gave me something called Shiraz on the Shelf that's a play on Elf on the Shelf to get christmas wine each night.  It could be cute but seriously it comes with just an empty wine glass and a poem for $50.  

[HomeAgain]

😄  DH was so thrilled this year that I didn't need any of his gifts he had bought for me to give to him.  I'm a terrible giver and he's worse to shop for. 🙂 Goodness knows we don't complement each other well in that area.  But he was thrilled with what he did get, so yay for me this year!
However, oldest ds' had technical issues with his big gift.  We've ordered a replacement, but it means he has to wait a few days for that to be able to use his other gift.  And the 8yo feels like the oldest is his playmate, so he got some toys for him that would be perfect if the oldest was 8, not nearly 20. 😄 I almost feel bad because I was the one who took him shopping, but then I watched the oldest looking almost jealous when the 8yo opened his gifts, so I don't think it was nearly as off mark as I initially thought.  (8yo got a slackline set, oldest is ready to go set it up for him right now so they can both go play on it.)

[alisoncooks]

DH bought me one of those giant 1lb Reese's cups. (The only thing I got from him and the kids.)  Which is okaaaay...but it was obviously a last minute grab and he's the Reese's lover, not me.

No worries...I bought myself some nice things. 😉

[gardenmom5]

mil has the curiosity that killed the cat.  dh remembers with great fondness  fil coming to teenage him and asking him to make a package that made all sorts of noise for mil. . . . . jar of screws and nuts, a brick, broken glass.  all kinds of things to make noise.   10 minutes after it was under the tree - she was shaking it trying to figure out what it was. on Christmas day - it was an electric blanket.

he's tried to do such things with me   - the first time, he stuck a film canister into a saw box - with the saw he was returning to the store.  it didn't go over well, even though the film canister contained gold earrings. 

next time - he gave me a candy box (wrapped by the candy store) .. . I was slow to open it because it was "just candy".   it was a gold necklace with a few chocolates in the space not taken up by the jewelry box.

this year - he did the candy box again - so I knew there was a "real" present in there.  I hardly wear jewelry, but the thought of tickets crossed my mind.. . . inside were two "certificates" for me to buy airplane tickets to go see grandbaby.  (and a full box of chocolates) he wanted me to not have to worry about the money for the tickets - I still have to plan dates with him becasue he will have to run dudeling everywhere while I'm gone.   but I miss grandbaby . . . . .

[Annie G]

Last year dh gave me a lovely long sleeve shirt that featured my favorite college football team in their bowl game. In November it was left behind in a hotel. It’s a year old, so no big deal, though I loved that shirt. Well, to dh it was. He tracked down the shirt and paid a premium to replace it, except this one is short sleeve v neck and a lot larger and a different color.  But other than that, exactly the same. 🙄

This falls into the ‘it’s the thought that counts’ category. 

[Murphy101]

A son got me a 12" tall Harry Potter goblet of fire replica - because he wanted to get me "a nice coffee mug."  😆  There is no way a person can actually drink out of this thing.  It's now holding all my lipsticks.

My mil got me a crock pot.  I have not used the two crock pots I have in years.  I just go straight for the instapot.  Who has been married for over a quarter century and didn't already own a crock pot?? 

 

[JustEm]

My ten year old son got a bunch of clothes from some of dh's family members. While the clothing is nice, being ten, he has no interest in clothing.  I was glad he graciously accepted the gifts and said thank you, but I could  tell he was bummed out a bit.  Thankfully, he got tons of fun stuff from mil and fil to make up for the clothes from the other relatives.

I got the most hideous shirt from dh's grandmother.  She always gets me an ugly shirt though so I knew to expect it. 

[ScoutTN]

My mom gave dh solar lights for our sidewalk that goes from the driveway to the front door.  Some thing that she needs/wants. (Because the sidewalk is not completely level.) He made a funny comment when he opened it, but she didn't get it. Even today when she called , she didn't understand why her "gift" was not appreciated. Oh well, we get a useful thing for our home, not all bad. I'll add some to dh's fun money next month so he can get himself a real gift. 

Edited December 26, 2018 by ScoutTN

[RootAnn]

2 hours ago, rebcoola said:

  MIL gave me something called Shiraz on the Shelf that's a play on Elf on the Shelf to get christmas wine each night.  It could be cute but seriously it comes with just an empty wine glass and a poem for $50.  

Wow! Looks like it is only $30 now, but I think I'll pick up a wine glass from the thrift store & have my daughter do a box up and spend the $$ saved on wine. I have a friend who would love this. (And a WTM friend who moved away who would also love it. I wonder if she already has one though . . .)

