Unwanted Gifts - What do You do with Yours?

[Glutton4...]

Ooooh, I just remembered - several items were 'accidentally' lost or broken when we moved! Failing that, they are 'in storage' as we downsized.

[julesapple]

I once spent a fortune on making gift baskets for the BH's family... vintage shopping baskets, all lined with reversible gingham liners, and filled with totally homemade goodies - jams, pickles, chocolate, potted cheese, pate - all in pretty vintage jars etc, only to have my MinL say that maybe, next the Christmas, we'd have enough money to 'buy proper presents'.

I was upset for months afterwards. The BH worked out that I'd spent a fortune in money, time and ingredients..........never again! Smugly, my own family are all creative and they love and appreciate anything homemade. We have a £5 per family rule and it can result in much hilarity.

Jules

[chris]

Do you not know where the charity shops are CM?

It's not my tat! P

[Helgalush]

With families we have asked for no presents, but its hard if one part of the family agrees and the other insists on carrying on. Last year we just did token gifts, which seems even more pointless as you often end up with something that you dont much care for or use and still the amount spent adds up.

I would love something homemade where thought and effort has gone in to it rather than expense, or something given just because it feels like the done thing. I either recycle them, charity shop them or have once Ebayed something. It feels bad but if I dont like something and wont use it then its no good it cluttering up the place. That said I do sometimes keep thing I dont like and wont use just purely for sentimental value.

[Two_Sheds]

what do you do with unwanted gifts?

I'm ruthless - the novelty socks, fridge magnets and little cutesy teddy bears that we receive 3 times a year go straight in the Charity Box, awaiting the next plastic bag that comes through the door

[Glutton4...]

Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh! I HAAAATE fridge magnets!

[Shadylane]

Guess I'm lucky, hardly ever get owt that's completely useless. My brother (or should I say his now ex-gf) usually gets me booze(yay), chocs(yay again), perfume(use occasionally but it keeps) or gardening vouchers (double yay). The rents also get us gardening related stuff, or socks pjs etc. Now and again it doesn't quite suit but mostly it's at least usable. Me and Himself ask each other what we want, then add a few surprises too. We don't buy for friends and vice versa.

There was a girl who insisted on buying me crap every year. I only met up with her occasionally and she obviously didn't notice that I don't wear make up or nail varnish(it's in the cupboard gathering dust). Some of the stuff seemed to be those freebies you get in Boots. One year she got me a mini cava, glass and choccie set. It was 2 years out of date and the chocs were rank. Probably an unwanted gift - so there's an idea for y' - reduce, reuse and all that