Am I being unfair!

[greekgranny]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I just cannot get on with that reasoning. Surely every single adult human knows you don't buy air freshener for anybody as a birthday present. What next? Bottle of washing up liquid? Dusters? Loo roll? You don't need to analyse the situation that much to know this is inappropriate.

She would have been better off just giving the chocolates.

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Oh well, we will just have to agree to disagree!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by greekgranny

Oh well, we will just have to agree to disagree!

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I guess so. I would be mildly interested to know how many times you have given or received air freshener as a present. I sometimes wonder if I live in a parallel universe if others are finding this a normal occurrence.

[Squidgyness]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I guess so. I would be mildly interested to know how many times you have given or received air freshener as a present. I sometimes wonder if I live in a parallel universe if others are finding this a normal occurrence.

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As a genuine question, how is an air freshener any different to smellies you will never use? For years, I got smellies I couldn't use due to a skin condition, more lynx than I could shake a stick at it used to pile up in the bathroom. Yet somehow air freshener is a crazy idea. Honestly, I'd have been more intrigued by one of those as opposed to another blooming gift set of shampoo/shower gel.

I'll be honest, I'm glad we don't do presents anymore, just give alcohol at christmas to the chef that's about it. I hated getting things that I had no use for, so something that could be practical was an adequate (if uninspired) gift.

Not doing presents solves a lot of problems. Still do cards though, just as a symbol I suppose.

[Smilesonfaces]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I guess so. I would be mildly interested to know how many times you have given or received air freshener as a present. I sometimes wonder if I live in a parallel universe if others are finding this a normal occurrence.

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I really don’t think buying your mum an air freshener for her birthday can be considered normal either !
Daughter did buy her brother a bottle of water for Christmas once when she was about 8/9. She didn’t have much money and she gave it to him to take to the gym. She has never lived it down.

I hope the OP reports back because I’m still sure it was a joke !

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Squidgyness

As a genuine question, how is an air freshener any different to smellies you will never use? For years, I got smellies I couldn't use due to a skin condition, more lynx than I could shake a stick at it used to pile up in the bathroom. Yet somehow air freshener is a crazy idea. Honestly, I'd have been more intrigued by one of those as opposed to another blooming gift set of shampoo/shower gel.

I'll be honest, I'm glad we don't do presents anymore, just give alcohol at christmas to the chef that's about it. I hated getting things that I had no use for, so something that could be practical was an adequate (if uninspired) gift.

Not doing presents solves a lot of problems. Still do cards though, just as a symbol I suppose.

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I would agree that in your situation it was thoughtless of your family to buy you things that they know you could not use. That would not have been something I would ever have done because I *think* about what to buy and how the receiver might feel.

I don't generally give or receive presents very often either, I am not interested in presents. But when I do get a present for somebody, I will put a great deal of thought into it, I will think "how will they feel when they open this air freshener" for example. I would want my gift receiver to feel happy upon opening my gift and I try very hard.

For the majority of people without special skin conditions, receiving some bubble bath is not terribly exciting but it is an ok gift and it is not the same as receiving an ambi pur air freshener.

[stink08]

Thank you for my birthday wishes and posts, some of them made me proper chuckle, have had a lovely day today, ref to the air freshener, I didn’t say a word but my dd18 sent dd21 a text asking if it was a joke or did she forget to take it home with her from the bag! Umm no wasn’t a joke, she was just out with her friends drinking all weekend and forgot to get me something and no it wasn’t because she didn’t have any money, she is better off than me lol, dd18 told her to expect a bottle of bleach for bday, so I think point was made and not by me! Had some lovely presents from some of the kids, and some of them forgot totally so making a little pact to myself, that maybe I will put as much effort into their birthdays as they do to mine and dh, so some will be happy and some not so much, but it may get the point across, and it’s not really about the presents or how much money, just a little thought, they are all over 18 up to 24 apart from our baby who is 9, bless her she bought me a new notebook to start planning another holiday, and it’s also got little sections so I can find the different subjects easily.

[honeybun1989]

Happy to hear you had a lovely day x

[greekgranny]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I guess so. I would be mildly interested to know how many times you have given or received air freshener as a present. I sometimes wonder if I live in a parallel universe if others are finding this a normal occurrence.

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Having seen the update, I agree it was totally reprehensible.
Having said that if someone gave me the "Mom's Apple pie or the Frosty Christmas" one I would be quite happy!

[Guest]

Well, her birthday next year is sorted, a box of Tampax and a packet of vacuum cleaner bags!

I'm glad you had a good day in spite of everything and I think the moral of the tale is to never, ever tell your children, it's the thought that counts ... : - )

[salmim]

Have really enjoyed this thread and glad you had a great day.
Am also glad it's not just me who couldn't care less about receiving presents!