Crappy Christmas Presents

[Stormcall]

This post makes you seem really eh. Wouldn't even bother getting you a gift if you were my friend, even money. People (who are emotionally sensitive/intelligent) don't like giving money because gifts are supposed to be thoughtful, tailored to who the receiver is.

If you're not getting me something useful to me, you're not only getting me something I don't care about, you're wasting your own time and money in the process of it. This means no benefit for me, and a loss for you. If you are my friend, and you feel you have to give me a gift(and if you are my friend, I certainly don't require one from you, you're not my friend cause you give me shit) I don't WANT you taking time and effort and spending your money on something I'm just gonna trash(or give to someone else, if I know someone else who might want it). So yeah, you'd make me happier by not getting me anything, at least then I don't feel bad for you wasting time and money on something useless and I also don't have to make the effort of pretending I love it. This means less wasted effort and money on your part(which is good for you), and I'm in the same situation either way, so no downside for me-everybody wins, that way.

If someone wants to get a gift tailored to the receiver, and I am the receiver, you get me money or a gift card, because THAT is the one thing the receiver will be sure to use and be happy to get. Of course, this assumes you are, in fact, getting the gift to make the other person happy, rather than to make yourself feel good about coming up with something "thoughtful".

[Deleted]

My parents are well-off. They got my 8 year old brother a fucking yoyo and a pair of glasses last year. My dad is the cheapest man you will ever ever ever ever meet, so to make sure my brother doesn't have another crappy Xmas, I bought him a PS3.

Well, you are awesome. My older sister (who is 23 years old and should atleast be able to afford a bag of candy or w/e) got me a 3 days old muffin she got to take home from her job. She is working at a cafe and sometimes when theres leftovers the workers get to take home some of the stuff... This is last year btw.

While me and my brother put some money together and got her a pair of good headphones. I think she felt kinda bad about it though : /

[FraQture]

Every year since i was about 14-19 years i got the same from my uncle and their family every year. a Towel and maybe a soap or two....
And i know he got a shit load of money since he has 2 houses.

[Snuggie]

I can't complain about the gifts I've received in the past. I haven't gotten anything too strange.

However, every year my aunt puts toilet paper at the top of her list as what she wants for Christmas. I never understood that.

[Stormcall]

However, every year my aunt puts toilet paper at the top of her list as what she wants for Christmas. I never understood that.

She's thinking about it from a practical standpoint. Toilet paper is (comparatively) expensive, and will always get used. My sister had baby diapers on her Christmas list in the past for the same reason-they aren't the cheapest thing to buy, and they will definitely get used. Sure, it wasn't fun, or exciting, but it was basically a way for her to ask for money for Christmas without actually asking for money.

[Deleted]

I usually get good gifts...
My girlfriend got me a legit copy of Golden Sun Dark Dawn last year, I bought her a live DVD + CD from a band she liked + several others.
She was happy with it aswell... Music always works with her, lol. :P

Though, I'm thinking of getting something different for her this year.

Probably the lousiest gift I get with christmas is that deoderant, shaving cream set... but we always get those on the side... :P

This is the first christmas where I can actually spend money, since I started working this year.
Any good suggestions for my brother/mother/father/sister? ^^

[Jackmoves]

Money is boring? If someone is getting me anything OTHER than money(or some sort of gift certificate, which is almost the same thing), they really don't know me well enough to be getting me something in the first place and probably shouldn't bother.

So no, money isn't boring, money is ideal-it's one gift you can be absolutely certain I both want and will use.

If they know you well enough they can easily find something you like/need and do not have yet. Money? There is 0 element of suprise, no thought put into it, it's totally uninspired and impersonal. It's a crappy gift.
Sure if you NEED money then it's a good gift, I don't, so if someone feel they need to get me gifts I prefer getting something els.

[Purlina]

I don't even care about presents anymore. If someone asks me what I want, I usually can't even decide...


Am I weird?

[Deleted]

So I'd like to open this up in two ways, one if telling about, from Christmases past, of crappy christmas gifts you either gotten or given, and two the reason why this was, or if there was more behind it.

For the last few years, my older brother, with his family and nice home and sweet job, who makes the effort to tell how great his life is, for the past 3-4 years now, has shown pretty much the true nature of the stingy bastard bastard, or perhaps thoughtless goon.