[SamanthaCarter]

I didn’t get anything with any wow factor, but that’s okay. I got a hairdryer (to replace my sparking one), measuring cups and spoons (to replace the vanishing ones), some paring knives (to replace the broken ones).

My in-laws gave me a random mug, alpaca insoles and the annual (not picked by me) clothes. 😕

Kinda hope mom and dad come through! 

[Storygirl]

DH got the exact same shirt from his sister and sister-in-law. He wanted a t-shirt for our flagship university football team but wears a big and tall size, so they are hard to find. The SILs both shopped online from different stores and ended up purchasing the exact same shirt. 😂

[PeachyDoodle]

DS8 opened a gift from his aunt and uncle, which was very clearly a box from the glass cake plate/stand they'd received for their wedding. He sweetly and enthusiastically exclaimed, "I don't know what it is, but I love it!"

Fortunately, there was not a cake plate inside, but a pair of baseball pants and a new glove. Bless his heart, I think he took that lecture about appreciating every gift seriously! 😂

[Storygirl]

Oh, and DH gave me a headlamp flashlight. I was a little perplexed until I remembered that I had put it in my Amazon cart and saved it for later.....because I was thinking of buying it for DS. Not me!!

But it might come in handy when I'm walking the dog in the mostly dark yard at night.

[Guest]

We didn’t have any misses this year really, but I have a funny story about dh not being a good gift selector. 

He does usually get me a gift, but I also have, for the past few years, bought myself the thing I really want and I don’t want anyone screwing up. I must say, this works out perfectly well for me. So, anyway, a few days before Christmas, dh and I discussed this trend:

Me: “Well, you know, I have already bought myself a gift for myself.”

Him: “I know, but I don’t know why you don’t just tell me the thing you want and then I would know what to give you.”

Me: “I actually mentioned I wanted this thing early this year, but you said we have one already. Then, when I attempted to use the one we have, you said, ‘Oh, that hasn’t worked in years.’ So I don’t want you to try and talk me out of wanting the thing I want. I just want to get my own.”

At this point, he was astonished to hear this report of his behavior and asked what the item is. It’s a ukelele. Then he laughs out loud because he remembers, yes, he did do exactly that! He told me we have a uke, then the uke was broken and he remembered it was broken. 

So now I have my own Ukelele, which is exactly the kind I wanted and it works! 

[TABmom]

1 hour ago, Storygirl said:

DH got the exact same shirt from his sister and sister-in-law. He wanted a t-shirt for our flagship university football team but wears a big and tall size, so they are hard to find. The SILs both shopped online from different stores and ended up purchasing the exact same shirt. 😂

 

Something funny like this happened at my in-laws. One of dh's brothers was wearing a shirt that his girlfriend had gotten him for Christmas. His other brother got the exact same shirt from his wife! We all thought that was pretty funny. A couple of years ago, my sister in law and I got the exact same boots for Christmas. Our dhs (my dh and his brother) had picked them out- they hadn't talked about it beforehand or anything! I just showed up at their house one time wearing the same boots. Crazy!

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, TABmom said:

 

Something funny like this happened at my in-laws. One of dh's brothers was wearing a shirt that his girlfriend had gotten him for Christmas. His other brother got the exact same shirt from his wife! We all thought that was pretty funny. A couple of years ago, my sister in law and I got the exact same boots for Christmas. Our dhs (my dh and his brother) had picked them out- they hadn't talked about it beforehand or anything! I just showed up at their house one time wearing the same boots. Crazy!

One year at Christmas, dh and his brother arrived to dinner wearing the same sweaters in two different color choices. I think dh’s was grey with a little print on it and BIL’s was beige with the same print. 

[Emba]

My aunt is always giving gifts she got on clearance, which we know because either she tells us so or the clearance tags are still attached. I mean, I'm all for frugal gifts but you keep the knowledge of how cheap it was a secret...

Anyway, this year everyone got sweaters - my brother in law got one that was probably a woman's medium - it was obviously way too small. His 8 year old daughter got one in size 14-16 (and she's a small eight). My SiL, sister and I got sweaters that fit but are scratchy and ugly, like ugly Christmas sweaters without Christmas. My son who is eleven also got a 14-16.

One year i asked my husband for a Nook e-reader. The only thing I asked for, I wanted it really bad. I opened my gift and it was a rack shaped like a pig for cooking jalapeno poppers. He purchased it on impulse at a farm show because "you like to cook poppers". sure, once or twice a year. Even his mom couldn't believe it. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by emba56

[PeterPan]

9 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

DH bought me one of those giant 1lb Reese's cups. (The only thing I got from him and the kids.)  Which is okaaaay...but it was obviously a last minute grab and he's the Reese's lover, not me.

