[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by unluky

We kind of had the same thing! My mother and her sister both married smart asses (my father and my uncle by marriage) who got along great and hunted together all the time. One year, after being forced to (of course), he went shopping for this uncle and got him a nice set of screwdrivers. Then the next year, he inadvertently bought him the SAME set again - totally by accident. They didn't say anything, but gave them back to him the next year as his gift - when is didn't "get it", they told him and everyone laughed.

Thus began the great screwdriver gift exchange. The guys LOVED it as you only had to shop every OTHER year now, as whoever got the screwdrivers last year, got to give them back the next year. Went on for decades even with the sisters trying to kill it so they could force the guys to Christmas shop every year. They were having none of it.

As an adult I am shocked they didn't buy another set and just exchange them each year and be done with it. They never left the package in all that time.

That's amazing! Very close to or chicken tradition. Pretty cool to hear of others with a similar tradition.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by DocL

That's a perfect gift for me. I'll take it.

I'll send it your way

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

The traditions definitely make it fun.

On my wife's side of the family, my mother in law famously hates chickens. At some point back in the late 70s she was selling Avon products and got a gift from Avon for hitting some sales target. It was a decorative terracotta chicken, about the size of a grapefruit. Something you just display on a shelf. A "damn sit-around" as she calls them. Well she wrapped up up and gifted it to her mom. Seems grandmas didnt want it either so as a joke she kept it for a couple years, wrapped it up, and gave it right back. Thus started the now nearly 50 year family tradition of the terra cotta chicken. It's been making the rounds throughout the family for decades. It'll drop off the map for 3, 4 sometimes 5 years. No one can recall who has it. Then it suddenly appears all wrapped up and in the hands of some disappointed recipient. I got it maybe 5 or 6 years into dating my now wife as a sign I was truly part of the family now.

This is absolutely amazing. I want to send my address and be part of this

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

I totally read this as "Worst President Ever" and thought "Well this thread wont make it 45 seconds...."

Let's see, probably belongs in the confessions thread but I'll give you all some insight into my dear old mom and her Christmas gift giving.

Age 12 - A unicycle

Age 13 - A box of unlubricated Trojans (clearly, between the unicycle and the dry rubbers my mom did not want me getting laid)

Age 14 - An Electric razor. I had zero facial hair till I was about 19.

Age 21ish - A Black and Decker Dust Buster stick broom

Age 24ish - A bread machine (I'm gluten intolerant. She's gone from trying to keep me a virgin to trying to kill me)

Age 25ish - A laptop computer travel case. I didnt own a laptop computer.

There's a lifetime more but that's just the highlights.

Those are awful presents. You've recovered nicely I see with your M2. I'd say you are the good side of even.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

This is absolutely amazing. I want to send my address and be part of this

Careful what you wish for. My wife's side of the family is nutty to say the least. You sure you want in on this?

[M5Rick]

One thing is jumpers that I don't want any more of, I have about 25 of them and yes including a Christmas one in garish colours with a reindeer on the front.

[Pindjurman]

When I was a kid my parents got my sister, brother and I all hyped up for one Christmas by telling us that they are going to buy us actually good presents that year. My sister got a new phone (Siemens C60, Christmas + birthday present), my brother also got something good, I really cannot remember what it was, while I got a bike seat. An expensive, but an ugly, wide one that older people get for themselves when they start caring about comfort much more that they do about appearance.

[ramman434]

When I was 12 years old, my eccentric uncle got me a Power Ranger Action Figure. I hadn't been into them since I was 5...

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Careful what you wish for. My wife's side of the family is nutty to say the least. You sure you want in on this?

I love goofy sh!t...I want to start this with my in laws but my wife doesnt speak to them except 1 sister

[DocL]

Originally Posted by Sara

I'll send it your way

I'll reimburse you for shipping to 33486.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by DocL

I'll reimburse you for shipping to 33486.

I can ship it for free. PM me your address.

[nyalpine90]

since we are talking about presents...i need to look for one

[UncleWede]

Not me, but my youngest brother. It was the first Christmas he had a decent job, so he splurged for everyone. My parents, TRULY caring for him and listening to what they thought he would enjoy, bought him a waffle iron. "A WAFFLE IRON?????" We still bug him about that one. But he did love waffles at the time.

The most confusing one I ever received, I was about 16. Literally, I got a boat anchor and some rope. Another brother got life vests, . . .
Just so happens, there was a brand new 21' Bayliner on a trailer in the driveway.

I was a paperboy, and had noticed (jealously) that some neighbors on my route had a new boat in their driveway. They were holding it for my dad.

[ryan stewart]

ANYTHING that wasnt on my list. My family was really bad about telling me I couldnt buy anything before Christmas, demanding lists for everyone, and then getting me clothes that dont fit from stores that are nowhere near me to return.

Until COVID I basically just said lets travel and bought all of my own stuff whenever I wanted it.

[F30lolz]

Enron stock.