Best and worst presents?

Last year, when I opened my birthday present from DH of 48 years, I found an oven glove inside. As I was feeling a bit lacking in confidence in myself at the time (too fat, bad hair cut - you know the feeling!), I felt mortified. He explained that when we had been away a week previously I had looked in a shop window and said how much I liked the blessed oven glove, and I would love it for the kitchen. In fact, I had been talking about the colour of it, not the glove itself, which has hideous bunny rabbits over it and not at all my thing! Even my usually understanding husband couldn't understand quite why I was upset - he who usually buys me something lovely. My DIL always buys something for the kitchen, some small gadget which is usually not very useful or which I already have. One year she bought me a bottle of Chanel to thank me for all my help, I still treasure the empty bottle!

That might go some way to explaining why she's so well off, Fairydoll.

Worst present was when my husband gave me three different fluffy white jumpers, all different styles and sizes for Christmas together with a pair of slippers that were too small. He didn't think to check for size. The jumpers ended up permanently at the bottom of the laundry basket as they were all hand wash and didn't have hand wash cycle on washing machine.

Best present was also from my husband but before we were married. We met on New Year's Day and he arranged tickets to see West Side Story on our first 'anniversary' as a surprise.

A well off friend who always flys business class gave me her complimentary set of Elemis toiletries complete with make up bag for my 'special' 60th birthday.

Initially, I didn't realise it was a freebie until I opened it at home later and saw a little card at the bottom of the bag which read 'Compliments of British Airways'

What a lot of really funny posts. I've been chuckling happily!I've just remembered another disastrous present from when I was about nine. It was Christmas and my main present was a maroon canvas holdall. I opened it up thinking that my real present would be inside, but it was empty!

Several years ago on Xmas day, much beloved gave me a can of de-icer all wrapped up in Xmas paper along with a keyring before announcing that he was leaving to visit his Mum.
I waited until he left before going out into the garden to cry.
When he arrived home shortly after, full of the joys of Xmas, he asked me to go outside with him.
There, to my utter amazement was a lovely little car waiting for me !!!!
That made me cry for a completely different reason .

Hi Chicken....that's a bit grim! My MIL bought me a pair of Reduced tights with the price 20p on, and when I opened them they even had a ladder! I got them the Christmas after my husband left myself and the two children for his new girlfriend! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry....but I did laugh and it was also the best thing he did when he left too! Happy days....!

I've told this tale before, but my dad's birthday was the day after Boxing Day, and of course he used to get the unwanted Christmas presents. He used to say he wouldn't have minded so much if people had bothered to take off the festive paper and rewrap them. His sister never did!

When I passed my 11+, my parents bought me a second hand bike,which mum then used to get to and from her cleaning jobs.......why do we all do the present thing when we are so bad at it?

My friend used to ring me every birthday and Christmas not only to wish me well but also to ask what my mother had got me as she was notorious for her gifts to me which included a blow torch, a waist slip complete with charity shop price tag and a shirt originally bought for my sister who said it was hideous so it was rewrapped for me with a note explaining this. Although I was deeply hurt my friend helped me see the funny side of all these gifts.
My best present was 12 pairs of theatre tickets all carefully chosen so I could enjoy them every month throughout the year from a dearly loved friend.

BEST - Lunch on the Orient Express from my husband for my 60th

WORST - a box of toiletries from a friend. I had given them to her for her birthday on previous year.

A fiend's just confirmed my suspicioun that I sound like a complete banker.

My FIL ceremoniously presented me with an envelope for my birthday, I opened it front of all my guests. It contained the deeds to the family burial plot. It was my 21st birthday!

Best present: the flying lesson my family bought me last year which came very close to fulfilling a long-standing dream.

Worst - almost every Christmas in my teens, my aunt gave me a pair of nylons which were her size - not mine. She had much bigger feet!

A present wrapped up beautifully by a teacher for Xmas I used to clean her flat once a week,was a knee pad for washing the kitchen floor.

