Okay, so this was from the wife's niece (an adult, mother of two niece mind you) and was for me and the wife, not me only but for a joint present we got....
...a set of three flameless candles.
WTF I hear you say, you mean candles that will create the same ambience as real candles with the press of a button?
Yes, that's right, battery powered candles, made of real wax though, this isn't cheap tat we are talking about here (okay, so it is cheap tat).
But the killer? These are [i]wireless remote controlled[/i] candles.
WTAF is a wireless remote controlled candle you ask? Well I had visions of it driving around on wheels but it's a set of three battery powered candles that I can turn on and off with the flick of a remote switch without getting up from my chair. Jeebus Kerrrr-ist.
The whole family, wife and two kids think they are hilarious so maybe it was worth it.
I dunno, maybe the wife's niece has a wicked sense of humour but I really don't think so. She sees these as a nice gift.
I'm not really a humbug.
EDIT: here they are although these are the 'luxury' set. Ours only have a simple on/off switch - [url= http://www.batterycandles.co.uk/pillars/remote-control-battery-operated-candles-3-pack?gclid=CjwKEAiA7_OzBRDA8OfT3orp51oSJACVqslIqySmJNDn8L-D8U2y3wLtzQ2c3fWHiDUi6I9JjafViRoCEzvw_wcB ]three flameless candles[/url]
Doesnt sound that bad compared to the lynx set i got.
Fwiw i bought my own set of those candles years ago as mr t-r likes candle lit room - i wont have candles lit inthe house - power cuts excepted.
They are actually quite good!
Ben Haenow CD 😯
I haven't got the balls to ask my wife is she is taking the mick!
(all the other stuff was great though in case any of my 'friends' decide to tell her about this post...)
Sorry revised my previous post.
The mrs has opened a buddha candle set from my uncle......... Now given we dont do candles or buddism ( and hes not a buddist either ) im not sure if its a piss take or not.....
Was going to say the few years when I was a kid in care and only received either 2nd hand or completely age inappropriate presents. Now I'm older I appreciate that the intent was good but the execution was poor!
Most recent worst gift was a bottle of cheap wine which as I'm allergic to alcohol ended up being donated to a charity event!
boght my daughter some (only manually switched though 😳 ) candles this year - she's right into candles but we've told her she can't have any in her room
quality street tin
I am vegan and dont eat nestle anyway.
Thats not the bad point she does it every year and she knows I cannot eat them - all the kids [ grown up with kids] get them so she does not want me to feel left out.
I would quite like those candles - would not buy them but would use and keep of bought as a gift. I like candles though
Blow up doll and some braai wipes!
1 meter of sticking plaster.not sure where she wants me to apply it.
We've got the wireless candles as well. With random colour change. Best present ever!
LOL @Goldigger.
We do have candles in our house which I don't have a problem with (we are middle aged, middle-class after all) but battery powered seems so mleh!
[quote=AD ]Ben Haenow CD
I had to google, X-Factor 😯
'The greatest cycling climbs, a road cyclists guide to Britain's hills' a book from my mum. It's been nearly 18 years since I last rode a road bike! Crikey I've only ridden my mtb's about 5 times this year as my knees are shot. The thought of riding a bike on a road never ever crosses my mind any more .
It's not all bad though I have a mate who will appreciate it.
A good few years ago now my Ma and Pa bought me a matching navy blue sweatshirt and baseball cap, not a nice make or designer or owt, they were like the kind of thing the Navy would issue for PT. And to top it all, they had my name embroidered on both, my actual proper full name. I didnt even bother taking them home with me.
A few years later we were all chatting and the subject came up, it turns out the old man had unpicked my first name, just leaving the surname, and used to wear them to work in his allotment.
Its still a source of much hilarity when we get together for Christmas.
Best - a new bike 🙂
Worst - struggling really. No-one knows what to buy for me, so it's usually chocolate and sweets. People know my tastes, so I'm happy.
My missus payed £20 for an A4 print of the song lyrics for the song she walked down the aisle to (instrumental version for the wedding)... Not framed just wrapped the envelope it came in. By her own admission it would probably have made a better anniversary present.I have actually out-christmassed my wife this year.
No card, nothing else... For the last three months, whenever asked about Christmas presents for me by anyone, I have consistently said, don't get me anything, just a card, and if you have to a wiggle or amazon voucher no more than a few quid... A £20 amazon would actually have been easier and more use, now I have to buy a frame...
So I'm being stoical, understanding and kind about her ballsing up, and banking the points... 😉
My wife bought me a tea cosy made from 1970s fabric depicting the northern half of Scotland.
We don't even own a teapot.
I can't find a photo of the damned thing but here's some work by the same company. It's worse than all of these.
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mbr subscription
Oh yeah, or 3 pairs of socks, size 6-8.5 (I'm an 11/12)
or large novelty sprout t-shirt (I'm a medium)
Lynx boxset from secret santa so I can relive the brief, teenage flirtation with smelling like a ****.
Haven't opened mine yet but last year I got from my father, who is, it has to be said, a little strange, a photo album filled with pictures of my ex girlfriend and long-dead grandmother's flat.
The pictures with the ex did admittedly feature also my niece and/or nephew.
Granny's flat, on the other hand, was literally pics of her empty flat. Bedroom, lounge and kitchen all featured. Perhaps he was making a late stab at being an estate agent.
It's now being used to heat the city of Helsinki which has a very progressive, not to mention useful, recycling system.
