Craziest present

[Syrreal]

My Mom and her sisters are all in their 50s. For years, Mom has been trying to persuade her 2 sisters that there was no need for them to exchange gifts, but they keep saying, "Oh, no, we HAVE to exchange gifts!" Except they don't even live near each other, so they have to purchase gifts and then ship them to each other.

Mom tries to get nice gifts for $50 or more... Harry and David's baskets or a Vera Bradley purse, etc... She puts a lot of thought and some effort into the gift.

However, one sister consistently gives Mom gifts that are literally pulled out of her pantry (Rice o Roni Noodles and a box of tea, for instance). The other sister sends Mom perfumed lotions or candles. Here's the kicker... Mom is a VERY picky eater and is highly allergic to scented items AND HER SISTERS KNOW THIS!!!!

Hmmm, they might be relatives of my friend...who also knew that I hate black olives. He actually told me it was between the olives and a can of corn. I would could at least make something with the corn.

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

I had my baby shower two weeks ago. My MIL told me ahead of time that her very good friend had this "amazing" gift for the baby and that her friend kept saying that it would be the best of the shower.

Behold the baby gift:

Now, the picture simply does not do this item justice. The box is well worn and the straps had a chew mark on one side. We Googled the item (you can't find it online anywhere, not even eBay) and finally noticed on the side of the box that it was from the CBS Corporation...which went out of business in the late 70's, early 80's. My husband and I figured that this was a toy that belonged to the woman's son, and it sat in the house until our baby shower.

Sorry, I can't put this item in my son's crib. It looks like it would kill him. My husband thought it was an adult toy when I took it out of the box.

 

[Kate and Pete]

Behold the baby gift:

My husband thought it was an adult toy when I took it out of the box.

REALLY? Um...I'm not even going to ask how he thought THAT worked!

 

[pigget74]

REALLY? Um...I'm not even going to ask how he thought THAT worked!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Noticed that most of these post refer to MIL. I am just glad I am not the only one who has a crazy MIL..

 

[zaneymax]

Okay! Now that I'm wheezing from laughing so hard, I need to share some of our craziest presents ever!

When I was young, I used to love the TV show "Mork and Mindy". My sister and I even had the rainbow striped suspenders that Mork wore on the show. Flashforward about 15 years and for Christmas my god-father gave me a pair of rainbow striped suspenders for Christmas! WTH? He hadn't given me a gift for years and where did that one come from? My DH still likes to tease me about that one!

Also, we got some of the craziest wedding gifts. My aunt gave us a Polaroid camera which was supposed to come with film. Low and behold, the film case was there, but my aunt had used all of the film up, then wrapped it for our gift!

My cousin and his wife (who got married a few months before us) wrapped a small mason jar filled with potpourri and tied with a small doiley up as our wedding gift. We gave them cash! What, did they think the potpourri would cover the stench of their rotten gift?

I know that it's supposed to be the thought that counts, but what were their thoughts?

-Gina

 

[dznyacct]

One year (after I had been dating my now DH for ~ 4 years) I had "the sock Christmas". We were at his parents opening gifts and my gift...... ONE PAIR OF SOCKS?!?!??!?!??! It was really awkward and weird. They liked me and everything, so I don't know what was up. My DH and his brothers received several gifts so it wasn't that money was a factor. We still laugh about it .

 

[amandaraye]

Hey, hey now...let's stop knocking mothers-in-law ok? Mine is great! She gives me one (small) box of Junior Mints every year for Christmas. once she even gave them to me in a used drinking glass!

 

[THE HAT]

One Christmas my Pepere gave me an avacado green padded toilet seat.....I was 7......my Memere gave me days of the week undies.....a theme I guess??

 

[IDoDis]

Last year my mom gave this to my 11 year old DD for Christmas:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-trident-ul-led-headlamps-61049.html

She said it was for DD to take with her on their (my mom and DD's) trip to Mexico (they went this summer). DD was to wear it when she had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

 

[natnelliesmom]

It's always the MIL!! I have a scary one too. She once gave me a green sweatshirt that she picked up at a local boutique store. It had been cut down the front and made into a cardigan with 4 inch wooden frogs as buttons. It was painted with huge lilies and abstract swirls. It was so ugly that when I opened it I just sat there with my mouth hanging open! I had no idea what to say.
It was also a size 3X. I wear a sz 12!!! She's a skinny stick- so she probably thinks that is the size I wear!
The scariest thing is that I brought it back to the boutique a few weeks later- she had paid 89.00 for the thing!!!
I was shocked. The thing is- the other things in that shop were great! Cute wool jackets and hand tooled leather purses. I think I would have loved just about anything else in the store!
I could tell you many more stories about her gifts- but I'm getting too tired to think anymore tonight!!
-Sarah

 

[DumboPrincess]

A little background...DH, DSIL & I all went to the same high school. So same alma mater. When DH & I were engaged I lived with his Mom & Dad (& for a short time, his sister. It was for a job promotion to another city, in which they lived.Anyway...)

