LOL...when my children were smaller (younger) I ALWAYS gave socks and underwear for Christmas. Just for fun. When my oldest daughter moved out on her own, the first or second Christmas she asked me "You are going to give me socks and underwear for Christmas, right?" I said "why?" "Because I really need them now :)" LOL It has become pretty much a "given tradition" that Mom will give socks and underwear at Christmas. Heck, my grandson NOW expects it for Christmas (cause his mom does too)!

I win, for my 21st birthday originally I got this necklace that was really small and ugly from my parents, my mom hated it and sent it back. She tells me I can have anything I want and the next thing I know she's telling me that she and my dad ordered me a new mattress and box spring. It's a FULL size...not a queen size. Also that's supposed to be my 21st birthday present?!

I thought 21 was supposed to be full of fun presents! :p

I once got a can of spam. The giver was a secret buddy for a conference, and she knew I was a vegetarian. Turns out had bought it to deliberately hurt my feelings. Everyone else got fun gifts like water guns, toys, and silly string to play with on our 26 hour bus ride, and she gave me spam :rolleyes:

My grandmother gave me a used purse one year that she got from a garage sale (she was a garage sale fiend). It was this really ugly yellow canvas thing w/a plastic handle where they engraved some personalization...like a name, which WASN'T MINE! I think is said "SHELLY JO" or something like that. Not even close to my name!!!

Side note-If you've ever read the letter that Dear Abby used to reprint just about every Christmas from the disgruntled grandma who was tired of giving "generous" gifts to her grandchildren, only to receive no thank you note in the mail...yep, that was my grandmother. Generous = used junk or $2 cash. I'm going to hell for speaking ill of my deceased grandma...she had good qualities, but gift giving was not her talent.

My paternal grandmother gave each of her grandchildren exactly $3 every year for Christmas. Well, since my parents were each the youngest child of several, and I'm so much younger than my brother, my grandmother must have gotten tired of that $3 expense. By the time I was about 15, I told her to keep her money, that she needed it more than I. She never once gave me an argument! :rolleyes:

And yes, I wrote the darn thank you note before I spent the $3 every year. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I love getting socks and underwear for Christmas. My mother always does that. I am forever losing socks in the dryer and then stealing my mothers so she's always getting me socks. I have never once got granny panties for as a gift (my mother knows better than that). Usually I'll get a gift certificate for La Senza (Canada' answer to Victoria's Secret) and go and get my own.

I don't think I've ever gotten a really bad present. Except maybe a bible. My granmother is a devout Southern Baptist and I know she meant well when she got me that, but I am not religious. I don't have the heart to say anything to her about it and she's forever trying to save me. I think I've opened it only a handful of times to look something up.

If you don't like the gifts that you receive from your boyfriend or husband, give him a few suggestions. When you pass a store or get a catalog and see something that you like, point it out and tell him. I am lucky that my bf gives good gifts, like a trip to the Bahamas. :)

My sister gave me my worst gift, and she still feels bad about it. She gave me a bagel cutter which was essentially a big block of wood with a hole in it. The problem is the opening was only big enough for tiny Lenders bagels. Her bf at the time laughed at her. "You couldn't spring for some bagels." It was funny, and I still have it. I actually didn't mind it at all.

Is there a problem with saying thank you in person or over the phone or do people need a friggin contract that you received your gift and you pretended to like it?

I got a box of tea one year. While some might think this would be an exotic and nice gift, no. It was a freakin box of Celestial Seasonings that cost no more than 3 bucks at the grocery store. Thanks, Uncle Bill and Aunt Jeanette! :rolleyes:

I think I can top everyone:)
Last Christmas, my grandparents gave me a can of Hormel chili with a mini microwavable bowl, and instructions on how to open the chili can, dump it into the bowl, add some cheddar cheese, and stick it in the microwave. WTF?!?
I love my grandparents, but man, they are horrible with gifts!

The worst gifts are the ones that I can't remember. I cherish the gifts my friends give me and family gives me cold hard cash :p Can't complain there!

A Chia Pet. I'm being serious. It was from my brother-in-law...I rewrapped it and gave it to him for the next Christmas...:p

Now..the worst was from my exboyfriend. For our 2nd Christmas together, he bought me a mini-makeup bag set from friggin' Odd Lots. It was red/gold/black/ with little Asian people all over it..it was the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Of course, it had the tag still on it...for $2.99. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I've gotten so many bad gifts! My parents were always very good to me, but the rest of the family never seemed to get it through their heads that just because I was a girl didn't mean I liked girly things. I got frilly dresses and ugly sweaters that my mother made me wear once each, when the appropriate relative was visiting; I got a Barbie doll that I played with exactly once; I got one of those baby dolls where you give it water and then it pees... All I wanted was some Legos and maybe a nice outfit or two.

I think the worst gift I've ever gotten was a wedding gift from my husband's cheap cousins. They are actually quite well-to-do, but they always give cheap gifts. It was a stainless steel 2-tier serving dish. I am 99% certain that it was a re-gift and that the original gift-giver couldn't have dropped more than $50 on it. Maybe for a housewarming or engagement gift, but for a wedding?!

The same cousins gave my husband a dictionary for his bar mitzvah! Worse, it was part of a lot that had been misprinted and was missing several letters of the alphabet. Yeah, they got that off the clearance rack. :rolleyes: We've been invited to their son's bar mitzvah; I suggested he give the dictionary back. :p

My Auntie had more Boy Friends and Husbands than I could keep up with! Slut that I loved dearly, one time gave me a tube of Bikini Underware;) Christmas of all times when open gifts in front of Family!

Everyone wanted me to model!:eek:

My grandparents (I do love them) gave me a set of plastic plates from the $1.00 store. I know they don't have a ton of money and I am constantly telling them not to get us anything, but this one just made me laugh.
They made up for it though when they gave us $500 for our wedding.

you can always give it to another male friend for christmas or birthday :) that is what i do when i get some stuff i dont need or want....give to someone that will make them happy.
my friend didnt like this perfume someone gave her and i mentioned i liked it, she gave it to me and i bought her a hard to find perfume that I remembered that she mentioned that she loves and she was so happy and shocked at christmas ;)