Worst Christmas Presents EVER!

Each year I have a set list of people that I have to buy for and I try really hard to get them something that is the perfect gift, so when it gets to Christmas Day they open it and a huge smile spreads across their face, I would hate to think that anyone is disappointed with their gift, however, it appears that not everyone treats the present buying with as much care and thought as I do.

Over the years, I cannot lie, I have had a few dodgy ones, a red leather jacket (think Pretty Woman before the transformation!) Mother, what were you thinking! A dinner service, lots of smellies, sometimes nice, others just plain yuck, whilst I know smellies are quite practical, I cannot tell if you are saying I smell or you just couldn’t be bothered to look for something more personal, and it was the easiest option…

When asking other bloggers to divulge their worst gifts, I must admit some of mine didn’t seem quite so bad…

Jenny from The Brick Castle’s  first Christmas with her partner, a close relative of hers bought him a personalised pint glass with a bell on it, she still has no idea to this day what they were actually thinking, and neither do I! Whilst Katy from Katy Kicker received a piece of plastic that was designed for moulding old bits of soap back into one bar. Gross. It Went straight off to the charity shop! I can’t say I blame her…Lucy from Real Mum Reviews once received a piece of plastic on cardboard with ‘nothing’ inside – for ‘the girl who has everything’ – I kid you not. Wouldn’t mind but it prob cost them about a fiver!!!  There is no answer for that one. Kayleigh from Candyfloss and Dreams wasn’t too happy with her childhood gifts, she used to receive the £5 commemorative coins, and she found them a bit pointless, a very nice sentiment but not very exciting for a child, she also received a tape measure with a K on! Nicola from A Blogs Life has a game with the grandparents gifts, on who gets the worst, so far there has been a sponge (from a pack of 3), a pair of knickers (3 sizes too big), a disk you stand on and twist your body, and then last year all the men in the family got a pair of socks, from the same pack!! Ok Nicola I would say you are winning so far. Lianne from Mrs Mummy Harris thought she had the perfect solution, they all agreed to put money into a kitty and then each person was tasked with buying a £50 gift for one of the group, which would have been great, except the person responsible for buying her gift, didn’t bother (how rude!)at the end of the night her mum gave her some money, but it just got eaten up with bills, I hope the person responsible feels bad and made it up to you!

I am quite looking forward to eventually being a Mother In Law, as it seems they are notorious for dreadful gifts! Deborah at Country Heart and Home had her first Christmas with her hubby and her future MIL gave her a Baby Pink Mohair Crop Top, and if that wasn’t bad enough it was a size 8 and she was a size 14 at the time! Becci from the UnNatural Mother also had a lovely gift for the MIL, picture the scene, young 20 year old sat around with hubby’s entire family and opens a Red Lacy Ann Summers ensemble!, She has been scared to open her presents ever since! Rose from Bell and Bear was given Dove Shower Set (that MIL knows she cannot use) Dark Chocolate (which makes her ill) and a Trolls Tangle Teaser Childrens Hairbrush, can I say it’s the thought that counts, and maybe suggest giving you the money so you can choose your own next year…Laura from Five Little Doves was given a lovely pair of Pyjamas in a size 16-18 that MIL had bought for herself, but they were too big, so she thought she would regift them to Laura who is a HUGE size 8! Hannah from East Sussex Mummy used to share a new pack of knickers with her sister in laws, which would be great except they were all different sizes!!! It’s not just Mother in Laws, AK from The German wife‘s Father in law has bought her the same Almond soap for the last two Christmases. Nyomi from Nomipalony‘s mother in law works in the NHS and she was hoping for some nice smellies in her secret santa, but instead she received a flu virus bacteria cuddly toy, so all those moaning about smellies, be careful next year it might be a bacteria!

Becky from Hectic Dia-bec-tic had a SKY remote brought for her by an ex (I wonder if it had anything to do with the break-up!!) What is it with men and buying practical things, yes we need them, but NOT at Christmas!! Jo at Coming from Carsons Mummy had a very thoughtful gift of a hair dye from an ex, it was very precious, it had a special edition tin and everything, unfortunately when Jo asked him why he had chosen brown instead of her usual red, he replied “Its was all they had in Wilkos” I cannot think why he became an ex… Cat from Rock and Roll Pussycat once received a drill from an ex (will these men ever learn!) but it’s OK because it was pink, so that’s OK then! Hollie from Thrifty Mum was bought a salt and pepper grinder and a rusty lantern this year, from her husband, maybe he was trying to be clever and trying to be in tune with the thrifty part of the blog! He couldn’t over indulge you as that would be totally against the blog! Another helpful husband (sort of) was Kirsty’s from More of Me, she is a make-up artist so he thought he would try and be helpful by getting her a polystyrene dolls head to practice on and a pair of tweezers with a light on, funnily enough, he now has a specific list what to get.. Although I do think Cath from Bakes, Bikes and Boys husband could probably take the title of obscure gifts bought, with a toilet seat, a donkey jacket and a sheewee!

Kerry from Kerry Shaw Mummy of Four received Everton Pyjamas, and she doesn’t even like football, shame on you husband..Carolin from Mummy Alarm had a very forward thinking Nan, who bought her a cutlery set at the age of 17, not much use at the time, but as Carolin admits, it sat in its case for years and eventually became useful when she moved out and actually needed it, sometimes nan’s just know.

Becky from Diary of a Fat Bottomed Girl received an entire box of fortune cookies, as she had mentioned that she liked them when having a Chinese a few weeks before (this is the kind of thing my husband would do!) another year he got her a glue gun, back on the practical versus the indulgent again! Another Becky, this time from Little Big & Me received an ironing board cover, which completely perplexed as her she hates housework and doesn’t iron! However she also admits that each year she buys her dad a pair of shoes for Christmas, which is exactly what she did, completely forgetting the fact that he had his leg amputated in September, thank goodness dad has a wicked sense of humour and told her she should have nicked the display shoe and saved herself some money!

