Weird gifts you've gotten: you can't make this up... (Add yours, just for fun!)

[Ditto]

20 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Same ex husband I mentioned who gave me the free stripper shirt also gave me stuff from the gas station for christmas

Between the stripper shirt and the gas station presents, it is easy to see (even from the moon) while this dude is the EX husband.   I hope he learned to do better at some point.

[Emba]

29 minutes ago, Quill said:

I thought of this thread today as I was wrapping gifts because I made up stockings for my future son-in-law and ds’s gf. One thing everybody got was a bottle of Poo-pourie. (You know; spray it in the toilet before you do your business there and you cannot smell poo.) I think it supremely wonderful, especially for YAs who generally live in close quarters with just one bathroom. But it did go through my mind wondering if the bf and gf will be like, “Geez...poo-pourie from my future MIL?” 

I admit, I’ve thought of several gifts I’ve given that might end up on someone else’s list of “Remember that weird present...” 😂 All I Can say is, they seemed like a good idea at the time.

[Annie G]

9 minutes ago, Emba said:

I admit, I’ve thought of several gifts I’ve given that might end up on someone else’s list of “Remember that weird present...” 😂 All I Can say is, they seemed like a good idea at the time.

I think my kids felt that way about stocking stuffers for a while. Other people suggested toothbrushes, razors, deodorant , and stuff. My kids were like ‘what message are you trying to send, mom?’

[MercyA]

59 minutes ago, Quill said:

 I think it supremely wonderful, especially for YAs who generally live in close quarters with just one bathroom.

Yes, also on cruises!!! 🙂 

[happi duck]

At a funny gift exchange one gift was poopouri, tp, and a Chipotle gift card!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Annie G said:

I think my kids felt that way about stocking stuffers for a while. Other people suggested toothbrushes, razors, deodorant , and stuff. My kids were like ‘what message are you trying to send, mom?’

I strongly considered getting cough drops for my son’s stocking because when you need ‘em, you need ‘em and he’s a broke college student. I also bought him a Costco-sized Harry’s razor and blades cartridges as a gift, but he did actually say he really needs “a bunch of razors.” 

[TheReader]

Remembered another one (and not a MIL one) -- at a baby shower for my middle son, a friend from church brought me a blanket for him. Sweet! It matched the things on the registry/the theme of the nursery, etc. Very thoughtful gift. 

At the end of the shower, she asked to have it back, explaining that she wanted to get it embroidered with his name, birthdate, etc. and would get that done and return it to me after his birth. She never did return it. 

(I also got one for a different son that was already embroidered, only the person had put the wrong middle name, but that was an honest mistake and we just laughed it off)

[Katy]

5 hours ago, Quill said:

I thought of this thread today as I was wrapping gifts because I made up stockings for my future son-in-law and ds’s gf. One thing everybody got was a bottle of Poo-pourie. (You know; spray it in the toilet before you do your business there and you cannot smell poo.) I think it supremely wonderful, especially for YAs who generally live in close quarters with just one bathroom. But it did go through my mind wondering if the bf and gf will be like, “Geez...poo-pourie from my future MIL?” 

Maybe you can tell the story of this thread when they open their stocking?  The laughter might relieve some of the awkward and make you seem relaxed & cool. 😎 

I just remembered my MIL gave us a graduation card for our wedding. It’s the only thing she’s ever given me. 

[katilac]

6 hours ago, Quill said:

But it did go through my mind wondering if the bf and gf will be like, “Geez...poo-pourie from my future MIL?” 

You might want to make sure they open them at the same time, or at least that one of your kids opens theirs first. Don't let the poor girlfriend open it on her own and think it's a little air freshener or something, lol. 

Honestly, that gift would have mortified me in that situation (boyfriend's mom giving it to me, being young). That is possibly a just-for-your-children kinda thing. 

[Dmmetler]

I'd wanted a hope chest like my mom's, but hadn't gotten one, unless you count the cedar jewelry box the local furniture store gave all senior girls. The first year in our first "real" home, DH gave me a little cardboard chest and  a book on furniture making. He promised to make me a chest.

he did eventually do it....three years later. He's still not pleased with the final product, and it's been probably close to 20 years now! 

[kesmom]

My MIL wanted to give my lingerie at my bridal shower and asked my soon-to-be dh about sizes. (we were not intimate prior to marriage) Thankfully he told her that he was pretty sure it would make me uncomfortable so she gifted me money for lingerie shopping instead. Honestly, something for the kitchen would have been preferable lol.

