S/O What bad gifts have YOU given?

[havarti]

I will own up that I am not innocent in the art of giving bad gifts.  DH loves his car and likes to work on it himself and is quite particular about upkeep.  I once gave him a carwashing kit.  I think he's used it once.  Oops!  

I also know that pre-kid me was terrible at baby shower gifts.  I gave ridiculous toys (a toy accordion, for instance -- WTF?!?!)  Kids were not at all a part of my life and I just had no clue. 

[cinco]

I am awful at guessing sizes I should be banned from buying clothes.

[cincodemayo]

I'm kind of a bad gift giver for some people.

One year I only got my H a t-shirt and nothing else for Christmas. He seemed ok with it but later admitted he was WTFing me.

I am going to a 30th birthday party tonight and am giving her sunscreen, travel deodrant, and travel toothpaste for her trip to Puerto Rico. As I wrapped it, I was thinking, "This is crap."

[dcn]

I once gave dh a sweater that i liked bc it was pretty. He still gives me a hard time about it.

[deo]

One year I brought a gourmet nut platter to DH's family's house as a gift (he was my boyfriend at the time). All of his brothers are allergic to nuts. I knew this but I had totally forgotten when I was buying it. I was so embarrassed since it was my first time invited over for Christmas and was trying to make a good impression.

[hilwithonelary]

Lots, I'm sure. I'm a terrible gift giver. One of the most famous was at an annual Yankee Swap Christmas party with a group of college friends. A picture is attached.

The girl who got it said, "It looks like a bong!" and Santa Bong was born. She hosts the party every year and he always makes an appearance.

[havarti]

Dec 19, 2014 17:37:24 GMT -5 deo said:

One year I brought a gourmet nut platter to DH's family's house as a gift (he was my boyfriend at the time). All of his brothers are allergic to nuts. I knew this but I had totally forgotten when I was buying it. I was so embarrassed since it was my first time invited over for Christmas and was trying to make a good impression.

[Deleted]

I gave these to Hs parents (not my pic) the first Christmas we together. We hadn't been dating long, but they're sweet people and wanted to give them something. 
I was poor, just out of college working a low rent job, so please forgive me. Or not. 

I have drastically improved on the gift giving since then. (she's getting  a handmade glass necklace this year if you need proof)

[Deleted]

Dec 19, 2014 17:30:48 GMT -5 @forgrace said:

I gave H a Sonicare toothbrush as part of his birthday gift last year. In my defense, he DID want one. But he never uses it... And really, a toothbrush? Lol at myself

My MIL gave me one for Christmas one year (in fact we all got one).

I thought it was the greatest gift ever. When it died I cried and hauled myself to Target on a special trip just for a new one.

[kategm]

I gave my BIL a Harry Potter DVD for Christmas several years ago. I will never live that one down. In my defense, his wife (DH's sister) emailed their lists out and said:
SIL wants: ...
BIL wants: ...
DVDs we would like: ... Harry Potter ...
I had tried to buy him Dirty Harry but the copy Amazon sent me was broken and scratched and I couldn't find it anywhere in town. I was scrambling last minute and just picked up the first DVD on their list that I could find. FWIW my SIL liked the gift.