Just got off the phone with my good friend. She is really mad because of what her mother in law gave her for Christmas. She received a 5 dollar rebate coupon with a upc attached from a dvd that her MIL bought (she didn't give her the dvd for Christmas... just the rebate form and the upc). I told her it was the thought that counts.... 
So... it got me thinking...... anyone else out there get a 'not-exactly-what-I-really-wanted' type of present???
.... I told her it was the thought that counts....
well it was a stupid thought! 
Why not just give her a $5 bill? This gift says "Here's a present for you if you want to do the work and send it in and wait for the check and go to the bank and cash it when it finally arrives. And if you don't want to go to all of that trouble, then I've in effect given you nothing, while trying to look like I gave you something."
I know someone who bought husband's father a subscription to Sports Illustrated .... and they kept the Bloopers Tape that was the free gift for subscribing! She told me "I think he knows we kept the tape." How very tacky! To top it off, the guy wasn't even a sports fan! It's the thought that counts? There was no thought put in to this one.
Yeah I don't agree with "it's the thought that counts" when it's something that is so off the wall. 
My good friend got one of our friend's husband nose hair trimmers. She thought it was a "funny" gift. This was after she made jokes about his nose hairs a few weeks before. She called me a couple of days later upset because our friend was mad at her for the gift. She couldn't understand why they were upset. I tried to explain that it was insulting. Some people either just don't get it or just don't care.
I got a re-gift that was opened and the person didn't even bother to rewrap the stupid thing. 
she just left the ripped paper on the torn box and gave it to me. I would rather you just tell me "hey I got this and it's not my taste would you like it?" Or just don't give me anything.
Well, my mother (age 75) got a turquoise thong this year .......... and NOT from my father, who decided to put it on his head to show her how it should be worn!!!
Guess there's no accounting for some people's taste! At least we all got a good laugh out of it!
Odessa
p.s. No, it was not on her Christmas list!
Yeah... I made the 'it's the thought that counts' comment because I was trying to be nice. But we both knew it was a crappy gift. The other part of the story is that her MIL is definitely well off -- she gave her other daughter-in-law a gift cert. for a local 'upscale' spa.
I was regifted last year with a cookbook. It was a nice, big expensive book, and I wouldn't have known except that I took the cover off of it to dust it one day (several months after Christmas), and taped inside the cover was a note from a friend of my friend to her along with a 10 dollar bill.
I gave her the note and the 10 bux and we both laughed about it. (she's a VERY good friend)
Well, my mother (age 75) got a turquoise thong this year .......... and NOT from my father, who decided to put it on his head to show her how it should be worn!!!
Guess there's no accounting for some people's taste! At least we all got a good laugh out of it!
Odessa
p.s. No, it was not on her Christmas list!
Thanks for the laugh.
To me a gift doesn't have to be expensive but a little thought should be put into it, the rebate gift was tacky and showed no thought.
My husband's extended family does a name draw for Christmas with a $15-25 price range for the gifts, most of the family really thinks about what the person they have would like and calls are often made to people for ideas. One of the cousins and his wife give junk that doesn't fall in the price range (wouldn't be a big deal if it was something you would use or like). Last year one of them had my husband and the thing he got is still in the package and this year one had me. It's a "fondue" thing with a bowl smaller than a cereal bowl that maintains heat with a tea light, I think it was bought at a dollar store. 
I don't think it would last more than one use, this is why the family does a draw so everyone gets something nice.
Well, my mother (age 75) got a turquoise thong this year .......... and NOT from my father, who decided to put it on his head to show her how it should be worn!!!
Guess there's no accounting for some people's taste! At least we all got a good laugh out of it!
Odessa
p.s. No, it was not on her Christmas list!
Thanks for the laugh.
To me a gift doesn't have to be expensive but a little thought should be put into it, the rebate gift was tacky and showed no thought.
My husband's extended family does a name draw for Christmas with a $15-25 price range for the gifts, most of the family really thinks about what the person they have would like and calls are often made to people for ideas. One of the cousins and his wife give junk that doesn't fall in the price range (wouldn't be a big deal if it was something you would use or like). Last year one of them had my husband and the thing he got is still in the package and this year one had me. It's a "fondue" thing with a bowl smaller than a cereal bowl that maintains heat with a tea light, I think it was bought at a dollar store.
I don't think it would last more than one use, this is why the family does a draw so everyone gets something nice.
Actually, it was pretty funny at the time. The funniest thing of it was that my sister was at a total loss for what to get Mom ... her husband had selected the flatware and the gift was to be marked from both of them. So, she didn't want Mom to think she hadn't thought of her and, since our Mom is one of those that always gives us all sox and underwear every Christmas (we count on it -- when she didn't a couple years ago, there were some very looooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggg faces!), she thought it only fitting that Mom be given some pretty undies of her own!
Yes, we're a very thoughtful crew ... and I have always said that laughing is better when it's with family and friends!
Hope you all had happy holidays!
