Worst Gift Ever
 

Seeing as how 1) Christmas is coming up and there always seems to be at least 1 gift you recieve that makes you think "Does this person not know me at ?" (I've thought that after having friends set me up too) and 2) I think I just got the worst birthday gift ever from my boyfriend. No, it was NOT an STD, although I know someone's going to put that up here...

My boyfriend got me a Thomas Kinkade PUZZLE for my birthday...

Let that sink in for a moment... Yeah, a puzzle. Let me clarify, I have never said anything to him about liking puzzles, in fact, I don't think I've touched one since I was 12... I know money was an issue for him (he's a law student), but I would have been completely happy with a flower, or a candle, or a CD that he burned for me... or even one of those tacky "Free Backrub" coupons! Something personal!

So, anyways, now that I've vented, it's YOUR turn! What's the worst gift you have ever gotten?

Hmmmmm... the Thomas Kinkade puzzle is pretty bad. My aunt recently gave me a Noah's Ark puzzle for my birthday. Totally unexpected and cheezy artwork, but I do tend to like puzzles so it's not too far off. Except I tend to notice this trend in my family... I'm the youngest, and umarried. In their minds this equates me somehow as a child. My 2 nephews and niece receieved PUZZLES for their birthdays as well. Now maybe my aunt found a really great deal on puzzles or something... but the fact that I was thrown in there with 2 five-year-olds and a three-year-old is a bit disturbing. Then there's the usual gifts from my sister: super trendy clothing and/or bonne belle sparkly little girl lipgloss. Oh, and then the other year there were those Hello Kitty bright pink crappy speakers for my laptop. The intent is nice... I needed lipgloss, clothes, and speakers at all of those times... but the fact that they're designed for someone a third of my age to enjoy... I'm 23. I'm not 5 or 7...

But hey, it's not much to complain about. It's still a gift. The fact that my family cares about me enough to scrounge around for nifty gifts is a very nice gesture. While I'm not a fan of trendy clothes, I have receieved compliments on the clothes (I rarely care enough to do my own shopping, so I end up wearing what they give me. Getting more motivated these days, but still shop once or twice a year max.) Yeah... so... they're nice. I can't complain. At least they're thinking of me. I'm sure I give my sister gifts all the time that she doesn't care about.

This Christmas they got it right... everyone pitched in to purchase me a new Mandlin. It's a super pretty F-type with pearl inlay. Can't go wrong with that!

Wow, a Thomas Kinkade puzzle. damn... that's pretty out there, even for a guy.

Well, I used to get a little edgy about ktspktsp's gifts (and not just him, but past boyfriends as well), since I often read his level of energy investment as a measure of his thoughtfulness and care for me. Something "personal"/handmade, as you said, always means more to me than something bought in a store. But you know what? Some guys aren't really wired for the whole exchange of uber-meaningful, material things... the cards, gifts, etc. Their brains aren't up for that, whereas women (IMHO) are trained to be more in tune with the whole emotional/reciprocal thing. And I'm moving towards accepting that, as much as I dislike chalking behavior up to "gender differences."

For me, I have learned to put a lot less value on cards/gifts because I know that is not ktspktsp's primary way of telling me he loves me. I still love those things, of course... but I am trying to put more and more value in his gestures, his sacrifices of time and energy that no one else in my life gives to me. It is hard for me to let go of those material things, the need for words and affirmation... but I've also found that when he has less pressure on him, he comes through beautifully and surprises me with the most thoughtful gift. So, it goes both ways I guess.

My rambling point is: have you told him that you like those things? (flower, candle, CD, backrub)? Maybe he has no clue. Guys need a little nudging, sometimes. If you *have* told him, however, and he's still not getting it... hmm. How long have you been together? Are there other relationship issues hovering over (or under) this gift issue? I find I get more antsy about these things when my bf and I are struggling with bigger issues...

--two cents.

When I was a newlywed, I got a set of kitchen canisters. I never wanted them, hubby had asked me and I said "No!", and I got two identical sets from him anyways. Still don't understand what was going on there, I really think *he* wanted them, although I can't say why...

As a new wife I was a little hurt and confused, but I've never ever said anything about it.

I returned one of the sets without telling him, still have the other, in use in the kitchen, still don't particularly like/want them...

But that's still better than a puzzle! LOL.

Gifts? Wait... what? He wished me Happy Birthday four days in a row last year until he got it right. Broke up with me prior to the holidays last year to avoid gifting and meeting my family, I still suspect... Completely forgot my birthday this year. I waiting for the possible redemption.

