Report here! What dumb laughable thing did you open this year for Xmas?

[soccerluvof4]

Not meant to be a white elephant gift every year I seem to get something that I just wonder what the person possible was thinking when they thought of buying this for me. The best part is I smile because its ridiculous and they think I am loving it. This is not to sound unappreciative but ,well I think you can figure out what I mean.

So yesterday at our extended family shing ding, I received a putter set for when you sitting on the toilet. Now , 1) I haven't golfed in a long time or am known for it. 2) by the time I would set this up around the toilet I would probably crap myself and 3) why would anyone possible invent and or buy this thing? I did have a big laugh, and the person actually thinks I am going to use this....oh my.

[Hula Hoop]

My three year old nephew received a real, grown up fishing line for Christmas from a friend of his parents.  Nephew has never been fishing as his parents have absolutely no interest in it and live in the center of a large city far from any fishing areas.  No idea what this friend was thinking.  Nephew was really excited and proceeded to scream because he (understandably) wanted to go fishing with it.  They had to find storage for it in their tiny apartment.

[I'm a red panda]

9 month old got a calendar.

[Minnowstache]

My brother, who is not known for his taste in gifts gave us a coffee maker. Sounds good? We love coffee but this was a machine that looked like an espresso machine but makes INSTANT coffee. We never drink instant - we don’t even have it in the house - but even if we did surely the point of instant coffee is that you put a spoonful in a cup and add water.... I politely pointed out that we had enough coffee equipment already (a grinder and a French press) and suggested he could get more use out of it himself. I think he was actually quite pleased to take it home with him - a win on all sides :)

I have found a review of this machine

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11768977

[Sibley]

This year wasn't too bad. The last 2-3 years I was returning a full laundry basket of stuff.

I am laughing some though - I'm working on my house, and everyone knows it. My sister's BF got me a puzzle. Ok, great. except the only open spaces currently have pieces of wood from the closet laid out for painting, and next up is 4 doors.

[soccerluvof4]

9 month old got a calendar.

Awesome! lol.. Hope it at least had a theme he would like!

My brother, who is not known for his taste in gifts gave us a coffee maker. Sounds good? We love coffee but this was a machine that looked like an espresso machine but makes INSTANT coffee. We never drink instant - we don’t even have it in the house - but even if we did surely the point of instant coffee is that you put a spoonful in a cup and add water.... I politely pointed out that we had enough coffee equipment already (a grinder and a French press) and suggested he could get more use out of it himself. I think he was actually quite pleased to take it home with him - a win on all sides :)

I have found a review of this machine

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11768977

oh my! Sounds like a last minute "I didnt read the label " purchase.

My three year old nephew received a real, grown up fishing line for Christmas from a friend of his parents.  Nephew has never been fishing as his parents have absolutely no interest in it and live in the center of a large city far from any fishing areas.  No idea what this friend was thinking.  Nephew was really excited and proceeded to scream because he (understandably) wanted to go fishing with it.  They had to find storage for it in their tiny apartment.

Makes you wonder! maybe a re-gift!

This year wasn't too bad. The last 2-3 years I was returning a full laundry basket of stuff.



I am laughing some though - I'm working on my house, and everyone knows it. My sister's BF got me a puzzle. Ok, great. except the only open spaces currently have pieces of wood from the closet laid out for painting, and next up is 4 doors.

Hes thinking for you to do something relaxing when your all done!  :-p

[Erma]

We got a small bowling game. The pins are about 2 cm in height and and nobody knows what the purpose of the whole thing is. Fortunately this is the only dumb thing we got.

[big_owl]

I got one of those vacuum sealer devices for the kitchen from my mom.   At first I thought it was dumb but I have spent the past 3hrs pulling all the frozen meat out of my chest freezer and vacuum sealing it all.  It's been eye opening because a lot of the meat I forgot I even had since it was just in those standard butcher bags that you can't see through.  Now everything is all organized, labeled, and looks good.  I'm a convert.