For years now, like i do everyone else, I like to spend time thinking of a good gift to get someone. Even if I know it won't be much to spend, I try to find a nice gift and put a lot of thought into it. For example last year, I put money together for both my brother and sister in law, and brought them a Christmas hamper in lots of christmas goodies and wine and cheese and other stuff. And for christmas, what did my brother get me? A cheap deorderent set I saw in my local chemist on sale for a few pound.
Likewise, the year before, I brought them a cook book cause he liked to cook Italian meals and his wife a first season of one of her fav series, and they got me a game for a console I didn't even own, and he even asked me when opening it 'hope you can play it dunno if you got console'.

I've decided this year, give him a chance, i won't spend much on him but I will still put a bit of thought into it, but if it becomes very obvious he doesn't give a shit I'll just stick to giving him book vouchers from here on.



So anyway, crappy christmas presents and what you did in return.

I was going to call you an ungrateful bastard until I saw that comment, you really think people would bother to check these things.

My most useless presents are always jewelry, I never wear the stuff not even watches. I always act grateful and will wear it for the day, but then it goes in a drawer with the rest of it.

[Auloria]

I usually ask for no gifts. The fact that this topic exists is a sign of a problem with the system.

However, I really hate getting gift cards, they're a rip off. I forget them at home, I lose them, I never visit the business in question or it doesn't exist where I live... You're basically donating money to the business at worst and giving them a free loan at best. I get that it's an easy way for someone to fulfill their obligation, but honestly, I'd rather get nothing.

[Elegiac]

I like to get people things I know they will use frequently. As for me, I generally tell them to just write a cheque.

[Deleted]

I usually ask for no gifts. The fact that this topic exists is a sign of a problem with the system.

However, I really hate getting gift cards, they're a rip off. I forget them at home, I lose them, I never visit the business in question or it doesn't exist where I live... You're basically donating money to the business at worst and giving them a free loan at best. I get that it's an easy way for someone to fulfill their obligation, but honestly, I'd rather get nothing.

I hate receiving gifts too, but people still send them. That obligates me to send something back, I really hate how commercial christmas is but theres nothing we can do about it.

[Auloria]

I hate receiving gifts too, but people still send them. That obligates me to send something back, I really hate how commercial christmas is but theres nothing we can do about it.

I've managed to get my parents to agree to buy me cheap, silly things, just for the sake of being able to open presents. Others are a lot slower to let go of the idea, but I still try.

[Cybran]

I haven't gotten Christmas presents since i was 5 or 6. I asked my parents if they are leaving the presents under the tree and they said yes. Ever since i have been getting money instead. I prefer money over gifts for birthdays as well.

[Skippy88]

We do stockings and gifts every year. I shouldn't complain but my stockings every year for the last 10 years has been the same: soap, toothpaste, etc. Yes they are usable but seriously who wants to receive toothpaste as a gift?

For actual gifts I think the worst was Pink long underwear. I still can't decide if it was meant as a joke or if someone really thought it was a good idea.

[Kasierith]

My Christmas is pretty much "You couldn't possibly be getting tired of Church after the last dozen services, so lets go to another one!"

[Cludo]

My sisters always buy me A) Toblerone or B) Lyxn shower set. Every Christmas!

[Gamdwelf]

I haven't really gotten anything for christmas in years, some times my mom might get me a pair of jeans if mine are starting to wear out. I usually don't give unless I can find something that the person would really like.

[Gheld]

Wow @ OP.

Just, wow. I would be happy enough, if my brothers didn't get me anything, if it meant providing a higher standard of living for their families. Fortunately the adults in my family just do a secret Santa and we focus the bulk of the gift giving on the children and between spouses.

I'll just leave this "crappy gift" mentality thread with one final thought.

When I look back on my childhood, I've realized I was the most spoiled kid among all of my friends. Why? Because I never received an allowance. It taught me that nobody owes me anything, and as a result I've tirelessly endeavored to be the best at everything I do while all I can do is look pitifully down the ladder at all of my childhood friends who are standing at the bottom with their hands out. The ones who still enjoy a life in suburbia do so because they still live with their parents.

Perhaps your brother has learned the same lesson and isn't entirely convinced that you have.

[Liagala]

The worst gift I ever got was an empty box, when I was around 10. The only time I ever saw my father's side of the family was Christmas, because my father died when I was 2. This was from an aunt and uncle on that side, so I give them a little credit for not knowing me or what I liked, but still... an empty box, for a kid? It was a fairly decorative box, covered in red and green fabric with a little bit of gold sparkle. I unwrapped it, then opened the box looking for the gift - I was amazed when I found that the box itself was the gift.