Odessa
Oh how bout this one, my fomer MIL the first Christmas I had with his family gave me a gown that came from a yard sale that had the price tag from the yard sale still on it and it was so old that the plastic packaging had turned yellow I went home and cried my eyes out I knew then I was hated. 
Just got off the phone with my good friend. She is really mad because of what her mother in law gave her for Christmas. She received a 5 dollar rebate coupon with a upc attached from a dvd that her MIL bought (she didn't give her the dvd for Christmas... just the rebate form and the upc). I told her it was the thought that counts....
So... it got me thinking...... anyone else out there get a 'not-exactly-what-I-really-wanted' type of present???
How can some people be so thoughtless
I don't know if I should laugh or cry reading this My goodness those are bad! My mom gave my SIL last year a calander in her stocking but didn't realize it was from like 3 years earlier and there was writing in it from one of her friends. My SIL just smiled and said thank you which is odd because she can be a total witch if she wants to be one! Of course she had a big christmas gift under the tree (that was bought new and just for her) so may be that's why she didn't cause a stink about it.
I have to go grab my DH now so he can read this thread
My friends MIL gave her 2 frozen chickens!!!! What's with that??
Maybe it was a hint to cook her Christmas dinner?? 
Seriously though, I think people can be really silly and unthoughtful when it comes to buying gifts for others. And I'm sure it's these same people who expect to receive the best gifts for themselves.
How can some people be so thoughtless
I think there was thought put into the gift, just not nice thoughts. Your friend's MIL must be a real jerk.
Cheers, from
SwampWitch
Wow reading through this just makes me laugh. One year this guy gave me and my husband these three cups that probably cost him 25 cents and when we gave him a huge box of chocolates that cost us like 10 dollars he was mad. I saw 25 cents because thats what the box said. My husbands dad gives us all perfume and we always give him something for his bar so this year he just got it unwrapped and my husbands step sister asks for it. I was like WHAT I couldnt beleive that she had the guts to ask for it right in our face. I mean its nice that she liked it but we dont spend that kind of money on anyone but his dad. Only cause he gives us alot he even gave us 17 thousand dollars for a new truck this year so we had to pay him back in some way. But we wont tell them that.
I didn't know deoderant came in a variety pack 
Guess I'm out of the loop.
My MIL and my mom have each given me underwear. I am very small framed and they bought me underwear that could hardly stay on it was sagging so bad. Not only were they to big but they also came up to by boobs practicaly. Think of underwear that even grandma wouldn't wear. May be this is their way of telling me and my DH that we have enough kids and this is our repelant.
OK you guys have to stop!!! This is Christmas we are supposed to be caring people but hey....this thread cracks me up!!! Too funny stuff!!!
I got a couple for you..................
Last year my MIL gave me a real nice sweat top jacket but got it in Large (back then I was skinny) and I asked is she could get it in Medium. She said she could exchange it with no problem........still waiting for it. I guess she kept it! This year she gave me a gift certificate from a bookstore!! (great idea....already went to buy a cookbook). I think gift certificates are wonderful!!
I seem to always get screwed with X-Mas presents b/c my B-Day is 12/24 so I REALLY look forward to my gifts. OK that sounds bad....but I only get presents twice a year, B-Day/X-Mas/Anniversary (12/30) and on Mother's Day.
To those that say "its the thought that counts", I say, they should of "thought a little harder". (Just kidding guys, I know its the thought that counts).
What I love are those gifts you get from co-workers....how many picture frames do you really need? Maybe there are none on my desk because I don't want any, not because I can't afford to buy them. I got 3 this year. Don't mind getting chocolates though, that's a good thing to get.
OK, back to trashing MIL....the worse thing that happened to me was that my 7 year old daughter made a beautiful ornament made out of cinnamon sticks and glitter which she gave to my MIL!! Hey, what I'm I chopped liver? I almost started to cry! My daughter eventually drew me a picture and gave me that, but hey, shouldn't my MIL have said to her, No, that should go to your Mom?
Other crappy stuff that happened.....got nice gifts from 2 people that had given me crappy gifts last year. I gave them crappy gifts this year to retaliate (sp?); now I feel bad.
Or worse, getting a present from someone you didn't expect and didn't have one for them.
This year my aunt who is 86 along with my stepmom decided to go shopping with me for our X-Mas presents. Which I think its a great idea b/c you get to pick what you want. My stepmom usually does put some thought into the present. My aunt on the other hand, has a habit of getting me jewelry for someone her age....I'm 42. She also still gets my son toys for an 7 -8 year old (he's 14 and you know how picky they are at this age), and she gets my daughter boy's clothes....so glad we went X-Mas shopping together this year. The worse part is that she gets upset if you tell her the kids won't like that...she argues with you and says you are ungrateful....thank goodness I only see her once a year!
OK, I'll stop now.
Forgot one.....again from my MIL family....one year we all drew names and her sister picked my husband. Well, X-Mas came and we all exchanged gifts. Her sister didn't get anything for my husband b/c she didn't wasn't working at the time. Hey, if you know you can't afford a gift then don't participate!! She didn't even give him a card or told him the gift would be an IOU....and that is her own nephew!!
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