My Father always treated Christmas as a competition, to give the least possible and get the most possible.
During my first marriage I had very little money at all, (I found out later my late first wife was spending most of our money on "Mary Jane" if you know what I mean), so Christmas presents tended to be small but I hope thoughtful.
My Father at the time sold work wear supplies off a van along with nuts bolts and fasteners.
So that Christmas my brother got a pair of blue sued beetle crushers he had been hassling for and when I too was give a shoe box shaped present along with a maliciously gleeful smile I knew the old fell was up to something. (It brought to mind the year I got a camera he wanted and the years I was given a train set I was not allowed to play with because I would break it).
Sure enough I opened the box and found a pair of steel toe cap work boots he was giving away free as a promotion with purchases over £100, two sizes too big.
I went eyes wide let a big grin come over my face and hugged him enthusiastically, all the time enthusing about "how did you know? Dis C. (my wife) tell you?" and "Wow, this is so great, I'm doing warehouse work at work at the moment and need some “toe tectors” but couldn't afford them. Thanks so much!" and "Great even the right size to fit over my thermal fishermen's socks"
I put them on, walked around all day in them smiling and never missed an opportunity to say thanks again and how great they were.
When we got home that night C. called me all the bastards under the sun, and griped about how she had had to bite her lip all day to stop herself laughing.
A divorce.
hmmm perhaps there will be a silver lining. I hope so.
@MsDemeanour no silver lining. It ruined the holidays for me for a long time.
@Rob1948 Coulda been worse. Your mum coulda died on xmas day
@MsDemeanour she died on July 4. My father and father-in-law died at Thanksgiving. I was informed of a second divorce after 20 years of marriage the day after New Year’s Eve. Both divorces were final just before my birthday.
So, yeah, it is worse. I don’t care for holidays. Not at all.
For my birthday, my boyfriend took me to Pendleton Woolen Mill, Oregon. He bought a shirt pattern and plaid wool for me to make him a long-sleeved, plaid shirt. Shocked, I inwardly vowed never to make it.
When I broke up with him, I left the fabric and pattern in his wooden chest.
No gift ever topped that as the worst present ever.
Visiting a woolen mill is a cool outing. There were probably any number of lovely items he could have purchased for you for your birthday. To ruin it as he did shows him to be a selfish fool.
well we can see why it didn't last!
I got some kind of mail organizer thingy you hang on the wall. Totally odd gift.
does anyone still get mail?
I got a leather tool belt...
@Bendog lol it was right after we bought our first house, so I think it was meant for me to do home repairs...not a great gift...there was no funny business after getting that ... almost as bad as getting a vacuum cleaner...lol
The birth of my youngest daughter on December 23, 1964.
@Donotbelieve I must have misread the post. I thought that it asked for my best gift.
@wordywalt thank goodness...I was going to cry! Phew!
Hair ties. In the early 70's. I was a teen guy. Funny parents, ha ha.