Tis the season for giving! Although, that doesn't mean everyone's going to like what they get. Sometimes, people get a gift from a loved one that just doesn't hit the mark. That's something these people know all too well!
People on Quora share the most disappointing Christmas gift they've received. Content has been edited for clarity.
This Woman Deserved To Get Banned
“I was participating in a ’12 Days of Christmas’ crafting swap on a now-defunct site called Craftster. We all filled out extensive questionnaires with our likes and dislikes, favorite fabrics, style, things we collected, etc. I spent six weeks creating gifts specific to the person I was assigned. She was a Disney fanatic, so I created this gorgeous hand-painted Snow White tote bag, crocheted these super cute Mickey Mouse slippers, knitted a cute Stitch hat from Lilo & Stitch, and made Tinker Bell earrings. I put a ton of thought into every item.
December 1st arrived, and people started posting their amazing gifts. My person didn’t post any. And I didn’t get anything from her. Oh well, maybe the mail was delayed. Day two – nothing. The swap went by and I was becoming so disappointed because she didn’t acknowledge anything I’d sent so I thought she hated it. At the same time, I wasn’t receiving anything which took a lot of the fun out of it. Eventually, she posted a photo of the items I made for her. They were sort of thrown on her bed in a dimly lit photo. She told everyone how awesome everything was, and apologized that she ‘hadn’t gotten mine in the mail yet,’ but that she’d been busy.
Now before we committed to this swap, we were asked several times if we were sure we could commit. They explained that anyone who signed up and then didn’t follow through would be banned from the site. Only people with a solid reputation on the site (for sending good quality items, on time, etc) were invited to participate. So this was unacceptable.
A few days before Christmas, I received a box in the mail from this woman. Inside was a spray-painted piece of plexiglass with spray-painted toilet paper rolls hot glued to it with a bunch of glitter. It was supposed to be a Christmas tree Advent calendar. There were some dollar store items made of felt (not by her), some of those trinkets you pick up in the checkout line at the craft store, and some yards of purple polyester fabric.
I hate glitter, I’m not a fan of purple or polyester and nothing at all was personalized to me. I ended up throwing away the plexiglass thing and donating everything else to the thrift store. She was banned from the site because her excuse was that she ‘just got busy with school, friends, and work and ran out of time.’
The experience ruined all Secret Santa activities for me.”
That Definitely Does Not Add Up
“Once I was a teenager, my mother and her (at the time) husband started gifting me girls’ clothes or accessories. I’m a guy. I just sat there disappointed, while my brother got the PlayStation I had asked for. There was no reason to be so horrible. I mean, he’s the favorite, we already knew, but humiliating me for no reason?
The next few years I got socks and then more socks, and then again… socks. While my brother got whatever thing he’s asked for. Or whatever cool thing I’d asked for. Now it’s almost a joke: whenever my mom asks if we need something, the answer always is, ‘Not socks.;
The worst gift ever, though? My ex-girlfriend, the one I was supposed to marry. We’d been living together for four years and were to be married during the year after. I got my stepson (I still see him as such) a new Xbox (his mom and I had talked about it previously), and a pair of boots she wanted. Getting these items took a whole month of searching and a trip to another country, plus a pretty expensive set made of rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. ‘
In return, I got… nothing. Not even a picture from the kid. She was overjoyed, and that was such a sweet sight. But she hadn’t thought of getting me anything.
Thinking of it, she once gifted me a pencil and another time she told me her gift (a hanger) was paid for by her dad. We’re talking of a well-off forty-year-old woman, not some young and clueless lady.
After that, things went downwards. The week I was supposed to get the wedding ring, she left me for some other guy. Everything was called off. Guess what? She goes out of her way to buy him great birthday and Christmas gifts every single year. He gets her stuff he has leftover from his ex-wife. It’s not enough karma, but it’s still something.”
This Girl Forgot About The Exchange
“So when I was in elementary school I was in Brownies (the young version of Girl Scouts). Anyway, we always had a Secret Santa gift exchange in our troop. During a meeting, we picked our names and had something like a $10 limit. A few days later, my mom and I went shopping. We all worked really hard on our gifts for each other, myself included, and it was always really fun.
So the day came for gift exchange and names were called. Finally, it was my turn to give my gift to my person, and she loved it! But then it was my turn to get a gift. Now, I didn’t want anything crazy but I was excited to see how well my friends knew me. Well, I ended up getting the latest issue of the American Girl Doll magazine which had obviously been sent to the girl who had me (still had her name and address on it). She had obviously forgotten to get me a gift, and in a last-minute decision grabbed the magazine from her backpack.