Somehow I think I may end up with my own Thomas Kinkade puzzle. Oh how I empathize. :lol:

How about no gifts? There was one year, my first year in college, when I was living away from home. I got 1 card from my parents 2 days late (took two days to get from their place to mine) and no birthday cake or presents from ANYONE. No one even called to tell me Happy Birthday.

As far as worst gift - For one Birthday my mother got me a really outdated dress from a rummage sale. I was 17 years old and a perfect size 7 - the dress she got me was a size 14. It was depressing.

I gotta include one more. I know you asked for the WORST but I can't help it. My family is bad at giving gifts. I'm terribly allergic to pollen and cutting the grass in the summer makes me literally sick. Consequently the smell of grass is unpleasant to me. My brother got me a grass scented candle. I 'loved' it (note sarcasm).

Oh GOD! Thomas Kinkade is the epitomy of horrid! :( nwlinkvxd's mother loves him though...ugh.

Anyway, my worst gift would have to be the Christmas my mother marched into my room screaming that there is no fucking Santa Clause, while throwing a few twenty dollar bills at me and screeching that the money was my Christmas gift.

I'll probably get another shitty gift from my parents this year too (if anything, it'll probably be a Target giftcard), since they decided to go to New Zealand for three months without my sister and me.

I dont think there is any such thing as a bad gift.....the person at least took the time to think of you long enuff to get you "something" to me that would make it mean just as much no matter what it was.

I also think that when we move away from our parents to be with an S/O that its time for the parents to do something for themselves....its the S/O's responsibility to "get it right" in your eyes.

Puzzle?? heheheheheheheheh

I've never actually gotten anything i didn't like... mostly because i can give something i don't like away to someone else who will like it better and i save money... win win ;) hehe i'm terrible i know...

Sweetpea

Well, I have to say I agree with ShaniFaye about all gifts being good - at least you got one.

BUUUUT, I did get a pretty bad gift from my Dad & Stepmom a few Christmases ago. They got me a kitchen scrubber (you know - to wash your dishes). What made me laugh (after being pretty pissed for awhile) was the fact that they WRAPPED it and put a pretty bow on it and put it under the tree alongside the nice bottles of wine and various DVD players and whatnot. ...sheesh...I just can't believe they put a pretty bow on it. In fact, I think the bow was the best part of the present....other than my now sparkly clean kitchen implements.

Sort of on the same note...my family didn't celebrate X-Mas while I was growing up (not Hanukkah either...actually, we really didn't celebrate anything but Thanksgiving). Anyhoo, not getting a gift sucks, but you get used to it after awhile. But what really continues to suck is going to school after Christmas vacation and having to listen to your teacher ask everyone what they got for X-Mas. "...I got a bike and a puppy and a barbie doll...etc" and then the teacher gets to me and I say "Nothing" and he/she asks "Oh. Okay, what did you get for Hanukkah?" And again I have to say "Nothing". And then you get weird looks from the teacher and your classmates and everyone feels kind of sorry for you like you're abused or dirt-poor or something. Then you miss the first 10 minutes of recess because your teacher pulls you aside to ask you why you didn't get anything and if everything is okay at home, etc. Sigh.
Ok, I'm ranting, but I think this might have caused some deep-rooted psychological scars and now I'm the epitome of Ebenezer Scrooge. Bah Humbug!

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest :)

Yep, though despite my fully "adult" relationship--we're having our own Christmas complete with tree, decorations, presents, and cookies--my mom is still adamant about getting me gifts, which I think is incredibly sweet/awesome, because my parents certainly don't have to do so.

But then...my parents have been doing things for themselves for many years now, lol--their purchase of a hot tub last year would be a good example ;)

JJ has never gotten me a bad gift. But what people find weird is that we alternate Christmas. For example one year he'll get all the 'good' presents and the next year I will. Usually on alternate Christmas' the other person doesn't get anything or much. I will never not buy anything again...still trying to live that one down :p

Anyway, we always know what the other wants so no bad gifts involved. I guess I"m a lucky girl...with him anyway. Past boyfriends were horrible, but nothing like the puzzle or dish scrubber or canisters. Although once I got tiles off a bathroom wall. I guess since he got them in Germany they were supposed to be special or something.

Oops, meant to define the 'good' gifts so people wouldn't think we were cheap or anything :lol:

Last year I got Tiffany's...this year we're investing in JJ's photography...next year...it's my turn :D
The previous years we just alternated clothes shopping sprees for me and video games, stereo, etc for him.