Best pressie was when DM, DH and DS joined forces to buy me a rose gold Tiffany cocktail watch!
Worst pressie......DH knew I wanted a sapphire and diamond ring for Christmas, I'd even pointed it out to him in the jewellers window to make sure he bought the right one. On Christmas morning I received a very large, bulky, squishy present, which upon opening turned out to be a fluffy blanket! I unwrapped it and shook it out, hoping the ring box was wrapped in it somewhere.......but no, it was just a blanket! His reasoning was that a blanket would keep me warm when he was working nights! I was furious, but got the ring anyway as I went and bought it for myself, then took the money back out of the joint bank account!

Worst was a roll of black bin bags from my brother when we were fighting against a planning application for a landfill site. He gave DH a Santa outfit the same year as 'what do you get the man who has everything'. His idea of a joke.

Best was my iPad mini. It's in constant use.

Best present from my childhood would be my own pet dog - a Westie whom I adored; in recent years probably my Kindle Fire, which occupies rather more if my day than it really should! (Still hanging out for another dog though, but DH will never agree)
Worst would be a huge, rotating, singing Santa bought for me when I was teaching Reception class by a group of American parents. Why did they never realise I would always prefer something handmade by their DC, covered in glitter and luminous felt pens?!
Interestingly Humbertbear, if you asked my DH this question his best ever present would be his yogurt maker - used lovingly ever day!

Worst present was when I was 13 and my parents gave me a home perm kit for Christmas! Best was when DH asked me what I wanted one Christmas - I said anything with diamonds. Christmas Day I opened a small package to find......a pack of playing cards!! Fortunately for his health when I opened the pack inside was the most exquisite diamond brooch!

OK-ex husband bought me an exercise bike when I had actually asked for a plain gold chain. Needless to say he was the only one who used it. Note I say ex!
Current husband bought me an orthopedic garden spade when my back was bad. To be fair he did always say that if we bought a house with a garden he would not lift a finger in it! But some help would have been preferable.
This year the present he had ordered me had not arrived so I got 2 very pretty tops on the day but when main present did arrive it was a battery powered hoover thing. (I have an excellent hoover that I am very fond of!) When the delivery man brought it DH was out- it came in the manufacturer's box so it was quite clear what it was. I was stunned- I said' Oh I think THIS must be my birthday present. The delivery man looked at me - grimmed a huge smile & said ' Oh Man! He is SOOOO dead!! Lucky for DH that I was still laughing when he got back.

I am a really shallow person and nice 'stuff' makes me happy.

The worst present I can remember having, or rather, the one that made me most miserable is the one I had a couple of days after my DH was made redundant. He gave me a pierced and ribboned saucer which he got free with something and explained how we were having to keep the spending down now we were poor. (I cried all day).

However, the DH is not a mean man and didn't want to upset me and he has bought me lovely things subsequently or rather topped up the Tesco's Goldsmith's points for nice presents. For my fiftieth birthday I had saved the Tesco's points for two years and wanted a nice watch. The DH encouraged me to go for the loveliest one and paid another £800 so I could have an Omega Constellation with diamonds. In ten years it has only been off my wrist to be serviced and when I bathe. It's my favourite present ever.

My worst present was a pottery dog from my Dad it looked like a cross Alsatian/Dacshund, I had to pretend I loved it, and kept it in my living room in the corner,
My best were my dog Jack He's 17 and I love him so, also a Dansette, and single Daydream Believer,

Several years ago my OH gave me a frying pan for Christmas.....he's lucky to still be alive!!

DS gave me two expensive bottles of wine and a pair of Arbroath Smokies for my recent birthday!

Best presents are vouchers especially for a rather nice lingerie shop in Bishop's Stortford!

Worst was a dishwasher from first ex as I have never liked practical presents - useful and usable and wanted yes. Thought he should have supplied it anyway. however love one of the first presents from current OH is a thinging for gardening - long handle, lots of points and you twirl it in the soil, brilliant. My DCs were horrified!! Second ex gave wonderful jewelry and clothes.

My best friend surprised me with a flight back to UK the day after my first grandchild was born prematurely. It was just a few days and I had flights booked for the arrival date but this meant I saw her at 24 hours old. How wonderful a friend is that. I also got a speeding ticket driving to the airport, I recently told said granddaughter and she is very impressed!

Was not impressed when an annual Christmas Book Token from a friend of my mother's for 10/- got reduced to 5/-, so didn't put a stamp on the thank you letter!!! Oh dear, what a little madam.