So the house they lived in was old, like 1920s, and drafty. I wore a lot of sweatshirts in that house to stay warm. So this past Christmas, wrapped in a nice (Gap!) box I recieved...SIL's old HIGH SCHOOL sweatshirt, saved from the Goodwill pile, because she and DMIL remembered I'd "borrowed" the sweatshirt a few times and would appreciate it. Surely I loved the sweatshirt b/c I wore it all the time? Huh?

 

[mel63]

I am laughing so hard.


Some of the gifts I have received are the GIANT tin of popped popcorn and from my MIL I got a hat, scarf and gloves set with flowers on it. At the time, I had known her over 15 years. In all that time, I have NEVER worn a hat, a scarf or gloves. And I don't like flowery stuff. It looked like someone gave it to her and she re-gifted. If she did buy it, she had to just grab the first thing she saw. My dh and I laughed about it.

 

[swkmom]

Usually my MIL gives nice gifts. However, one Christmas she gave DH a $100 gift card to Kohl's then brought out a large wrapped package for me. I opened it and it was a clothes steamer. She said "now you can steam all the clothes for him (DH) that he buys with his gift card!" And, she was serious it wasn't a joke.

Also, last Christmas she gives me two boxes with nice sweaters from a nice women's clothing store. She tells me that her employers bought them for her but they weren't her style and they have gift receipts so if I want to return them and get the store credit I can! I really didn't know what to say then.

 

[megan4777]

I had my baby shower two weeks ago. My MIL told me ahead of time that her very good friend had this "amazing" gift for the baby and that her friend kept saying that it would be the best of the shower.

Behold the baby gift:

Now, the picture simply does not do this item justice. The box is well worn and the straps had a chew mark on one side. We Googled the item (you can't find it online anywhere, not even eBay) and finally noticed on the side of the box that it was from the CBS Corporation...which went out of business in the late 70's, early 80's. My husband and I figured that this was a toy that belonged to the woman's son, and it sat in the house until our baby shower.

Sorry, I can't put this item in my son's crib. It looks like it would kill him. My husband thought it was an adult toy when I took it out of the box.

That's NOT a toy....that's the "baby activator." Without this contraption, your baby will not work. I am laughing so hard at, "baby activator," I can't see straight.

Why on Earth would someone even keep that? Actually, I just answered my own question by remembering that my DMIL kept the cast that my DH wore when he broke his arm when he was 5 (30 yrs ago) and made sure we didn't forget it when we got married.

 

[it's kelly]

For my 21st birthday I got bubbles. A whole gallon of bubble liquid, but I never even got the stick to blow them!

 

[Martha7]

OMG, this thread has me crying with laughter! Thank you all so much!!!

 

[WDWBarb]

Mine all come from DH ... I'm happy to say these all happened long ago and he's gotten way better

For Mother's Day, he got me a book of stamps. Seriously. When I asked him why he got me stamps he said, "Well, you're always asking me if I have any?"



For my birthday he brought home a nice alarm clock that played CD's. I'd say he brought it for me but... it went like this:

DH: "I bought you this nice new alarm clock, it plays CD's."

Me: "But you bought me an alarm clock just last week? It doesn't play CD's but it's fine for me?"

DH: "Right, I realized that just after I bought it and I need a new alarm clock so don't worry, it's ok - I'll use it."



For several years for Christmas he would buy me a season of The Golden Girls on DVD. Ok, I've like.. seen the show, usually on a lazy Sunday afternoon when nothing else is on. But I'm in my thirties and I hardly remember this show. It's amusing, sure... but....?

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

For our wedding, one of my friends gave us a set of those decorative cheese knives.

Inside of the cheese knife box was a card giving congrats....on THEIR wedding. Niiiiiiiiiiice.

 

[TiggerTails57]

For our wedding, one of my friends gave us a set of those decorative cheese knives.

Inside of the cheese knife box was a card giving congrats....on THEIR wedding. Niiiiiiiiiiice.

Now, that's a 'cheesy' gift!!