Kelly from Adventures in Tea and Cake received THREE copies of Harry Potter Trivial pursuit, now there are some people who know what she likes, but mavbe they could do with a little gift co-ordination, the question is, who will be brave enough to take her on at the game! Angela from The Inspiration Edit got a lovely box of chocolates when she was 16, from her boyfriend, unfortunately he failed to mention that he had acquired via the route of shoplifting! Closely followed by her second worse which was a Welsh Love spoon from her grandparents, when she was single!

Alex from Better Together Home had a gorgeous size 8 dress bought for her when she was 8 months pregnant and a 3 month gym membership, from her mum, oh dear….Lauren from Mummy is a gadget geek’s present did actually make me laugh out loud, her mum bought her a wedding dress two sizes too small, she is not yet engaged, but her mum says “Don’t worry, you can work on losing some weight, the dress will fit and then he’ll marry you!” nothing like trying to marry your daughter off Granny gadget geek!

Cara from Lyla’s Angels received a pair of knitted mittens from her hubby for their second Christmas together, not even nice ones, lovely old lady knitted ones for the charity shop, although she does stress he has other amazing qualities, as gift buying is not one of his strong points! (remember to write Cara’s name on Secret Santa, not hubby!)

Nick at Bad Dadu was so overwhelmed (or should that be under whelmed!)with his Metal Detector, he wrote an entire post… Chloe from Hello Wanderer UK has a feeling someone forgot to get her a present as she received half eaten chocolates and already opened smellies..

When Julie from Pondering parenthood was in her mid twenties, her aunt gave her something to put on her bed, which was a dreadful plastic doll with a blanket for legs, her brother had great delight in telling her she would never get laid if she put that on her bed! (maybe that was aunties plan!) Chermaine from Chammy In Real Life wasn’t too pleased when she received a secret santa gift filled with freebies from blogging events, so if you are that blogger, rethink your gift for next year!

Chantele from Two Hearts One Roof, received a scrubbing brush, with a smiley face, as if that somehow makes it more acceptable, this year her mum put micro cloths in her stocking, supposedly they are awesome, I can’t wait to hear her verdict! This year Kirsty from Life with Boys was given an electric toothbrush, some socks and a dove deodorant from her gran, she is now wondering if granny thinks she has manky teeth and smells! Hayley from Devon Mama was gifted some bras and pants from her grandmas friend, used and HUGE, grandmas friend was under the impression they would fit! (No menti0n that they were used….)

Karina from Mum’s the Nerd received some very lovely grown up mulled tea leaves and festive tea strainer, unfortunately she was 8 years old at the time, but that’s OK because now she’s older she gets knickers that are 4 sizes too big! Jo from Miracle Max had a close family member give her a tattered box with some beauty samples in, which wouldn’t have been that bad, apart from she knew they were unwanted items from the relatives beauty advent calendar, why on earth would someone do this, do they not think people know!

I think Kati from How To Rock At Parenting may win the most random, useless present, with her hideous bejewelled spiderweb, no idea what you are even supposed to do with that one, a prop for Peppa Pig and Mr Skinny legs maybe ?! Lynsey from Mum, That’s Me received some anti wrinkle cream from a male friend one Christmas, not quite sure how you should react to that, if it was your husband you could slap him, but just a friend, er delete him as one!

Claire from Big family Big Fun received a pair of slipper boots which don’t sound too bad, but they had no grips on the bottom, which are no good with her knees and they are two sizes too big, made worse by the fact this was the second time she had received the same gift and the person buying them is in fact the same shoe size as Claire, not quite sure what they are trying to say there…

Clare from Clares Little Tots received a sandwich bag with 15 quality street in, not even wrapped from a family whose child she looked after 9 hours per day, 4 days per week, oh dear Clare, I don’t know what to say to that one! but Zoe from Chummy Mummy did receive Tea Towels, so I think I would prefer the chocolates!

Tony from Diary of a desperate Househusband learnt first hand not to get someone special, household items, when he witnessed the fallout from his dad buying his mum a hoover one year, so if any female relative of Tony’s gets a below par gift, we want to know about it!

Joy from The Sensory Seeker may be in the running for worst gift, as she received a knife set, that was not only used, but rusty and dirty from her dad and his partner, that is certainly a less than thoughtful gift! Although Becky from 3 Princesses and 1 dude thinks she has clinched it with, champagne and strawberries, I know it sounds romantic, but actually she had just given birth two weeks before, so the Champagne was drank by the ex and his mother and the strawberries were actually Champagne and Strawberry mousse puddings that were in her words ‘shit!’

Clare from Emmys Mummy thought she had the perfect present, body creams and face masks, she settled down for a nice relaxing pamper, only to find they were all out of date and caused chemical burns to her face….Are you sure someone isn’t trying to bump you off Clare!

But my favourite of them all is Nikki from Yorkshire Wonders whose grandad bought her a toy monkey when she was ten, which sounds reasonable, apart from all the boys in the family received a handheld donkey kong game ( I would have been gutted with the monkey too!) it gets better! The monkey was actually made out of real rabbit fur, Nikki’s dog didn’t not feel the same revulsion as she did about the monkey, and spent many happy hours making sweet Yorkie love to the monkey!! Love It! Nikki would like to point out that any similarity to her blog name and the dog are purely coincidental!

So, there we have it, a rather large list of some of the WORST Christmas presents, but I am sure for all those reading this you are either feeling quite smug that you have fab presents, or you have something even worse, if that’s the case, leave a comment below, there could be a second post….