 

[Elizabeth86]

I've thought and thought and really can't come up with much. This is the best I got. My mom had a baby shower for me when I was pregnant with my first. Dh and I chose to be surprised with the baby's gender. A grumpy old woman that went to our church bought me a little girl outfit. She came up after it was over and told me she didn't know what to buy since I wouldn't find out what I was having all while making this annoyed, disgusted face like I didn't find out just to ruin her day.So, she bought girl clothes? Not diapers, wipes, towels, blankets, neutral clothes, toys, books, hats, socks, money. Nope, girl clothes. I had a boy btw. lol My story is nothing compared to some of these. 

[Emba]

9 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I've thought and thought and really can't come up with much. This is the best I got. My mom had a baby shower for me when I was pregnant with my first. Dh and I chose to be surprised with the baby's gender. A grumpy old woman that went to our church bought me a little girl outfit. She came up after it was over and told me she didn't know what to buy since I wouldn't find out what I was having all while making this annoyed, disgusted face like I didn't find out just to ruin her day.So, she bought girl clothes? Not diapers, wipes, towels, blankets, neutral clothes, toys, books, hats, socks, money. Nope, girl clothes. I had a boy btw. lol My story is nothing compared to some of these. 

I had this exact thing happen. One little ruffled girl outfit that my little boy never wore.

[kesmom]

Today I opened a paint-your-own mug kit from MIL - straight from the kids craft section at Joanns. 😄

(There were zero expectations for this gift. I knew in advance that it would probably be something for the Goodwill bag.)

[Acorn]

Dh wrapped up my garbage for me. I understand his thinking and I don’t want to say anything to him. 

I ordered a vintage nutcracker from ebay that had an out of focus background with other stuff. The nutcracker I wanted arrived and is great. That one went straight on the shelf. Well there was another thing in the box. A heavy block stocking holder with a distressed small nutcracker on it. I thought about giving it to Goodwill but his nose is broken off, his wood hat has gouges, flaking paint, etc. not sure if anyone would want it. So I left it in its box and put on the garage bench to deal with later.

Surprise! The poor rejected battered soldier raises from the grave.

So, dh must have found the box in the garage and saw that it was addressed to him since we share PayPal account.  He wrapped it thinking I had bought it for myself. We have many nutcrackers but this is unique as it’s the only stocking hook and weighs a ton. There were two other nutcrackers that I bought myself and gave to him to wrap, because I needed a small purchase to reach a free shipping level. So I completely understand that he assumed this was a similar deal.

Maybe this can be my garden nutcracker? Like the back yard, far fence sentry? 

 

[TravelingChris]

On 12/23/2020 at 10:19 AM, Garga said:

For my 18th birthday, my parents bought me a cane. And that was all. Just the cane.

I am not lame. And I am not Mr. Peanut.

It was a wooden cane with a brass duck head on top. My mom said, “You can take it work and stuff!”

 

Oddly enough, I still have it stuffed in the back of a closet. (I’m turning 48 in a few days) I’ve never once taken it to work or anywhere else.

was it supposed to be an ornamental piece?  Because as a person who uses walking canes and hiking canes (and no canes, and rolling walkers and wheelchairs too at times),  a brass headed duck does not sound like a good holding material either.

[HS Mom in NC]

13 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

 told me she didn't know what to buy since I wouldn't find out what I was having all while making this annoyed, disgusted face like I didn't find out just to ruin her day.

Plenty of people were surprised we didn't find out the gender of our bio kids when I was pregnant.  MIL asked me, "How will I know what to buy if I don't know the gender?"  I said, "Whatever you and everyone else did before sonograms were invented." My husband, her oldest child, was born in 1967 and his sister was born in 1970.  People managed to buy gifts for babies before they were born and no one knew the gender. Somehow many people who lived through that era have completely forgotten about it and many who are younger haven't quite thought it all the way through.

[Condessa]

My in-laws used to love giving my kids noisy toys.  The louder, the better.  They thought it was hilarious.  Then one year they sent my kids a dozen shrill plastic whistles about a month before we were going to be going on a trip with them.  I told the kids we were going to save the whistles for the trip so that Grandma and Grandpa could enjoy the fun of them with us.  We never got another noisy toy from them.

