Now Christmas is almost upon us..

Switched at birth perhaps? ?

When I was little my aunt (through marriage, not a blood relative thank god) worked in a newsagents. She gave me freebies off magazines that she hadnt sold. They were still in the plastic bags etc. Nice.

She also gave my brother horrendous y fronts. We hung them on the christmas tree & danced around them!

Oh, I just remembered this beauty from last Xmas - H's Dad bought it for me:

My bf is very generous with the money he spends on gifts, but NEVER gets it right. Last Christmas I got a pair of £220 Uggs which I hadn't asked for and were a size too small. Thankfully he had had kept the receipt but they don't do refunds, so I had a £220 store credit from a shop I have never shopped in and had nothing I could buy (designer clothes and the like which go up to a size 12 - I'm a 20!)

The only thing I did ask him for was perfume as I had finished all my usual one. I tried to give him the empty bottle so he got the right replacement, but he got snappy saying he knew the perfume I wore. Ofcourse I got given the wrong one (it's still in the cello) and I still have no perfume.

Another year I asked for a new watch - my only requests were that it had numbers on the face and a bracelet style strap. The one I got had a white leather strap and nothing on the face. I've worn it a couple of times but the leather looks really grubby, and I can't tell the time on it. Don't know how much it cost but I imagine a lot.

I'm sorry for that big rant- but feels good to get it off my chest. I feel like such an ungrateful cow saying all that but I hate waste of any kind, and that's what annoys me the most, that its wasted money on things I don't want/like.

I'm going to hell, I know...

Waaah! Panj I remember that beaut!

ATB - you don't sound like a cow. The boy needs educating!

Did I tell you that by complete fluke my boss got me some earrings which more or less matched the necklace?

?

With all these naff pressies, should make Secret Santa interesting this year

See, I'd like these!

We should do a post Christmas unwanted gift exchange! One man's trash and all that....

Please note: This is not me hinting that I want the tie!

You SO want that tie, ATB! I think a gift swap might be an idea. Please note this will not apply to secret Santa gifts though!

a group fo my friends have a christmas day at ours around the 28th. We all bring a naff pressies for a 'Presetn Amnesty'. We bring someting random or crap we got on christmas day, re wrap it, chuck it in a bin liner and after dinner, we have a lucky dip!! Everyone gets a shiny new gift lol

last year i got Ace Venturer Pet detective on dvd and Mr F picked out some furry girls sock so i was a winner on both parts!!

The year before last my BIL bought me a doll that sang Mambo Number 5 and danced along to it. The same year, he bough H some Jelly Boob Sweets and a set of hand wash and lotion?!!?

I'd be looking for a pack of tissues too in that lot!

The worst Xmas gifts I have received are a clingfilm dispenser and a cheese grater with a decorative pig on the top both from an aunt.

I would love to understand the thought process that happens in these peoples heads 'oh there's a clingfilm dispenser, LL is always moaning about how she struggles with clingfilm'

I hate the mess I get into with the stuff, and the sound of a dispenser sounds quite good to me!

My Ex hubby (hubby at the time)

One Christmas my only present was wheel locking nuts for my XR2 and a car cleaning kit.

Next Christmas was a microwave oven and nothing else.

After that told him not to bother!!!!

For Christmas though?

They sell them in Sainsburys along with a tin foil one.

True - I'd think of it as more of a add in or joke gift!

Oh I will look for them, wee early present to myself perhaps!?

Rather randomly, Hitched seem to have sent me the two comments above. Weird!

This is why I write a list....

ATB- it would be something I would also give as a jokey gift to someone who, like many of us, gets in a pickle with clingfilm, not sure I'd go to the lengths of wrapping it and giving it as the main gift however!

Definately treat yourself it's revolutionised sandwich making etc in this house!

Are you admitting that infact it was a useful gift then!!?

Flange if I get an anonymous diamanté tie through the post this year I can't promise I won't hunt you down and strangle you with it.

I suppose so although when the clingfilm was finished I didn't refill the dispenser I gave it to my mum as it didn't fit in my kitchen drawer!

Some diet books. Yes I wasnt impressed when I opened that gift!

Can't think of anything else tbh!

Bx

I have to say, I LOVE the idea of a "Naff Presents" secret Santa. No sensible presents allowed, they HAVE to be really awful. Let's do it!

I like the sound of this.

me too, would mean i could DEFO get Vikster that shiney stretchy cheapo market stall skirt she so despeartly needs ?

YES this is a must. I covet them ?

One of my friends once got me an actual stuffed squirrel. Though we were embroiled in an ongoing crap gift contest at the time. I got him a pair of toy poodles, one pink and one white, that sang the boy and girl parts of "Dont go breaking my heart" while swaying from side to side and yapping their mouths in time to the tinny music. Delightful.

Spikey - where did you get the toy poodles from please? Ma Spangler always likes to get tacky singing Christmas animals every year. These would be ace!

They came from a horrid old lady doll shop called Mary Shortles in York. It's since closed down I'm afraid, so I'm not sure if or where they could now be located.