Worst Gift
Earlier this week we talked about gift ideas. But the discussion quickly disintegrated into laughter when Krista Ball commented that she once gave a box of tampons as a gift to the ungrateful girlfriend of her brother-in-law. (The year before said girlfriend dissed her cookies.)
It got me to thinking about the gifts I've received over the years. So today, let's dish together. What is the WORST present you have ever received in your life? (Next Friday, we'll do the best gift.)
I am not fussy about gifts. It doesn't matter if they're handmade, re-gifts, or from the secondhand store. As long as it's clean, I'll take it in the spirit it was given.
But the worst gift I ever received was at an ornament exchange party. I'd never been to one before and was intrigued. The rule was we were to spend no more than five dollars on an ornament.
At the party, we set out our ornaments and the hostess starts off by exchanging the ornament she brought with someone else. We go down the line, exchanging ornaments, regardless whether the ornament had already changed hands more than once. This continues until everyone ends up with a different ornament.
In a perfect world this would have been great, except we had one guest who brought in a slap-dashed ornament. It was a clear plastic globe with a tarnished cap; inside she had filled it with shredded paper. (We even knew where she got the paper.)
When placed next to all the other ornaments, it was clear hers was a last minute thought. No one wanted to exchange with her, but of course we had to. Everyone was required to pick an ornament and keep exchanging until all had gone through the process.
Guess who got the shredded paper globe?
It was kind of sad because everyone else at the party brought in beautiful works of art, a couple were even handmade. I cheated a little and bought a very expensive old world German glass Santa which I got on sale the year before for 75% off. But it met the $5 limit, so I felt safe in bringing it.
Anyway, that turned out to be my 'worst' gift. When Krista said she gave tampons to that ungrateful woman, I thought to myself, it could've been worse, honey. You could've ended up with a shredded paper ornament.
Oh, yeah, did I mention the plastic globe was cracked?
So what's your worst gift ever?
Comments
When I was ten years-old, I got my first bra (a training bra) in my stocking.
I ripped open the package in front of my brother and my step-dad and VOILA! A bra!!
I was MORTIFIED. I can't remember ever being that embarrassed before.
Good news is, it made for excellent story fodder -- I used it in my short story, "The Christmas Curse"! HAHAHA :-)
Ref: training bras
Oh, man! That's horrible. At least you made lemonade out of lemons.
I'm still giggling. Sorry. I'll stop. Hope all your Doritos of the future will be your favorites. :)
Joanne: Stale fruit baskets? Well, at least you could cut them up and give them to the woodland creatures or compost it.
I can easily see this happening though. You don't know how long those fruits have been packaged. It's easier to go to the grocery store and pick your own.
I give extra points to people who go out and pick out a gift that took some thought.
The worst gift I got was at a work gift exchange. The way things were that year, it turned out to be my only wrapped gift. I was completely alone and thought that I'd unwrap the gift Christmas morning, so I'd have at least one thing. It was 4 random episodes of The Simpsons.
The good news is that I never got depressed over Christmas gifts again.
Did she get us anything for our wedding after we said no to the cake? NOPE!
I proclaim you Queen of Just Desserts. It's a shame that girl probably never learned her lesson though. Some people can't be taught manners.
Holy moley!
Thank goodness your husband was on your side.
I think it's sweet.
She gave me a pink sari. In all the years she'd known me, I had never worn a sari - I look better in Western clothes and prefer their freedom of movement. Not to mention their warmth (considering I was going to Canada). I gave the sari away.
Check. No socks for Mike.
(Sorry. I couldn't help it. It's not often someone throws that word at me.) LOL.
The money would've been handier, especially in a new country.
If the gift had only been one of these things, it might have slid by unnoticed. But...
Leopard print. Plastic. And poncho. That would test even Santa's good humor.
Rough.
I'd let him fry more often, but like I said, it was expensive to buy all that oil for one time use.
jackie >_<
There are some things I don't want to broach with my mother. Sexy anything is Number 1.
But now I'm curious if you ever used them. hehehe.
(I once showed up in my Live Action Role Play fur-and-leather outfit, complete with blue paint...And I'm wearing a steam punk outfit to the work gala next weekend. They wouldn't even bat an eyelash)
The first Christmas Kurt and I spent together he bought me clothes. The thought was there and I appreciate that, but let me explain. You see, I'm not petite, I'm a little over 6 feet tall and I weigh about 175lbs. No, I'm not afraid to share my weight. I mean, one look tells you a size 1 I am not. So, I wear about a size 10 or so. Okay, think bean pole with hips.
Kurt bought me a blue sweatshirt with a giant red cardinal on it. (this is not the worst part) in a size 2XL. It gets better...he also bought me pants. Size 18. Elastic waist.
He no longer buys me clothes. He sticks to electronics.
Cathy: Ha! Thanks for making me see the bright side.
Clarissa: The thing that gets me is that it probably would have been easier to just buy a two dollar ornament at Walmart.
Greg is good, though he has bought a couple of 'un-Christmasy' gifts for wifey in the past. It's a topic of much chiding and grins at our place.
6 feet tall, eh? I don't want to stand next to you. I'd look like an angry midget. ;-)
Kurt tries, and I appreciate the effort, but the only gift he ever bought that was something for "me" was the ring-that-is-not-an-engagement-ring, I nagged for five years to get. I figure, I went through labor to have a child he had to convince me was a good idea (and she was a good idea but she didn't seem that way on the way out), then I should have an token of his appreciation.
Other than that I get televisions, dvd players, computers...not so bad.
PS If I'm in labor--I want more than a ring. He has to be my slave.
But then, I'm sure you probably did. Methinks, Kurt doesn't get away with too much around you.
*A cheap manicure set - from great aunt whom I never see: the problem? Where do I begin: from my then nail-biting habit, to the fact that I couldn't have wet polish on my nails w/o smudging during the all-important "setting" time, to the fact that I'm decidedly unfeminine when it comes to hair, make-up and other pampering activities.
Multitude of crappy, inappropriate gifts over the years - from two (paternal) great aunts who refuse to accept my request that they simply send best holiday wishes instead of gifts I'll never use. Oh well, I suppose it's nice to have them acknowledge my existence every year, esp. considering my refusal to attend all family functions around age 13.
Catie: You didn't like the flashlight? You've obviously never lost power for 21 days. LOL.
PS Hope your birthday was festive--and you're over your cold.