Okay, that's too bad you didn't like the Thomas Kinkade puzzle, but in my family that would be a hit. I love Thomas Kinkade paintings, and my family does puzzles every year at Christmas. So while it may not have been for you, it's a good gift.

I am trying to think....to be honest..all of my boyfriends have given great gifts. Some of my faves...a hand blown glass rose...a glass crab...a full collection of tiffany jewlery. And my family knows not to deviate from the list I put up, do you remember the episode of Freinds at christmas? When Rachel returns everything not on her list? that is me. I have gotten nothing "bad" just things I will never use, so I return them.


but, if I got a puzzle, a KINKAID puzzle, I would be pretty upset, I hate puzzles and Kinkade, so that would show he knows nothing about me.

i am still resisting the urge to google thomas kinkaid, because i am afraid i would have nightmares. (i'm pretty aesthetically fussy).
but, just sticking with my imagination ... i can imagine it's pretty bad, and empathise.

fortunately, I don't keep track of bad gifts, I usually am lucky enough to get good/appreciable ones, and I guess I don't hold grudges against any bad ones, because i do not remember them :)

sure they may have existed, and sure, i'm fussy as fuck ... but still ...
either i'm good at forgetting, or i'm lucky that nothing's been that terrible.

(but, i suspect, although i will not! google, that a thomas-whatever puzzle would certainly make me cringe for a good long time :p )

one of the worst: no gift, he paid for the bill to fix my camera....nice but.....what?

the worst: no gift when I definitely expected one (anniversaries).

sorry, but I dont think paintings like this are "pretty bad" I think they are very pretty

http://www.celticdesade.com/upload/thomas.jpg

http://www.celticdesade.com/upload/thomas2.jpg

I'm sorry, I'm sure this is terrific, but just the way it was listed here has reduced me to giggles at my desk.
I'm thinking you collect sealife sculptures or something?

*hugs*

I feel badly for not liking things that people give me (or us), but man. Quadro's boss goes to a store called "Flights of Fancy". It's really really not our style. It's very fussy-looking to me... turkey shaped salt and pepper shakers... a cut glass bowl - but it's all squares and stippled and weird looking... a wreath-shaped veggies-and-dip thingie... And there was the aunt who gave us the floral glass picture frame - that thing was HUGE!

*sigh*

I just think it's a bad idea to buy housy things for people whose house you've never seen. It's not that they're bad presents, they're just bad presents for me.

Quadro does a great job on gifts, thank goodness. It's his extended family we need to work on!

Edit: One, one funny one... I was at college, trying to furnish a house, so one year my mom got me a microwave oven. Pretty great, yes? She felt bad that it was my only package that year (money being tight) so she also got me a box of Ramen. Heh. To be fair, I was eating a lot of ramen, but still! Very funny.

kinkade is talented for sure...but he paints houses and trees...not my deal.

As for the crab...lol..I have a thing for crustaceans, for real. I like thier googly eyes and pinchers. So, when he saw the little pink crab, he knew it was perfect..lol. My husband thinks I am too funny when we go to the petSmart..I always have to go to the fish side and giggle at the Fiddler crabs with their huge claws.

Sometimes, guys don't think about the little romantic gifts that don't cost them much so they opt for well...a puzzle. wow. either he thinks you have an interest in art, or he wanted to give you something that required you to think (kind of like giving someone a book)....

Ooooh I like this thread.

I've gotten quite a few not so thoughtful presents in the past. You open it and you're like, "Uhh thanks, since when did I need a briefcase?" I mean you're appreciative that they made the effort to get you something, but the lack of thought in the gift itself..geez. Sometimes it seems like you're receiving something just so they can say they got you something.

Sometimes you hype yourself up for the gift exchange because you knew for damn sure you're getting them something they want but you open yours and it's like an erection gone limp..y'know?

Either way, a gift is a gift, it's just sometimes it makes you wonder if they knew you at all...or if they even listen to you...

... or maybe it's something he thought you could have some fun doing together...

My fiance (now husband) gave me, among other things, a $5 gift certificate for fast food for my birthday/college graduation last year.

But I don't blame him. His parents give absolutely terrible gifts to him, so he just wasn't properly exposed to the joys and subtelties of good gift giving.

Sometimes it is the thought that counts... really...

a few years back.. i thought i was being a good sister and gave me sister (who I could tolerate at the time) a few months worth of a maid service.. She was extremely busy with 4 children, a husband, a house under remodel... and kid activities. (her house usually looked like a bomb hit it-- and this is coming from a confirmed slob)

I thought it would be helpful to have somoene take over her cleaning duties for a while so she could focus on the kids and other stuff.. HOnest to god I thought i was being nice.. and was so proud of myself for thinking of the idea.. .And it wasn't cheap!!!

