this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2024
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Asklemmy

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[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

The gift of world peace. It was granted to me in lieu of the PS2 I wanted by my fairy godmother. Needless to say I held my breath until she finally relented, and took it back. She gave me a PS2 and I close the curtains and put on headphones a lot when I'm at home.

[–] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I don't know man, I mean, it would have been a pretty crappy gift for you personally but I think all the rest of us might have appreciated it if you hadn't taken back world peace.

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[–] EllE@lemmy.world 55 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I once got a picture of a really cool present from my dad, which he said was in the mail. Never got the present.

[–] tamal3@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Maybe it got "porch pirated". I thought I was immune from that until my things started disappearing.

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 55 points 3 days ago (3 children)

My mate’s little sister was sad and bemused one Christmas when their parents bought her a (single) Pom-pom. Why would you not buy a pair?

[–] ByteMe@lemmy.world 54 points 3 days ago (1 children)
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[–] JudahBenHur@lemm.ee 44 points 3 days ago (5 children)

My mother-in-law gave me a booked called The Etiquette Edge which essentially explained how to be polite

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[–] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 34 points 2 days ago

Someone sent me what they referred to as a self-help DVD that was just some motivational speaker type of person invalidating my issues. A virus in the DVD also temporarily destroyed my friend's DVD player in the process of playing it.

[–] Auduras@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago

A tri-fold wallet. It was a good wallet, and I appreciated the gesture. It's just that I HATE tri-fold wallets.

[–] DJDarren@thelemmy.club 36 points 3 days ago

My gran once gave me a toilet brush. The base had penguins floating in blue liquid, but it was ultimately just a cheap toilet brush.

I gave her a beautiful marble maze.

I didn’t bother after that.

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Not the gift itself, but the response.

First of all, even before Christmas I said I'd prefer NO GIFTS at all. Regardless, my dad got me some inkjet HP printer. I thanked him for it, but asked him that we'd return it. I tried to be respectful, but regardless, he got mad at me and didn't talk with me for like 2 days.

Later he sent me the money for it and asked me to buy something for it and show him what it was. I do not know why I couldn't just keep it as extra money, but oh well, it had to be spent on something.
I got a refurbished ThinkPad for that. Pretty good device, by far beating value of HP inkjet. I even got it with a 2 year warranty (without extended) like with a new device, while only 1 year is required.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 27 points 2 days ago

My mom knows I'm always buying tools for work (electrician) and computer-related parts/devices. She still has trouble wrapping around the idea that I don't want (as much as I sincerely do appreciate the gesture) anything in those arenas due to specificity of requirement, that and most things of that nature tend to be expensive. She still buys little random things from Home Depot, like last year she bought this wrist cuff thing with magnets on it. Great idea on paper, but not in the field. At this point she's getting older so I kinda just humor her.

[–] Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 days ago

A broken propeller toy wrapped in a ripped up plastic grocery bag.

[–] MacroCyclo@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

Motivational calendar...

Thanks mom

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 3 days ago

So I’m a trans guy and as a kid I was very obviously masculine, stereotypical tomboy. One of my aunts that married into the family gave me, maybe around age 5-7, a toy makeup kit. To this day I don’t know wtf she was thinking, because it wasn’t like she never met or saw me. Was it thoughtless or passive aggressive? Who can say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[–] propter_hog@hexbear.net 10 points 2 days ago (3 children)

A goddamned bible. What the fuck am I going to do with that?

[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Just leave it in a random hotel room drawer—seems to be where most of them end up eventually. /s

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[–] FellowEnt@sh.itjust.works 23 points 3 days ago

Top three would be my weird Christmas 'bonuses' from a previous employer. In order of weirdness: some fake notes (representing the companies record profits that year), a single bike pedal, and finally a spanner which had been spray painted orange.

[–] meekah@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago

My Dad once gifted me a bazinga shirt. I don't watch the big bang theory.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

My sister wanted me to be the Godfather to her children. She considered it a "gift."

I'm an atheist. I told her explicitly "Hey, you remember I'm an atheist, right?" Part of this whole Godfather business is making a promise to raise them religiously if their parent dies. I thought I was being considerate and kind by being honest that I did not want to be a Godfather because I could not in good conscience make such a promise.

Nope, I'm the bad guy, not the person who knew I was atheist and decided to not respect that at all anyway by asking me to be a Godfather to begin with.

[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 45 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

God parents are supposed to care for the children, if the parents die. I think you shouldn’t overthink it. If you’re willing to fill that role, then raise the kids however you think is best. Accept the role gracefully as it is an honor and your sister is showing she loves and trusts you. Leave it at that.

As atheists, we have to acknowledge that most of the world isn’t yet on our level of thinking, but also that we don’t really have similar “concepts” for religious traditions that serve certain societal needs. God parents do serve a societal function. As an atheist, I can acknowledge that, accept that role, and play the part for those I love.

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[–] faltryka@lemmy.world 32 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Was that their expectation of you, or just a common religious interpretation?

I know plenty of people who use the term and have no care for the religious history of it.

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[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 21 points 3 days ago

Even that aside, what kind of gift is "You'll have to take care of my kids if I die."?

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[–] ghost_towels@sh.itjust.works 18 points 3 days ago

Years ago my father in law gave me a Costco sized flat of Nanaimo bars. Like just wrapped it and that was that. I was so bummed as I thought it was a big coffee table book. I ended up cutting them all in half and freezing them, so we had treats through the year. My husband and I still joke about it. As we passed them in Costco last week he suggested I return the favour.

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