[CindyBS]

So yesterday at our extended family shing ding, I received a putter set for when you sitting on the toilet. Now , 1) I haven't golfed in a long time or am known for it. 2) by the time I would set this up around the toilet I would probably crap myself and 3) why would anyone possible invent and or buy this thing? I did have a big laugh, and the person actually thinks I am going to use this....oh my.

How can you reasonably expect any of the people who love you to sit back and destroy your life by not being fully entertained for the few minutes every day you go poop.  Honestly!  It is not like you can look at your phone or read a book or a magazine during that time or anything.  Or even *GASP* do anything like just sit there un-entertained.  If you would only accept that your family is looking out for your best interests it will be ok. 

/S

[Catbert]

An Echo Dot.  My sister has one and I guess loves it.  Google already knows waaaayyy too much about me.  I don't need Amazon listening in also.  Not sure if it's worth selling. 

[luciep]

I got an Eiffel Tower ornament... because I am French (I live in America). The person who gifted it to me had good intention, but I really wonder why someone would think that French people need to get an Eiffel Tower for Christmas.

[I'm a red panda]

An Echo Dot.  My sister has one and I guess loves it.  Google already knows waaaayyy too much about me.  I don't need Amazon listening in also.  Not sure if it's worth selling.

We use ours doe grocery list and to play jeopardy.

[tinylittlemonkey]

I got a t-shirt from a restaurant that the giver had already told me about. Everything else was fine this year... mainly wine and treats.

Last year my mom gave me souvenirs from a vacation we all went on together in May. That was pretty bad.

[bacchi]

I received a mini-megaphone that can alter the voice of the speaker.

https://www.toysrus.com/buy/party-favors-decorations/megaphone-voice-changer-66124tru-12504729

Not that I need it but it'd be cool if it worked. It doesn't. It's more plastic shit that'll go into the garbage.

[Zikoris]

Someone gave me a big box of butter cookies. It's extremely well known that I'm a vegan. Regifted!

I also am rapidly accumulating Starbucks gift cards. Next spring I need to organize a hike that ends at Starbucks and treat everyone.

[11ducks]

Someone gave me a big box of butter cookies. It's extremely well known that I'm a vegan. Regifted!

Haha, I'm dairy intolerant (5 years now), and always end up with a pile of chocolates and homemade cookies. One year I got a milk-based moisturiser set (not sure if trying to kill me or accident...?). DH loves it as he gets to eat it all  (not the moisturiser though).

My lovely MIL got it into her head that I love butterflies, and it has been a running gift theme for me. Another year, another butterfly calendar and brooch. Sigh. Sweet thought.

[soccerluvof4]

So yesterday at our extended family shing ding, I received a putter set for when you sitting on the toilet. Now , 1) I haven't golfed in a long time or am known for it. 2) by the time I would set this up around the toilet I would probably crap myself and 3) why would anyone possible invent and or buy this thing? I did have a big laugh, and the person actually thinks I am going to use this....oh my.

How can you reasonably expect any of the people who love you to sit back and destroy your life by not being fully entertained for the few minutes every day you go poop.  Honestly!  It is not like you can look at your phone or read a book or a magazine during that time or anything.  Or even *GASP* do anything like just sit there un-entertained.  If you would only accept that your family is looking out for your best interests it will be ok. 

/S

Haha! Graphic- If I am in there a couple minutes I am in trouble for the day. My system doesnt work that way. Now my son could golf a round of 18 holes. But I happen to know he prefers reading! :-p

[Rowellen]

I got a dancing (wobbling) Santa. It's about 3 inches tall and really cheap plastic. It is also solar powered. My daughter got quite upset that it didn't work. It'll be in the bin very soon.

[BookLoverL]

I didn't get anything ridiculous this year, but when I was a teenager one of my aunts got me this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wow-Stuff-Doctor-Hologram-Chamber/dp/B003ZRHPBM

I mean, I actually like Doctor Who, but this is the most pointless thing ever. It's entirely ornamental, and the supposed "hologram" effect isn't even that impressive. I think we still have it somewhere (there's a lot of clutter in my parents' place), but the only thing I can think to do with it would be sell it on or cannibalise the mirrors for something.