No worries...I bought myself some nice things. 😉

You're making me feel better. I got a card and a replacement toaster oven in a garish shade of red. I still haven't figured out what I'm going to buy/do to fix the wifely neglect, but I did get even by bringing in a treadmill (he's overweight by a fuzz) and telling him it was his present. Snort. 

[Robin M]

I’ve trained hubby and son to buy gifts off our amazon wish lists.  My siblings and father will buys us presents from our Amazon wishlist so give us things we actually want.  Hubby’s side evidently don’t pay attention to any of that.  Hubby has diverticulitis which means no nuts and I have sensitivity to scents.  I make an effort to buy them things they will enjoy - books, movies, puzzles.  What do his brothers and father give us this year. Food gifts including  Assorted popcorn, nut filled cookies, raisin cookies and scented candles.  Last year a variation of the same.  We end up giving it away or throwing away after a while.  Sigh!

Edited December 27, 2018 by Robin M

[Chris in VA]

Dh bought me a package of 12 tins of Altoids. He always kept a tin in his car, and I would eat them (but not all of them...). We can't find them here. They are not my favorite, they are something he buys! So he ordered them on Amazon and had dd bring them in her suitcase. I opened them expecting a new phone...we all laughed, at least. 

And I did get a new phone. It's not a great one, but it's better than the J3 I had.

My presents for him were a dud. I found some floor pillows he could use to prop himself up in bed instead of borrowing one of the couch cushions. I also got an assortment of frames because he hates having nothing on the walls (we couldn't bring any personal items--no room--when we moved, so no pics on the walls). 

[DawnM]

My Mini Cooper's top ball part of the stick shift was falling apart.  I honestly didn't even care, it worked just fine.......but it bugged DH to no end.  So, he got me a new part for that and installed it.  He also got me windshield wipers and installed those.

Sigh......one thing was what HE wanted.  The other was necessary and would have been purchased anyway.  

I love him, but he is most likely on the spectrum somewhere, and just doesn't get it.  It is practical or nothing.....or what HE wants and thinks by default, I must want it too.

[Jkacz]

MIL and I have completely different ideas and tastes.  This year she got me an electric fly swatter.  It was the same thing she gave me last year.  Older DS has decided that he wants it so he can use it on his brother.  Then DH told her I wanted new heavy duty, dark cookie sheets in a certain size (I think it was 12x18, he measured my existing ones so she couldn’t screw if up).  I got shiny ones that were so big they literally do not fit in my standard size oven.  At least this year she didn’t try to get me clothes. 

[Pippen]

23 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

DH bought me one of those giant 1lb Reese's cups. (The only thing I got from him and the kids.)  Which is okaaaay...but it was obviously a last minute grab and he's the Reese's lover, not me.

No worries...I bought myself some nice things. 😉

This reminded me of the year my dad bought my mom the fishing rod he always wanted for *her*  birthday.

[Meriwether]

I got an old chicken box and a fake egg to put under a chicken to encourage brooding from my in-law gift exchange. MIL knows I like chickens and these were family pieces from each side of my husband's family. But they aren't display pieces and I can't ha e chickens where we live.

Dh and the kids got me nothing. This is typical, and I usually don't mind. This year I did.

My family decided to spend a day together doing something instead of exchanging gifts. It was my idea actually, so it is definitely okay.

But overall, I am feeling unappreciated this year. 

[JustEm]

43 minutes ago, Meriwether said:

I got an old chicken box and a fake egg to put under a chicken to encourage brooding from my in-law gift exchange. MIL knows I like chickens and these were family pieces from each side of my husband's family. But they aren't display pieces and I can't ha e chickens where we live.

Dh and the kids got me nothing. This is typical, and I usually don't mind. This year I did.

My family decided to spend a day together doing something instead of exchanging gifts. It was my idea actually, so it is definitely okay.

But overall, I am feeling unappreciated this year. 

I'm sorry you are feeling unappreciated. I think you should go out and pamper yourself.

[BlsdMama]

Who knew pogo sticks had minimum weight requirements to work?

 

#momfail

[Meriwether]

7 hours ago, hjffkj said:

I'm sorry you are feeling unappreciated. I think you should go out and pamper yourself.