Christmas comes.. she opens her gift... and she is PISSED!! LIVID!!! How dare I call her a slob when i'm such aslob myself - she can clean her own damn house etc etc etc.... (then she turned into the adults in charlie brown wonh wonh wonh - and I stopped listening..)

so much for thoughtful and creative gifts... I'm reallysure that 'bad' gifts that were given... really didn't intend to have them be bad gifts...

I would've taken that gift with arms WIDE open.

But maybe she looked at it as a gift that wasn't related to her personally. I guess in a way it's like giving your mom a new vaccuum...It's something that the family can make use of --a home gift. Maybe your sister saw it as a home gift rather than something she could enjoy herself.

Her reaction was a bit extreme I would think.

Gifts are highly subjective things...sometimes the recipient bases such gift on a want as opposed to a need--something they wouldn't buy for themselves....

There are times when gifts are given to me out of obligation, rather than out of the desire to give me a gift. Those are bad gifts.

My grandma just recently (within the past three years) started buying me savings bonds. Those are nice gifts for children- you know, those little people that might want to think of college in the next ten years- but I am 22 years old. Not only that, but she gives the actual bond to my dad. Not to me. I honestly don't get it.

mal, that is the coolest gift ever..too bad it wasn't appreciated....

As for me, I can't think of any really bad gifts I've ever been given. My mother in law tends to give me things I don't care for much, but she doesn't have a whole lot of money (or taste, to be honest), and she totally stresses about giving gifts for every occasion, so when she does give me things I'm happy to know she loves me enough to try to please me.

Medusa call yourself lucky! The fact that she stresses about making you happy says a lot, tasteless or not.....

The worst gift ever... he didn't even get it, his mom did. He was 21 (I was 19), and had a good job, so it's not like he couldn't afford something. He gave her no input, no feedback, nothing. The best part... it was from the THRIFT STORE that she volunteered at! I don't even remember what it was at this point, it made that much of an impact, I just remember the situation around it (because that actually did make an impact). Needless to say, I'm not with him anymore.

I'm notorious for bad gifts. My sister however, awsome at gift giving. A few years ago I made a descision, if I have to buy a gift, consult the master. Worked ever since. My masterpiece? A gold ring for my moms birthday with my moms, mine, sisters, and (deceased) brothers birthstones, and all our names engraved on it.

As far as bad gifts I've gotten, my grandma gives the worst. Usually for x-mas she buys all the guys the same thing, all the girls something else. Last year she got us all hankerchiefs

Hmmmmm Naked Communist ............... I think they were trying to tell you something ......... heheheheheh!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, for me..I really don't like personlaized stuff, espeicially mugs..I REALLY see no point in them..they're not worth the money paid for them and I start feeling bad for the gifter for wasting his/her money.

The worst gift I ever recieved was from my mother when I was 16. I can't even imagine the look on my face when I opened the box and it was a statue of a witch. But not even a statue, more like a lawn ornament. I immediately started to cry, and I refused to accept it. It was seriously creepy. And the worst part was that she had paid alot of money for it. It ended up getting passed through the family, but no one ever kept it long because it was freeky and jinxed.

Edit: oops sorry didnt see this was the "womans lounge"

:lol: Mal, my birthday is in three months... could you call my boyfriend and help him out?!
I think our dust bunniculas ate the cat.

The first Christmas after we got married, (I was eighteen) my husband gave me a kitchen stove. I had complained in passing about our stove being a gas stove, and I had grown up always using an electric stove. So Christmas morning at my Dad's house I open up this box, and there is a toy stove (clever, I'll admit) with a note that a real one would be delivered the next day. I know he was trying to give me something that I wanted, and it was certainly not in any wa a cheapskate gift, BUT . . .
We lived in a small rented apartment, and a regrigerator and stove were furnished by the landlord. Over the next three years, we moved three times, each time having to explain to a landlord that we needed a refrigerator, but could they please remove the stove from the kitchen, we had our own. When we got divorced I moved out and told hime he could keep the ****ing stove. But it wasn't over yet. Three years later, after I was living a hundred miles away, I got a call from my Dad that the stove had mysteriously appeared on his front porch.
Lindy

Lindy, that was the most hilarious thing I have seen all week!!
Thanks for the laugh. I'm sorry your dad had to deal with the stove.

I'm also cracking up at Lindy's awful gift... wow. I mean, I guess it was thoughtful, but not practical in any way. :lol: I'll be sure to never complain about stoves and/or other large household appliances around holidays! :D