[Elizabeth86]

18 minutes ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said:

Plenty of people were surprised we didn't find out the gender of our bio kids when I was pregnant.  MIL asked me, "How will I know what to buy if I don't know the gender?"  I said, "Whatever you and everyone else did before sonograms were invented." My husband, her oldest child, was born in 1967 and his sister was born in 1970.  People managed to buy gifts for babies before they were born and no one knew the gender. Somehow many people who lived through that era have completely forgotten about it and many who are younger haven't quite thought it all the way through.

Haha I know, right?

[HS Mom in NC]

1 hour ago, Condessa said:

My in-laws used to love giving my kids noisy toys.  The louder, the better.  They thought it was hilarious.  Then one year they sent my kids a dozen shrill plastic whistles about a month before we were going to be going on a trip with them.  I told the kids we were going to save the whistles for the trip so that Grandma and Grandpa could enjoy the fun of them with us.  We never got another noisy toy from them.

My then single, childless brother bought my middle daughter a fire truck that blared a siren and hooked up to the garden hose. She loved it, of course.  I saved that toy for 10 YEARS until his first child was about the same age, but then nephew was diagnosed on the spectrum and sensitive to noises.  I had to re-plot a course for revenge.

[katilac]

1 hour ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said:

People managed to buy gifts for babies before they were born and no one knew the gender. 

We actually knew but didn't tell anyone, and got clothes marketed to both boys and girls. Most had gift tags and people were really surprised that I instead chose to just dress my baby girl in all of the clothing. I mean, a green all-in-one with an animal on the front isn't inherently male, lol. 

[Tap]

DD22 and her Dh22 got married at 19yo. (Edited for clarification: DD22 goes by her middle name).  The both go by names that are gender neutral and they are both spelled in a neutral way. Dd's name is the more common male variant spelling. Her first name is ultra feminine and I wanted her to have a choice. Obviously at her birth I didn't realize, she would prefer to go by her middle name, but she loves the more unique spelling. It would be similar to using Lee, instead of Leigh for a girl. 

They had a tiny wedding, so many wishes were sent via card. Her dh wasn't super close to some of his family, so not all of them had met dd. His uncle sent them a card with an image of two sets of men's shoes looking at each other and a sweet message wishing them the best in life.  LOL  Ha ha!!!! It was hilarious! I didn't notice at first, but it finally dawned on me that because of the spelling of dd's name on the announcement, they must have thought thier nephew was gay. lol

I don't know when the generous uncle found out about his error, but I hope he didn't feel too bad about it. DD and my SIL think it is super funny and it remains a highlight of the gifts they received. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Tap

[teachermom2834]

I feel like I have probably given these gifts that miss even thought I can't specifically remember. Growing up we never asked for anything specific, made lists, etc. My parents and others just got us whatever they thought we would like. So when I grew up and became the giver I think I just wanted to give something fantastic that no one would have asked for. So instead of asking what someone might like I went out and just got something "inspired" LOL.

I got over that and decided it was best to give someone something they actually wanted. What a novel idea! 

My MIL's go to small dollar gift when she needs to exchange for something is McDonald's gift certificates. Because as she says "Everyone loves McDonalds!" I suspect occasionally someone is not particularly thrilled by that gift. 

[TravelingChris]

On 12/23/2020 at 10:46 AM, Kinsa said:

This thread has me in stitches.  🤣

Me too

[katilac]

1 hour ago, Tap said:

His uncle sent them a card with an image of two sets of men's shoes looking at each other and a sweet message wishing them the best in life.  

That is awesome and I would keep that card forever, lol. 

[Katy]

I'm dying to know how @Quill's poopouri went over.

[Garga]

7 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

was it supposed to be an ornamental piece?  Because as a person who uses walking canes and hiking canes (and no canes, and rolling walkers and wheelchairs too at times),  a brass headed duck does not sound like a good holding material either.

Yes, I’m pretty sure it was meant to be ornamental. It is not useful at all if someone really needs a cane for stability. If you put your weight on the duck head, it’s uncomfortable.

She really thought I would take it to work with me, maybe as some sort of affectation. Maybe imagining I’d wear some spats with it (?).

I worked as a civilian on a military base. I was a kinda awkward 18-year-old girl. I have no idea why she would have thought I’d carry a wooden cane with a brass duck head with me to work at the military base. 

