I don't want to seem ungrateful but c'mon!!

I know we have to be thankful no matter how little is the detail. But I hate when this happen I prefer nothing to this. I have a similar story. Two years ago for Christmas, we made a gift exchange at work. When the day came to receive the gifts everybody receive their except me. It seems like the girl who had to give me decided to make her gift to the boss, who already had another secret friend. So, lets say that was Friday, Monday she came saying that I left before she could give me my gift. The gift was the same one she gave to my boss. I didn't say anything but I was so mad. Before the exchange we all wrote three options that people could give us. Her gift was obvious wasn't for me. But the story don't end there. Can you believe me that next year she had my name again? And she did the same. She came late with my gift. I'm just going to tell you she gave me a lesbian t-shirt! You know, I don't have anything against lesbian girls but I am not a lesbian. And she knows because she knows my husband. (but she is lesbian) So girl, as you can see your case could be worst. But I really know what bothers you. Is the fact that the person is not thinking of you when choosing the gift. You don't feel the love.

Firstly I want to say how kind and generous of you to re-gift it to a charity. I do a lot for charities here and enough thank yous are never shared. Yikes that was not a well thought and planned gift you got, seriously it is not about being ungrateful but more about how unthoughtful the gift really was. Having three kids and driving the distance seems really unreasonable. He should have gotten you a gift card of some sort would have been the wisest route to go. This way you could have done as you pleased instead of something you cannot use. I am a gift giver and always try to cater it towards what the person likes, if I am lost for what to get I would get a gift card.

i can understand what you mean... i had received many unwanted gifts in the past as well and what i did was i re-gift them to other people who really need them... it is better rather than wasting or throwing them away... take care and have a nice day...

Darn I wish I lived closer to you, I would have love to have gone with you, especially as we celebrated our 40th together so close! We would have had fun and brought the place down with laughter. Funny enough for my 40th I was considering a weekend in Amsterdam (alone) a health spa or a week on the Isle of Wight, I choose the week on the Isle of Wight. You are only 40 once and I think more consideration and thought should have been placed on your present. Unwanted gifts I either give to charity or recycle them by giving them to relatives or friends. So nothing gets wasted. I am lucky though because I usually get money or something that I want. This year I got 13 beautiful cards, no one forgot me and I got money and clothes all very much appreciated and to my taste.

I love giving gifts but i generally use them even if I don't like them because I hate passing on the gifts. I myself put a lot of thought in each gift so I feel the other person too might have done the same thing. My in laws side however pass on gifts a lot and at times their gifts given to others after passing from one hand to other land up at my house and it becomes so funny and I use it,I tell my mother in law to send me the gifts straight not through the long way.

I think you did the right thing and the gift wasn't well thought out. Probably something one of them got somewhere...

I either give them away, or they gather dust. I guess they tried to do something thoughtful, but didn't really think it through.

I think some people really don't think things through when deciding on gifts. I'm wondering if you got the certificate as a "re-gift". Realistically the certificate should have been for a spa close to where you live. Also it would have been nice if your brother offered to watch the children while you go to the spa. However, like I said, some people just don't think things through. With our unwanted gifts I would just save them and then re-gift them. I don't know anyone who doesn't do that at some point.

how this is the second reply i made about giving gifts and receiving gifts and being ungrateful..hmm what is it today. anyways, when i do give gifts, i make it a point that the person i am giving it with likes it or loves it or can wear it or use it, like for my friends i would give them earrings or bracelets if they are female and for men, usually handkerchiefs or caps. As for receiving gifts, i am not that picky but of course there is that feeling where you want to be given something that you will like or love. From the past gifts, i all loved it probably because my friends also make it a point to give what i love or like..like last christmas, i was given a scrapbook by a friend and i love it because she knew i needed that for my artistic hobbies. As for unwanted gifts, i still keep it, i might never know when to need them. As for what happened to you, maybe your brother was in a hurry? or something was bothering him...and maybe that is why because he was not able to think about it that well...

I am laughing so hard. My eldest son was in a 12 year relationship when the lady fell for someone else and kicked him out. They had a 4 year old child. Forward to now: \he is very happily married with 5 year old twins and is in close contact with his daughter and she adores the twins and everything is okay. I always give her Birthday and Mother's Day, and Christmas gifts because she is a good mother and deserves respect because she is my GD's mother. My son has never said a word against her either. She regrets what she did as the relationship did not last but that was her choice. I swear to God that she must hunt all year for the worst gifts to give to me. It s a family joke between my daughter and myself. She could earn a PHD in how ot give the worse gift. Unbelievable. Sort of jewelery you used to be able to buy in Woolworth's or the cheapest tackiest shop you could ever find. Even the tissue paper that it is wrapped in is old! Thanks for the laugh