What's the most unusual gift you ever received?
By 5th House
@5thHouse (1678)
Sheffield, England
September 22, 2016 9:14am CST
I ask this question because I have a particular relative who always sends the strangest presents each Christmas.
Over the years I have received some of the following:
A matchbox full of second-hand earring backs, with the suggestion that I might be able to make jewellery with them.
A pair of Marigold washing up gloves
half a dozen metal coat hangers - just plain metal, nothing fancy.
A selection of freebie soaps and miniature bubble baths from some hotel where she had stayed (not posh ones either)
Several sachets of own brand Cup-a-soup
A T-shirt big enough to fit an elephant.
I don't want to sound ungrateful of course. It's the thought that counts. But it's a strange thought process that chooses these kinds of gifts, I think. At least they make us giggle on Christmas Day and I actually think I would miss this particular ritual of Christmas if she actually started buying us things we wanted. I like a bit of eccentricity and this relative also recycles her Christmas cards. Each year you can see the name of the previous sender tippexed out.
What is the strangest gift you have had?
7 people like this
8 responses
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
22 Sep 16
Back when my husband was "just" my boyfriend, he took a little trip to see a friend in another area. I couldn't go with him because of work. He kept teasing me in his phone calls about this great gift he was going to bring me. I swear to God, I thought I was getting an engagement ring or something romantic. What he came home with was a Jr. Nurse Kit. I think my hair turned redder, I was so mad. He never lived that down, lol
3 people like this
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
22 Sep 16
@VivaLaDani13 The next gift he gave me was a beautiful book of romantic poetry. He did learn LOL. I loved his sense of humor, but at that moment, grrrrr
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60541)
• Perth, Australia
22 Sep 16
@CinnamonGrl lol ok well I am glad the gift improved the next time! Yeah it's understandable on why you were mad. Was he giving he certain hints that time to make it sound like it was an engagement ring or did you just assume by the tone of his voice that it was a ring?
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60541)
• Perth, Australia
22 Sep 16
@CinnamonGrl HAHA! aw how disappointing! I would have been a little annoyed too!
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
22 Sep 16
The only unusual thing I was given was unusual in a good way as I get just normal stuff generally.
An ex knew I liked pottery so she got me pottery lessons...not exactly unusual but unusually good for me
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
22 Sep 16
That's an interesting gift! Sounds like fun!
3 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
22 Sep 16
@5thHouse I was already not bad as I did it at school for years but I did get better.
Something I wouldn't mind getting into again at some point.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
22 Sep 16
lol at least it makes Christmas morning interesting! lol My ex husband was the worst when it came to buying gifts. This tops all of yours I am sure..lol. One year she gave me, I kid you not, a pencil sharpener. Now this was no ordinary pencil sharpener. No I would have preferred that. This was a little man bend over with his pants down and you had to put your pencil in his butt to sharpen it! Can you imagine how I felt when I opened that Christmas morning in front of all my family? I guess there is a reason why he is the ex. lol
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
22 Sep 16
@5thHouse lol I wonder who was the lucky one who got those? lol
@rina110383 (24495)
•
23 Sep 16
When I was in the first grade, I received as a Christmas gift from my classmate a big pencil (it was 24 inches in length, not sure of the circumference but it was a big one) and a note book as small as the smallest post it notepad. I find it strange because I can't use the big pencil to write on the tiny notebook.
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
10 Oct 16
A can of Viking cheese from the Washington State University creamery. It was actually very good cheese, it was just so random... none of us had ever attended school in Washington, including the person who sent the gift.