[KungfuRabbit]

Got a statute thing that looks like it belongs in a nursing home. About 8" tall and wide with a couple sitting on a bench and some love type bible verse.

Am I supposed to put this out?  When said person comes to my house will they look for it? 

The only logical place for it is the donate pile.

[Helvegen]

My mother insists on buying my daughter something for Christmas every year despite the fact she is dead broke and my daughter has basically everything she wants or needs. I really wish she would just not bother, but gift giving/receiving is her language of love (very unfortunately).  So this year, she sent three gifts. The first two were not remarkable in any way. The third was this sweater that was for someone in their 70s. I have no idea what she was thinking buying it for a middle schooler.

My in-laws used to send random ??? crap, but they finally got the message this year that though we appreciate the thought, we don't need anything. It was great!

[ketojenn]

A romance novel, silicone pig trivet, silicone pig ice cube thingy, and a tiny pancake pan with a pig on it.  Apparently my mother has decided I like pigs and bad fiction.  I'm a minimalist.  I can't even.

[MayDay]

Mil got my kids these 3D "Crystal" (plastic) puzzles.

They say 12+ bit she thinks they are geniuses.

Well they are fucking impossible. Even the grown-ups can't get more that 5 pieces together, working on it for an hour.

They are staying here when we fly home.

[aperture]

Brand new set of knives from my in-laws.  Of course, 20 years into our marriage, my DW already have a complete kitchen including all the same knives that came with this set. 

I guess we will upgrade our camping knives.

[Dicey]

This one's slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to vent bit, so here goes.  I asked for a really good stick blender this year, because I've burned out three of them, all purchased used. DH knows better to buy appliances unless specifically requested, plus we happily keep our gift giving minimal. Anyway, apparently he ordered one from BB&B's website, because he left the paperwork on our shared desk. I dropped it and walked away as soon as i realized what it was,  so I didn't examine it thoroughly. Its nagging me that he probably did not use one of their ubiquitous 20% off coupons.

Should I return it and re-buy with a coupon or just enjoy the gift? FWIW, he bought the $99 Breville, which should last for years. We're FI/FIRE, so $20 isn't going to break us, but my frugal habits are deeply entrenched. No one else outside this group is likely to understand my line of thinking, so thanks for giving me a space to explore the question.

[honeybbq]

I got a "FRIDGE FORK".

[CindyBS]

This one's slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to vent bit, so here goes.  I asked for a really good stick blender this year, because I've burned out three of them, all purchased used. DH knows better to buy appliances unless specifically requested, plus we happily keep our gift giving minimal. Anyway, apparently he ordered one from BB&B's website, because he left the paperwork on our shared desk. I dropped it and walked away as soon as i realized what it was,  so I didn't examine it thoroughly. Its nagging me that he probably did not use one of their ubiquitous 20% off coupons.

Should I return it and re-buy with a coupon or just enjoy the gift? FWIW, he bought the $99 Breville, which should last for years. We're FI/FIRE, so $20 isn't going to break us, but my frugal habits are deeply entrenched. No one else outside this group is likely to understand my line of thinking, so thanks for giving me a space to explore the question.

I'd let it go, he tried and it is a once per year purchase.  I'm sure the effort came from a place of love, even if it fell short in your eyes.

If he had an extended pattern of this type of thing, I would use other non-gift examples to bring up.  $20 is not worth hurting feelings over.

[Reynolds531]

My parents got an Alexa internet speaker from my sister.

I have to go over and push "input" on the TV when they want to use the vcr. Because they can't figure it out.

This should be fun...

[CatamaranSailor]

Got a bottle of "19 Crimes" red wine. You hold your phone over the label the the "criminal" on the label talks to you! Not sure if I'm creeped out or in awe of the marketing person who came up with this idea!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDxqdrLlDY8

[soccerluvof4]

My parents got an Alexa internet speaker from my sister.