I wasn’t Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins heading off to work in the bank with my cane. And I wasn’t Mary Poppins, either! 

She was really excited about it, too, and really thought it was just the best gift. It wasn’t given mean-spiritedly. She thought it was neat. 

I wonder if she even remembers she got it for me? And now, 30 years later, if she’d still think it was a good gift.  

Edited December 26, 2020 by Garga

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Katy said:

I'm dying to know how @Quill's poopouri went over.

It was very well received! Ds’ gf saw a bottle first and knew what it was. She was like, “OMG! I love these! Look, this is the air freshener thing you spray in the toilet and you can’t smell it at all!” Everyone was good-humored about their poopie spray. 

It was such a great evening and I feel like the luckiest women alive. Nice kids with nice partners, good food, a warm home, and everyone healthy. 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Acorn said:

Maybe this can be my garden nutcracker? Like the back yard, far fence sentry? 

He can be the sentry for @Robin M‘s garden gnome outhouse. 

[HS Mom in NC]

7 hours ago, Garga said:

Yes, I’m pretty sure it was meant to be ornamental. It is not useful at all if someone really needs a cane for stability. If you put your weight on the duck head, it’s uncomfortable.

She really thought I would take it to work with me, maybe as some sort of affectation. Maybe imagining I’d wear some spats with it (?).

Husband's granny used a cane well before she actually needed one.  Let's just say it suited her personality.

I think you needed a top hat and monocle to go with it.

[Guest]

On 12/23/2020 at 11:19 AM, Garga said:

For my 18th birthday, my parents bought me a cane. And that was all. Just the cane.

I am not lame. And I am not Mr. Peanut.

It was a wooden cane with a brass duck head on top. My mom said, “You can take it work and stuff!”

 

Oddly enough, I still have it stuffed in the back of a closet. (I’m turning 48 in a few days) I’ve never once taken it to work or anywhere else.

I swear sometimes I think we have the same parents. Or, at least, they would be truly best buddies if they ever met. 

 

It’s so odd with my mom because once in a while, she really nails it on a wonderful, creative and inexpensive gift. But otherwise, my list of strange or puzzling things my mom has given to me, my kids, my dh, or other family members is too long to recount. Part of it is that she is very frugal and tries to spend little or no money on gifts. Part of it is that she sometimes comes up with elaborate ideas much too late for execution. 

My mom struggles the most with males, especially teenaged males. She also could never get it through her head that my boys don’t love books, no matter how interesting the subject of the book may be (to people who do love books). I think she thought I just hadn’t done the right things with my boys and that, any minute now, they were going to become avid readers due to her excellent interventions. She even once gave me a magazine clipping entitled, “How to Make Your Kids Readers for Life.” By that point, my kids were already into their teens. I think if there were a secret sauce for raising readers, I somehow did it correctly with my daughter, but failed on my boys. 🙄

[alisoncooks]

DH is an ordained minister, though he doesn't work in a church. Early in our marriage, his family ALWAYS give us strange religious gifts. Like an entire collection of saints, though our faith tradition doesn't know them. Or a gigantic 3D tableau of the last supper (complete with neon flashing lights), for mounting on the wall. 

None of those were mean-spirited, but man -- for my 20-year old self, it was hard to regulate my "oh wow, thanks" face. 

[Annie G]

Son in law is a pastor. He also loves Star Wars. This year his aunt gifted him a Darth Vader weed grinder, and he had NO clue what it was. But his pot smoking siblings sure did. Dd gave them The Look because she didn’t want to embarrass his aunt, who thought it was a spice grinder. Yes, it did have that on the box but if you look at it online it’s clearly intended for weed. 
 

[school17777]

25 minutes ago, Annie G said:

Son in law is a pastor. He also loves Star Wars. This year his aunt gifted him a Darth Vader weed grinder, and he had NO clue what it was. But his pot smoking siblings sure did. Dd gave them The Look because she didn’t want to embarrass his aunt, who thought it was a spice grinder. Yes, it did have that on the box but if you look at it online it’s clearly intended for weed. 
 

I thought you meant a Darth Vader weed whacker!  I guess a grinder makes more sense.

Edited December 26, 2020 by school17777

[Miss Tick]

14 minutes ago, school17777 said:

I thought you meant a Darth Vader weed whacked!  I guess a grinder makes more sense.

Me too! And i was thinking that the light saber would be GREAT for that!