I pretended to be happy and thankful, but I was the only one who didn’t get anything specifically for me. People got cute fuzzy socks and lip balm. Even stuffed animals! Which were my JAM at that age. So yeah, I was disappointed. I was even more disappointed because I also had a subscription to the American Girl Doll magazines, so I already had that copy at home.”
Mindy Also Did Not Like The Gift
“I worked in a Catholic-run nursing home for several decades. Every year, we had the absolute best Christmas parties and celebrations of the holidays.
Several days before Christmas, we always had a potluck. These meals were epic. The man who owned the rehab company always donated three hams and three turkeys. These would be given to employees who they knew would have trouble bringing a covered dish. Everyone brought their best dishes
Following the meal, Santa would come and every employee received a gift. Gifts could be anything from a bath set, free vacation time, coffee makers, and cash.
When it was my turn, I picked a small, wrapped package. I opened it, and I see a tiny clam shell holding three shell-shaped soaps. No problem, I got a dud gift and they can’t all be pricey.
Then I noticed the attached gift tag, ‘To Mindy, Merry Christmas.’
I couldn’t help but bust out laughing as Mindy was one of the nun’s dog. Not only was it a horrible gift, but it was also a regift of something given to a freaking dog. I laughed it off, but I was so upset.
Word must have gotten back to the nuns about the gift because the next morning I was called to HR. There, I was given a raffle prize that the winner declined. She said she drew my name second. I didn’t let on that I knew this prize wasn’t on the prize table yesterday. I’m not stupid.”
She Ruined Her Relationship With Her Son
“When I was about eight, my mom had married my stepdad, but he ended up being the man whom I call ‘Dad.’ We had been to his parent’s a few times, and I knew my stepdad’s mom, ‘Grandma V,’ must not like us kids much because she didn’t even say hi or anything to us when we came into the party,
One Christmas Eve, we went over to Grandma V.’s house to exchange gifts. The adults started passing out the gifts to the kids. From Grandma V, my cousin Ronda got a Barbie doll; cousin Debbie, an Easy Bake Oven, and so on and so forth. Then, my Aunt Jean handed me my present from Grandma V. It sure was small, and I wondered what the heck it could be. I opened it up, and my face could not hide the look of disappointment as it revealed one die-cast metal car. It was like matchbox cars, but the cheap kind. The kind that comes in a package of three. Yup. My siblings and I had received one of the three cars in a pack. Then I knew Grandma V didn’t just not like us, she hated us. My mom was furious! We left shortly after.
A few days later, I overheard my mom on the phone to Grandma V.
She was saying, ‘I’m sorry, but no we won’t be coming over for your New Year’s Eve party. Why? Well, it probably has something to do with the way my children are treated. Of course, he knows, he is the one who told me to call you.. Sure, just a minute.’
My mom then calls my Dad to the phone.
Taking the phone from her, he goes, ‘Mom? What you did to those kids was mean. They may be kids, but they are not stupid. They think you hate them and they don’t know why? They said they were always good at your house. So as my wife said, we aren’t going to be there. Accept my kids or don’t have me around.’
And he hung up the phone. My heart swelled, that new guy in our family stuck up for us! That’s the day my stepdad became my Dad.”
Her Brother-In-Law Had One Job
“I was a single young mother, and my family did Christmas lists. I had a very big family, and the adults decided to do a Secret Santa one year. We drew names, and each person bought a gift for just one other adult instead of buying a gift for all three million of my family members.
I was poor by US standards. My Christmas list consisted of things like a dustpan that actually allows for picking up small particles, a good can opener, a good stapler, basic office supplies. Most of these ranged from two to ten dollars, but they add up.
At the time, I was doing a college correspondence course. I had to send my work by mail and had a horrible stapler that cost about 25 cents. I tried using tape in place of a stapler, and the professor said to never do that again.
I drew my niece’s name. She was about 16. She walked everywhere for transport, which is unusual in my city. She loved music. Portable DVD players were a thing. I basically took all money I could possibly save from the previous year, searched for the best deals (with a rebate), and bought her a portable DVD player.
My brother-in-law drew my name. On Christmas morning, I opened my presents. Lo and behold, I got a small stapler. And a box of Oreo cookies, which I hate. Note that a ‘good’ stapler which won’t crunch up cost about five dollars at the time.
I never participated in the Secret Santa again.”