I have to go over and push "input" on the TV when they want to use the vcr. Because they can't figure it out.

This should be fun...

Have you seen the SNL skit on this? its on youtube! oh my. I saw it on Xmas and laughed my ass off. Check it out

[4n6]

My mother-in-law, who works for a cosmetic line, got me these facial masks. I am not sure why she got them for me considering I never use them. However, I know my wife already has dibs on them.

[tinylittlemonkey]

Got a bottle of "19 Crimes" red wine. You hold your phone over the label the the "criminal" on the label talks to you! Not sure if I'm creeped out or in awe of the marketing person who came up with this idea!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDxqdrLlDY8

That was a birthday prize at my office a few months ago. I thought it was cool!

[mm1970]

Not dumb or laughable but...

We got a full set of Corelle dishes.  Set of 8 large plates, small plates, and bowls.

Now, I like Corelle and all.  But.  We already have 3 sets, passed down from various people.  So we have a set of 4 (1990), a set of 4 (1989), and a set of 8 (1977).

Now instead of a total of 16 of each, we now have 24 of each.  At least they all stack?

This from someone who knows that we already have plenty of mismatched dishes.

I guess it will be easy when my kids leave the nest - I can send them off with a set?

They are very pretty.  Ate off them last night.

[lexde]

I got a very cute wooden “stuff” holder from my Secret Santa at work. I like it, but don’t need it at all. I don’t know what to put in it because I don’t have “stuff”. Help! I don’t want the giver to feel bad so I want to fill it with something, I just don’t know what. (It’s located behind my desk on a credenza, which is also empty.)

[lexde]

This one's slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to vent bit, so here goes.  I asked for a really good stick blender this year, because I've burned out three of them, all purchased used. DH knows better to buy appliances unless specifically requested, plus we happily keep our gift giving minimal. Anyway, apparently he ordered one from BB&B's website, because he left the paperwork on our shared desk. I dropped it and walked away as soon as i realized what it was,  so I didn't examine it thoroughly. Its nagging me that he probably did not use one of their ubiquitous 20% off coupons.

Should I return it and re-buy with a coupon or just enjoy the gift? FWIW, he bought the $99 Breville, which should last for years. We're FI/FIRE, so $20 isn't going to break us, but my frugal habits are deeply entrenched. No one else outside this group is likely to understand my line of thinking, so thanks for giving me a space to explore the question.

Is it worth $20 to take a dedicated trip out to BBB, wait for the return transaction, find it again and repurchase it? I think the $20 is gone now regardless, so just enjoy it and instead see if you can find a creative way to have it earn that $20 back for you (baked goods for a dinner party instead of bringing a bottle of wine?).

[bacchi]

My parents got an Alexa internet speaker from my sister.

I have to go over and push "input" on the TV when they want to use the vcr. Because they can't figure it out.

This should be fun...

Have you seen the SNL skit on this? its on youtube! oh my. I saw it on Xmas and laughed my ass off. Check it out

This one? Yeah, it's hilarious. And not far from the truth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvT_gqs5ETk

[marty998]

@lexde pot plants always look nice.

[Juslookin]

I got a "FRIDGE FORK".

You win.

[sparkytheop]

I got a very cute wooden “stuff” holder from my Secret Santa at work. I like it, but don’t need it at all. I don’t know what to put in it because I don’t have “stuff”. Help! I don’t want the giver to feel bad so I want to fill it with something, I just don’t know what. (It’s located behind my desk on a credenza, which is also empty.)

Do you have any forms you have to fill out regularly?  Those could go in the middle.  Or make it your "inbox/outbox" area if you need one.

Do you need extra light in that area?  You could put a lamp with a small base in one of the boxes.  Marty's plant idea is nice (but I'd kill almost anything real, mint smells nice though).  ETA: wait... pot plant or potted plant?!  I've heard that pot plants can get pretty big...