[QueenCat]

1 hour ago, Annie G said:

Son in law is a pastor. He also loves Star Wars. This year his aunt gifted him a Darth Vader weed grinder, and he had NO clue what it was. But his pot smoking siblings sure did. Dd gave them The Look because she didn’t want to embarrass his aunt, who thought it was a spice grinder. Yes, it did have that on the box but if you look at it online it’s clearly intended for weed. 
 

This might be the funniest  yet.

[katilac]

 

6 hours ago, Quill said:

 It’s so odd with my mom because once in a while, she really nails it on a wonderful, creative and inexpensive gift. But otherwise, my list of strange or puzzling things my mom has given to me, my kids, my dh, or other family members is too long to recount.  

I personally prefer the roller coaster excitement of weird-weird-WONDERFUL-weird to an endless stream of boring gifts (not from whoever is 'Santa' in the family, but from an aunt or grandma, yes). 

The book thing would annoy me, though. 

5 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

Or a gigantic 3D tableau of the last supper (complete with neon flashing lights), for mounting on the wall. 

That is horrifically awesome. Did it spend any time on your wall? Do you have a photo? I'm guessing they never thought beyond he's a minister, grab anything religious! 

I have cousins who are into that Diamond Dotz craft, which is like paint by number but with little sparkly dots that you put in place. They gifted my mom a Last Supper, which was actually fine if you like that sort of thing, and she put it in the spare room, and my dad an exceedingly large and colorful and patriotic eagle and flag, which he put in their exceedingly small and otherwise subdued living room. It is . . . certainly noticeable, lol. 

One of these cousins is the same one who made a pillow for my baby's room, back in her plastic canvas phase, in stereotypical pastels, because that's obviously how every single nursery is decorated, lol. Of course I didn't say a word, but she saw items in my tan/navy/muted color scheme at the shower and she complained as though I intentionally ruined her gift on purpose 🙄

First of all, primary colors are also a stereotypical nursery choice, and exactly zero other people would have guessed that I would pick pastels out of those two choices. Second of all, I picked my theme early on, and pretty much anyone in our large extended family could have told her what is was. It honestly wouldn't have mattered at all to me anyway, I love handmade/homemade gifts and it didn't have to be in the nursery, but I was pretty taken aback when she went on and on about the audacity of me picking out a color scheme that she didn't expect, lol. 

[Dmmetler]

My college age niece asked for “cold hard cash” this year. My DH poured concrete into a mold, put plastic wrapped cash in the middle, and filled the other side, leaving a hole so the money is visible. Basically, he mailed his niece a brick. 
 

Not sure how DN is supposed to get IN to her money, but at least BIL and SIL are both civil engineers.... 

[katilac]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

My college age niece asked for “cold hard cash” this year. My DH poured concrete into a mold, put plastic wrapped cash in the middle, and filled the other side, leaving a hole so the money is visible. Basically, he mailed his niece a brick. 

And here I thought my brother was mean for giving our nephew his cold hard cash in a bock of ice, lol. 

[Halftime Hope]

You all are great, I've had MORE fun reading this thread! 

[Lady Marmalade]

I'm still a little baffled about two gifts I received this year from DH.   

First, I opened up a fondue pot.   I have never expressed an interest in wanting a fondue pot.  We've never gone out for fondue, it's never even been on the radar.   And in the year of covid, I kinda think that fondue style eating shouldn't even be a thing.   Completely baffled.  I guess I could use it to keep nacho cheese warm for nachos.  Or chocolate melted for dippng?  But that's what I use my mini crockpot for.  

And then I opened a very nice electric milk frother from bodum.  Um.  I drink my coffee black.  Black, black, black.  If I go out for coffee, at times I will enjoy a cappucino or a mocha,  but I don't put anything in my coffee at home.  And even if I did, I don't do dairy milk.  The frother makes amazing hot mik and froth out of cow's milk, but the test run I did of my coconut milk just warmed it up and gave it some bubbles. 

No clue how he walked down the appliance aisle at Meijer and settled on those two things.  

 

[history-fan]

On 12/23/2020 at 5:04 PM, Amy in NH said:

Could it be an antique glass fishing float?

That is one idea we thought of. I will have to take pictures of it next time I open the box. The glass is thin like a wine glass and it isn't totally round. OK now my curiosity is going to have me search for the box. 😄