We made it down to my family's Christmas. I told my sister this morning about the rest of my Christmas. By the time I got down here, she had a large gift bag full of stuff for me. It did not occur to me when I was talking to her that she would do that, but once she did I realized that it should have occurred to me. If that makes sense. It is very like her. And my parents gave us money, which will mean a gift for me eventually. And Dh and the kids are trying. Just being with my FOO has been really nice. I think I am mostly over my funk.

[BakersDozen]

I initially thought the large box placed at my feet on Christmas Day was from my dh and that he had once again gone against our agreement to not buy gifts for each other. I have long since stopped feeling guilty that I keep my end of the bargain and still feel exasperated that he won't keep his end...especially as his gifts are misses...total strikes. So when I opened the box my heart sank and I thought this was truly the miss of misses...strike out. It was an Instant Pot.

I despise gadgets. I despise cooking. I despise having to do more than fill a pot with water and put it on the stove, pop open a jar/can of something and heat it in the microwave. I'm not an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker/slow cooker) kind of gal. So I thought my dh had bought what he wanted (again) and given it to me in the guise of a "gift". Thankfully, it was my mil who bought it for us (she loves to cook and knows I don't). Funny thing is my dh and my dd's husband spent almost 30 minutes trying to figure out how to make simple rice. I finally walked by and whispered, "You know, you could just use a pot on the stove." They ended up using a pot on the stove. Instant Pot is boxed up and shoved somewhere because I refuse to have stuff on my counters and won't make room in my cabinets.

So that was the "miss" present. At least it wasn't from my dh...

[skimomma]

17 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

Who knew pogo sticks had minimum weight requirements to work?

 

#momfail

 

I learned that lesson the hard way many years ago.  It also did not occur to Santa that pogo sticks are not terribly fun in three feet of snow.  Luckily we were able to exchange it and once May came around it got more use than just about any other toy we ever bought for dd.

[JayneJ]

We had several misses at my MIL Christmas Party with my DH side. 

My oldest was the only grandchild that didn't receive a handmade stocking from his Grannie. It hurt him pretty bad. 

My youngest thought Grannie was getting him toy soldiers because they had talked about the last time he was over playing at her house. She didn't get him any toys instead a pair of binoculars. They are really heavy & expensive so I doubt he'll ever use them.. he was seriously bummed. I did fine a $10 Walmart giftcard in the stocking she made him,so I tried to remind him he can go pick out his own toy. What really stinks is that she asked DH what toy she should get him and we said "hot wheels" a few days before the party because we didn't know about the toy solider conversation they had had previously but she went with these instead.  

My teens got a huge ping pong table from their aunt/uncle. That we have no room for at all. It would take hours to clean an area to even get it up. Plus my teens don't like to play games or even do arts/hobby stuff down in the basement which is the only place it could even possibly go...I don't know where they got the idea from. I really wish they would have told DH before they got it. 

I stopped having misses for our Christmas Day, just a few surprises for each person and they get a budget around Sept/Oct to pick out what they want. 

[kbutton]

My MIL didn't believe that my son's list was actually his list (she was convinced it was his brother's list). She has a habit of making straightforward things really difficult. He did fine with his gifts, but they were mostly decorative things...for a 14 year old boy. Somewhere along the line, I apparently promised SIL to supply additional list items, but I do not remember saying I would (most likely I said something about asking my kiddo if he could come up with more stuff and not really promising anything)--I guess that sort of makes it my fault, but I think we're just asking for gift cards next year. 

[BlsdMama]

Unbelievable. 

 

You know what gift wasn’t a miss? Hatchimals. I’m so glad it was grandma’s $$. Thrilled the little girls loved them (and I admit they are cool) but our oldest kiddos were the recipients of Furbies when they were hot and after twenty years of parenting, I simply realize all of this is just fodder for Goodwill. 😉

I’d say no real misses. The biggest disappointment was that Escape the Room is a one time play. 

[athena1277]

We had a crazy busy Christmas that included travel and helping DH’s parents move 40+ years of junk 8 hours away.  

Ds bought me a pj pants I asked for, but II didn’t realize until after I cut the tag off that he got the wrong size. I hated to tell him I couldn’t wear them. ☹️  

MIL got some shirts for me and dd.  They are totally her taste, not ours at all.  We keep them a few months in case she says anything, then they get donate.  It’s becoming a running joke between us, because she’s done this a couple times in the last few years.  I wish there was a nice way to tell her we don’t like them at all.

[alisoncooks]

My grandma (bless her heart) bought me a sweater two sizes too small. I'm flattered...but it doesn't fit. The bothersome thing is that, while I know where it came from, she *always* removes all tags before gifting! (Why!?!)