I have a "mail cube" and a locker at work (where I keep my cold weather gear, extra boots, hard hat, radio, etc, and a kick scooter, along with personal projects I want to work on on the "off shifts"), so I have no clue what to even do with a desk.  But it's pretty!

[Rowellen]

Coat hangers and pegs :/

I'm not joking.

From my mother who knows I'm decluttering (ie I have plenty of unused coat hangers.

[Cpa Cat]

I received a centerpiece. It was supposed to have "snow" on it, in the form of glued on plastic beads. But I guess the glue was cheap, because when I unwrapped, little plastic beads sprayed everywhere. They're square, with sharp edges, so it was basically like stepping on broken glass.

My MIL told me that it would be fine once the loose ones fell off.

I got it home and tried to take it out, and goddamn, it got me again!

It has a Marshall's tag attached to it, and I briefly considered trying to return it. But transporting it is like disarming a bomb.

I decided to let it explode in my garbage can.

[Bateaux]

I got nothing useless this year.  Hopefully my participation gifts I gave we're all useful.

[aceyou]

I got very few presents so I am quite thankful and pleased. 

- My parents got me tennis shoes that I needed and Homo Deus to read.
- Wife got me 20 bucks of asian cooking supplies from the local asian store(I've been learning new skills there)
- mother in law got me black undershirts. 

Wow, when I write it all down it seems that much more amazing!

[kenner]

Mil got my kids these 3D "Crystal" (plastic) puzzles.

They say 12+ bit she thinks they are geniuses.

Well they are fucking impossible. Even the grown-ups can't get more that 5 pieces together, working on it for an hour.

They are staying here when we fly home.

I doubt you care at this point, but they're easier by touch rather than sight. 

Fortunately for me, everyone knows I'm getting on a plane shortly so the only nonsense thing I got was some sort of plug-in scent dispenser.  The gift-giver was upset that they'd forgotten the actual scent, I...was not.  If it survives the trip back I'll see if friends without allergies have a use for it, otherwise it's off to Goodwill.

[DirtDiva]

My sister gave me a truly hideous fashion bag with a gaudy print on the outside and a fringy zipper pull.  And a hat that looks like it came from the set of the Beverly Hillbillies.

I could not be considered a "fashion" person by any stretch of the imagination. 

[teen persuasion]

I didn't receive anything too ridiculous this year, but last year I was gifted a decorative angel, made from a gourd.

DD3 won the golden cocoon award - her present was in an Amazon box; inside was an Amazon "gift" bag, inside that was a plastic bag, inside that was another cloth drawstring gift bag, inside that was another plastic bag, which held her actual gift - a shoulder bag!

[ACyclist]

2 cans of Chinese canned sardines, in tomato sauce.

[ThreeCarbsNoGrains]

When all was said and done, my husband and I received at least seven toothbrushes, plus other toiletries and other random items in our stockings.  I donated almost all of our “stocking stuffers” to a local shelter today.

[Lifestyle Deflation]

I hate to sound ungrateful but... the in-laws were staying with us for Christmas and got us a new TV (which we didn't need at all) and I was forced to spend the day mounting it on the wall. It looks ugly as hell in our house and I absolutely hate it... I am not a TV watcher and I highly resent the fact that I was forced to put this hideous thing in our living room.

Additionally, they got me this Amazon Echo screen device, which is even worse. The last thing I would ever want in my house is a device that listens to what we are saying, and I refuse to plug it in. My honest opinion is that anyone who would actually use this is a moron. At best it's a consumerist, materialist symbol of ultimate self-centered laziness.

So, I hated all my Christmas presents. And yet they spent a lot of money on them for me. So I said thank you, because they love me and I'm not a total douche. But I would rather have had nothing.

[Woodshark]

Got a bottle of "19 Crimes" red wine. You hold your phone over the label the the "criminal" on the label talks to you! Not sure if I'm creeped out or in awe of the marketing person who came up with this idea!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDxqdrLlDY8

I've had this wine but didn't know about this feature. Too creepy.