'The greatest cycling climbs, a road cyclists guide to Britain's hills' a book from my mum. It's been nearly 18 years since I last rode a road bike! Crikey I've only ridden my mtb's about 5 times this year as my knees are shot. The thought of riding a bike on a road never ever crosses my mind any more .
It's not all bad though I have a mate who will appreciate it.
IIRC the author frequents here.
Lynx.
My least favourite gift this year is a fairly lethal dose of tonsillitis which has resulted in four bouts of antibiotics a day and struggling to swallow never mind turkey but toast even!
I kid you not today a joint present for my wife and I from her parents.....a set of plastic microwave containers....one was cracked. Absolutely no imagination mother in law thought we would love them to go with our new microwave 🙂 dear oh dear. I also got TWO yes TWO sets of lynx 🙁
Nose hair clippers from wife.
I think she's trying to tell me something!
"Doesnt sound that bad compared to the lynx set i got."
I actually love getting them as I don't buy nice shower gel and stuff like that so I really like getting it for Christmas - lasts a while and I think about getting them every time I use them!
A few years ago, my mother in law gave us a salad dressing mixing bottle. Imagine a baby's bottle with markings on the side for fill to here with oil,vinegar, mustard etc...
This year, she has clearly decided to intellectualise me by giving me a novel by the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature winner, in the original French! OK, I do speak French, but God only knows why she thought I'd be even remotely interested in it in any language!
Still, maybe not as bad as my cousin, who, as a teenager, was given a flannel and a bar of soap for Christmas by the next door neighbour.... For three consecutive years!!
Bottle of 'artisan' gin (i hate gin)
1001 bikes to dream of riding before you die book. Not a bad present per se, but i already have it
Dill.
My (actually very thoughtful) mother has realised i've been eating more fish recently, so alongside some bags in which to cook fish in the oven (to prevent my house smelling of fish...), she gave me a jar of dried dill - one of those small schwarz jars, which used to have cinnamon in, but she's refilled with dill.
Then, because my little jar didn't quite finish off my dill quota, she's given me another jar, with 'more dill' in.
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I'm actually rather touched at her sweetness!
Chocolate. I like chocolate but I get it every year and every year I get asked what I want for Christmas and every ywar the answer is always "don't buy me chocolate", so why the hell do I get diabetic inducing amounts every year.?
All you lot being bought Lynx - you do realise what people are trying to tell you? 😈
Think we need to dig out the mumsnet thread on this topic if there is one.
"My other half bought me the Top Gear box set and I hate cars and think JC is a knob."
OP - was given one of those flickering real wax LED candles about 3 years back. I secretly thought was tat. 3 years on I still get miffed if I forget to pack it in my travelling luggage. It is a very nice relaxing night-light and still imparts nice vanilla smell/lasts a surprising aeon on a fresh set of batteries. Also don't worry about burning the house down while sleeping.
I received a special towel for drying my back from my inlaws. I have always found the standard towel (of which we have an abundance) to perform the task perfectly well, especially as they bought me a bottle green 'normal' only a year ago.
My wife opened an envelope with 500 quid in it from them as her gift. Our daughters received a pair of gloves each.
I got a plastic spatula from them the year before.
'The greatest cycling climbs, a road cyclists guide to Britain's hills' a book from my mum. It's been nearly 18 years since I last rode a road bike! Crikey I've only ridden my mtb's about 5 times this year as my knees are shot. The thought of riding a bike on a road never ever crosses my mind any more .
It's not all bad though I have a mate who will appreciate it.IIRC the author frequents here.
Not putting the book down at all , just it's not my cup of tea anymore in fact I usually ride DH more than anything else.
This flu, I could do without coughing up my lungs Christmas morning, thank you for whoever passed that on to me 🙁
Someone who will remain nameless gave my sisters youngest daughter, who is nine, some bloody bird feathers, with a note that said " my cat killed this Finch, but the feathers are lovely"
#slightlygorychristmas
Nasal hair trimmer set. Go me.....
This year I got one of those tins with "Man Stuff" written on the outside. But my mum thoughtfully filed it with the contents of her junk drawer... staples, fuses in an old 35mm film case, elastic bands and an ikea Allen key.
My folks got me a 12" Star Wars trooper toy with a walker thing, I didn't even have SW toys when I was a kid. They also got me a Spider Man onsie to fit ages 2-3, I thought it was for my nephew but when I mentioned it my mum said. "Well you've grown a bit since we last saw you". I'm still confused now.
I've been working away from home for two months and am due to fly back out on the 2nd Jan, I think the gifts my other half got me may be an indication of how far she sees the relationship going. 🙁
Myself and the wife were given a joint present from the kids this year.
I believe they call it 'vomitting bug'.
I'll be honest, I've had better presents.
This year I got one of those tins with "Man Stuff" written on the outside. But my mum thoughtfully filed it with the contents of her junk drawer... staples, fuses in an old 35mm film case, elastic bands and an ikea Allen key.
The obvious thing to do would be to throw out the contents, and put your stuff in it, but we all know you'll then have the nagging worry that you might need an old 35mm film case one day. Best get yourself another one.
@Robdog...
If you think of Lynx as "nice shower gel and stuff", what on earth do you usually wash with?!?!?!?!?
I got socks from the MiL
It's not that I'm ungrateful, but I always get socks from her. I could probably wear a different pair of socks for three months now without repeating a single pair. Time for a big sock clearout
I got given a stinking cold and a black eye from walking into something. Didn't even get socks from my mother this year (like the last 10 years). as the Wife works for NEXT now "so she can buy them wih her discount"