I think I was 12. My parents were so proud of their choice for a Christmas present that year. They were so excited to watch me open it... or should I say... them. They had me excited too... I mean.. It HAD to be something great for them to be this excited...

There was this HUGE box by the tree. When I tried to pick it up.. it weighed a ton. They said just open it right there... I tore the paper off and it was a plain box. I opened it and there must have been 20 or so wrapped gifts in it. HOLY COW! Jackpot!

I opened the first gift inside the box and my heart sank to the bottom of the ocean.

It was a brand new .... full set... of the Encyclopedia Brittanica .
My dad spent most of the day saying to me...."Look at this one!!" and "this one has ______in it!!"
They were so excited for me that I hid my disappointment from them the entire day and then cried myself to sleep.

Today I spend hours and hours looking stuff up on the internet with an insatiable need to know things.
I think they knew something I didn't at age 12. I just didn't know it yet....

oh bj that was the only thing I was jealous of that my neighbor and good friend had that beautiful set of new encyclopedias. that probably cost a fortune back then. lol I probably got a sweater. I'm sorry you were disappointed.

Someone I didn’t particularly like bought me a jumper, to say it was horrendous would be an understatement and frankly if it was a choice of wearing that jumper or nothing then nothing would be the better option. A friend of mine was going to a fancy dress party on boxing day and the theme was ‘bad taste’ I suggested she wore it..she did and won first prize..a crate of champagne which she shared with me. Every cloud has a silver lining.

We were stationed at Ft. Knox when I really got into gardening, mostly flowers however. My husband gave me a garden tiller that year.....what joy!!! Needless to say it was not anything I ever expected and neither his mother or anyone else in the family have ever let him live that down. Of course...I was not that into gardening so he was the one doing the tilling :-)!!!!

A few years ago, a client of mine had an after thought gift for me....a small box of crackers!!!! WTH?????

The worst one is easy. I was in the Navy, been away a couple of years and came home for Christmas. This was around 77 or 78. Disco was big, but I didnt care for it to much. I was running around going to Neil Young concerts, liked the Dead, CSNY etc. Big difference. Lets just say that disco was not my cup of tea.

Well my Mom bought me this disco shirt. It was more like a silk lithograph with sleeves. I always smile and be polite and I did so with this gift. This told me two things. One, my Mom didnt have a clue who I was and Two, she had really horrible taste in shirts.

When I got back to Philly, I tore the buttons off and used it to wash the car.

Horseshoe

MsBlank1,

Did he mistake you for a parrot? LOL :)

Evidently she must have thought I was a parraot....however, my name is not Polly!!!!!!!

A box of crackers??? Did she wrap it?

yeah.....but I think it was a tease that felt more like a slap! (do I sound ungrateful?)

I really love Wheat Thins if you get any gift ideas.

Do you sound ungrateful? Uh - MsB - I can't imagine anyone feeling grateful for crackers - unless they are homeless - and I doubt you were homeless.

So no - not to worry about feeling ungrateful, imo.

And Greg - wheat thins? They have carbs you know?

LJ,

I know, I have to avoid them like the plague! Same with raisin bread. I'm powerless against raisin toast. I forbid Michele from buying it!

LJ,

With all the stress today, I could have used that big box of Wheat Thins!