Larry Messed Up Big Time
“My grandmother was a nice, hard-working, respectable, intelligent woman. She was a good Catholic – would never think about leaving her husband, or even talking back to him, even though that was likely better than he deserved. He had a couple of bolts lose I guess. I can remember sitting in their kitchen with my dad and grandfather, and my grandmother was cooking. She was an excellent cook, and well into her seventies at that point. My grandfather was absolutely micro-managing her.
‘Fern, turn that burner up! Fern, move that pot from there to there! Fern put this or that in there and mix it!’ he would bark,
He was talking to her like she was an imbecile who had never been in a kitchen before. He could be extremely obnoxious, and she never had one negative word or look in reply. She put up with a lot from him.
Every Christmas, about 25 or so kids, grandkids, and spouses got together at my grandparent’s house. Usually, I learned later, my grandfather would have one of his kids pick out a present for his wife. Often jewelry, I think. This one year, my grandfather and this daughter weren’t getting along so well, so he got the gift himself. It was 30 years ago, but to the best of my recollection, he was looking pretty proud of himself when he presented to her a four-foot tall teddy bear with a big red bow on it. She was very obviously extremely disappointed, and I am pretty sure she teared up (the only time I ever saw her show that kind of emotion).
She, in a very chiding and angry tone (not criticizing her, just don’t know how else to explain it), and with perhaps a bit of shakiness in her voice from emotion, said, ‘Larry, you have been married to me how long, and you think I want a giant teddy bear for Christmas?’
I want to say she then turned her head to the side, looking very upset, like she couldn’t stand to look at it or him. Pretty sure the bear was returned.”
It’s Not A Surprise This Cousin Gives Horrible Gifts
“Our family did the usual and drew names at Christmas and you would buy a gift for the person whose name you drew. There was normally a ten to fifteen dollar cap on what you were expected to spend on a gift for your person.
One Christmas, the miserly cousin drew my name. You never knew who had your name until the family got together and started swapping gifts around. As soon as he handed me the little package I knew that, due to the giver, I wasn’t getting anything that had even sentimental value.
When I unwrapped it, I found he had given me a pocket edition of the New Testament that the insurance company he worked for was giving to all of their clients. It even had the name of the insurance company stamped onto the cover.
This was pretty typical of him. My dad was a mechanic and this cousin (his nephew) would have Dad do all the work on his car. Most of the time, he didn’t even pay Dad for his time much less the cost of the parts for the repairs.”
The Gift Was Meant To Hurt Feelings
“My sister-in-law has caused trouble in our family since the day she walked in the door. My brother has no idea about the lies she has told, things she has said, or things she has done (or not done). I was a single mom at the time. I made a decent salary, but I also had medical and childcare bills that I was paying. Money was tight, to say the least.
Yet EVERY year, even when we were strapped, I bought my brother and sister-in-law nice presents; later, I bought them for my two nephews as well. One Christmas, I noticed that my package was tiny. It’s the thought and love that go into the gift that matter, but I couldn’t figure out what the gift could be. I opened my present while my sister-in-law sat right beside me with a look of…anticipation? I don’t even know. When I pulled off the wrapping paper, I had an old half-pint jar of jelly. I mean so old that the grocery sticker was welded to the top and had turned yellow!
It had either sat on her shelf for years or been bought at a garage sale, who knows? I flashed a quick smile and thanked her, then walked to the kitchen and threw the jar straight into the trash. The next year, I didn’t spend as much on their gifts. That pathetic jar of jelly really hurt my feelings, but to heck if I would let her know! All the while, my bother sat there completely clueless. The worst part was, they could have afforded something else; I’d have been happy with a box of saltwater taffy. I’m easy. That pathetic gift was a direct snub, and it only confirmed that I had been right about her all along.”
They Knew Giving It To Her Stepbrother Would Make Her Upset
“When I was in elementary and middle school, my mom got with an abusive guy. I suspect there was some type of mental problem going on with him as well, but that’s beside the point.
He became our stepdad. He had a son and only a son. Due to a custody battle, the son went from living with us to barely coming around on the weekends. It could have also been the son’s decision due to a distaste for his father’s behavior.
My stepdad used to be in the Army Reserves. He demanded a certain degree of tidiness. He demanded respect, and that we all but wait on him hand and foot. He threw adult-sized temper tantrums, and once busted the TV that was in the room my sister and I shared.
Somehow as a kid, I was hopeful and imaginative, and I blocked out a lot of the horribleness. One year, I was dead set on getting a Fly Tech Dragonfly for Christmas. It was so cool. Fly Tech was the name of the company (I think), and it was essentially a futuristic-looking robotic dragonfly that could fly around by remote control. The wings moved and everything. It was probably a foot long or a bit longer from head to tail tip. The cleanest white color, some round light up spots on it, clear wings that fluttered as it flew.
Around this time, I think I had been on a kick of wanting remote-controlled things and things that generally were not very girly. I wanted chess sets, remote control cars, video games, science experiment kits, and books. These non-girly desires were never indulged- not by my immediate family anyway.
But a Fly Tech Dragonfly! It would be so cool! I could fly it around outside! I could show it to all my friends! I could keep it in the box on display on top of my dresser!
One day, my mom and I were in the kitchen. I don’t remember what exactly we were doing, she was probably making dinner or doing dishes. We got on the subject of what we might be getting for Christmas. All I remember is when she said, ‘ ‘Mike (my stepbrother) is getting a Fly Tech Dragonfly.’
I stared at the top of the dog crate as my heart fell into the pit of my stomach. Tears welled in my eyes. I stared harder holding back any cry that wanted to come as I felt her staring into the back of my head, waiting for me to react or say something. I went into my room.
I remember when we were all opening presents how my stepbrother’s eyes lit up when he opened up the remote control dragonfly.
‘Oh cool!’ he exclaimed as he ripped off the packages.
He opened it up and tried the buttons. I watched as he excitedly ran outside to play with it properly, and my sister and brother ran out after him to watch. I heard the faint mechanical whirring of the motor pumping the wings, and some excited commotion of the other kids talking about whatever it was doing. I was so upset, so I went into my room. I don’t even remember what I actually got that Christmas from my Mom’s house. All I remember was the anticipation, hoping maybe it wouldn’t actually be in his pile of presents, wondering when he would open it and which one it would be. I was hoping they changed their minds and put it in my pile since I was the one who wanted it. I also remember the pain of watching someone else experience the joy and excitement that could have been mine.
I remember two other occasions similar. Though not quite as impressive. Years after that, my mom and stepdad finally got a divorce, but I was having visitations with my stepdad through some misguided attempt at not traumatizing me or something. It was my birthday. And my stepdad presented me with a CD of a band I had never listened to that appeared to be off of the $2 rack at Walmart, and a pack of dry pecan sandies- which I have also never had before in my life. He didn’t even bother to put a gift wrap on them or put them in a birthday bag.
On another birthday, back at my mom’s house, we were going to celebrate my and my sister’s birthdays. Our birthdays are so close together our family usually celebrates them at the same time. My mom got home from work and gave us a bag each. Of what appeared to be a bunch of random junk she picked up from the dollar store on the way home from work. Again, no gift wrap. Though I suppose you don’t have time to wrap 20 useless knick-knacks you picked up on the way home.”
Her Mom Didn’t Care About What She Wanted
“When I was in seventh grade, sometime before Christmas, my mother told me that she would like for my brother to do more things with our father and that she and I could spend more time together. Well, I was close to my dad and enjoyed doing things with him (tennis, biking, etc), but I thought I could give it a try.
So for Christmas, I asked for two things – golf clubs and a watch (Mom played golf, Dad played tennis). The request for a watch was because Mom had suggested that I give the very cool men’s watch I had found and wore daily to my brother.
That Christmas, I gave the watch to my brother and eagerly awaiting the morning. My brother was given golf clubs, I got a make-up mirror and a nail care kit – no watch. So, I knew that my brother had always been Mom’s favorite of the four children, but this really brought it home. Needless to say, I had zero interest in either make-up or nail care. I gave up expecting anything from her.
I’m an adult now and have a good relationship with my parents, but I have never forgotten the callousness of that Christmas.”
She Had Already Gotten Her Gifts
“The worst Christmas present I received was when I was somewhere around eight or nine. In our house, no presents were ever wrapped. Instead, they were placed in a tiny heap at a particular spot for each child. This particular Christmas in my spot was a piece of paper. On the paper, my mom had written that I had furniture bought for my bedroom earlier in the year. So, that would count as my present.
Before this furniture was bought, I had a bed, my baby brother in a cot, and baby stuff in my room. When he moved up to a proper bed, he joined our brothers in another room. All my things were in my brothers’ room, but to allow my brothers some privacy I wasn’t allowed in! So the furniture wasn’t me begging for a pink and white unicorn makeover, it just arrived because I needed somewhere to put clothes, books, and toys.
Years later when I left home, I said I would be back for the furniture in a couple of weeks. Apparently, I cannot expect to walk out with a room full of furniture.”