There's a Latin idiom that sounds like this: Noli equi dentes inspicere donati. Meaning, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. A guy named John Heywood supposedly used this phrase in some Middle English text way back in 1546 but some experts think it's much older than that.
Since a horse's teeth can reveal a lot about the animal, including its age, checking its mouth would be a sign of mistrust towards the gift giver. This would be bad manners. So let's do that.
We at Bored Panda discovered a couple of Reddit posts (one and two) that asked users essentially the same question: what was the worst thing you received for Christmas? So given that the holidays are just around the corner and some of us will have to force a fake smile while unpacking our presents, here are a few memorable times when people were immensely disappointed by theirs.
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My grandmother bought me a little piano book when I was about 10. It was meant for a 6 yr old. It had some little electric buttons on it to look like a numbered piano, and nursery rhymes with numbers over the words so you could play the songs.
Things like Three Blind Mice and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It was a real baby present, and as soon as she gave it to me she was immediately embarrassed and offered to exchange it for something for an older kid. I guess she was also embarrassed because we lived 1000km away and didn't see each other very much and probably remembered me as a younger kid.
I learnt every f**king one of those songs.
She died 18 years ago now. I still miss her so much.
It was a shirt that had "I'm not a gynecologist but I'll take a look anyway". It was from my stepdad's mom. She knows I want to be a doctor and her English is no bueno. I found it hilarious. Once we translated it to her she almost cried from embarrassment. I proudly wore it for the rest of the day.
Every year my Mom would take us all to Dollar Tree to buy one gift for each member of the family. At the time there was five of us kids plus Mom and Dad so we would get 5-6 presents all worth a dollar each. Christmas, we would sit around and take turns opening them. Eventually this would turn into gags as we got older.
One year I thought it would be a funny idea to give my brother and brother in-law a s***ty can of beef stew... My brother in-law was so pissed off (he was a serious fellow). At first I didn’t know why and was in shock. I didn’t think a can of soup was that bad. Turns out my dumbass bought them Gravy Train a can of dog food. Which turned out to be hilarious to everyone else who were mocking me. My brother and I took it a step further though and decided we would try a few bites. It was the most awful thing ever. Wet, slimy, chunks, of puréed grit that makes me gag thinking about it but we were “tough” and could not show our disgust to the other.
When my sister first got married (to the serious fellow) we each got her pregnancy tests which turned out pretty fun.
All of our gifts we could have perceived to be the worse. Honestly it did suck sometimes seeing kids at school with iPods. None were great, most were thrown away or broken minutes after receiving them. We were poor. What started out as a $20 Christmas for Mom and Dad has created years of fun memories.
A giftcard to a lingerie store from my grandma. The f**ked up part wasn't the gift itself, but the fact that she made my poor 19 year old brother go in and buy it. As he told it, the conversation went something like this: Cashier: "shopping for your girlfriend?" Brother: "no, my sister...well my grandma..." Awkward silence...
Christmas morning around the tree with my family and gf at the time. We are all opening presents and I open one from my gf. I unwrap the box and inside I find a flat billed baseball hat. Strange, I neither wear hats, nor give a s**t about the team whose logo was plastered on the front, let alone the sport. So, I pull it out and hold it up so everyone [but mainly my gf] could see. All the adults give a quizzical look. Even my little sister makes a 'huh?' face.
*You say, "But totes, maybe it was gift to a male friend. Are you against your gf having male friends??" No, I am not. Just wait:
So I say something like, "uh thanks, hun." Her face drains of color. She says 'oops, that is for some one else, must have brought it inside on accident.' Then snatches it out of my hands.
And then I hold out the card that was attached to the wrapping: Hey baby, love ya lots. Merry Christmas.
And to clarify; yes, she was cheating. I guess there were tickets to some big upcoming game tucked inside the hat too. Needless to say it was f**king embarrassing to have to essentially break up with your gf in front of your family on Christmas morning.
*Typos and s**t: am not a writer.
**And Happy Holidays to you too!
Grandma got me a pair of jeans that were way too small with a card that read "Lose some weight, then maybe you will fit into these".
I was beyond furious, and our relationship was never the same. I didn't shed a tear when she passed away.
When I was 15, I really wanted a dog. My mom knew this.
Cue Christmas morning. After we had opened any other presents, my mom came back with one last one...it was a wrapped box with holes in the sides, bouncing/moving some, and puppy barks of cuteness.
I got sooooo excited to open it and meet my new best friend. When I opened it, it had a stuffed animal puppy (not taxidermized...), a bumble ball toy, and a small tape recorder with puppy barks.
My heart sank and I just sat there and cried.
That is so my family. Asked for hockey skates, got figure skates. Sure I was still fast on ice and could skate circles around people, i never even tried out for hockey. Needless to say I was the first person to stop buying gifts.
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And then parents what to know why, in their 'Golden Years', the kids don't come to visit. This was especially cruel.
and put them in the nursing home that is always featured on the 5 o'clock news for problems
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That is so cruel. Why would anyone do this to someone, let alone their own child?
Why do parents do this to their children? It just destroys their child's trust. My mom did a prank on me, too, and for decades they laughed about it, until I eventually was mature enough ti understand that it was not really funny and put a stop to it. I just remember the shock and confusion I felt, and it wasn't made better by the rest of the family laughing at me. I was five or so - at that age, we don't have much of a sense of humor. We just learn, that our parents can't be fully trusted.
Kinda like the time my folks took me to get a kitten then decided against it after I'd played with them and picked one.
My mom still wonders why i do not trust her after she told me she read some diary about myself which was on my desk. It had the notification on top that it was confidential and should not be read by anyone. Her loss.
What a horrible trick to play on a teenager. A 15 year old is old enough to understand if a parent doesn't want to or can't get a pet (they're a lot of work, they're expensive, and some 15 year olds are just not mature enough to handle the responsibility), but to go out of your way to make them think they're getting a puppy as a prank is just cruel.
This upsets me the most so far. Maybe she thought she was giving the next best thing if it wasn't feasible to actually get a pup but this story is so sad it's gonna stick with me :( I always wanted a dog too but the closest I got was my beloved cat I had to give away to stop my father abusing it. So now I'm an adult u can take my dogs over my dead body!
Too bad you weren't able to get rid of the abusive father instead
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I simply do not understand parents doing something cruel like this to their kid! Did they think it would be FUNNY?!?
That reminds me of how when I was maybe about 10. I wanted a younger brother or sister so badly. I was over the moon happy when at the end of March one year my mom and dad sit me down and tell me that my mom was pregnant. Days pass and my happiness and excitement grow. On the morning of April 1st (April Fool's Day here in the states) I get told that my mom is unable to have any more children and that I am in fact NOT going to be a big sister to anyone. I was so heartbroken. I laughed it off and proceeded to get on the bus that morning and cry all the way to school. Looking back, I know they were only playing and they never meant to hurt me but boy did that sting!
How to have a son who never speaks to you again once they grow up 101
There's a special place in hell for people (esp parents) who torment children. Cold & planned out she low balled her own child ~ psychopath. Any time that thought bothers you, do something nice for yourself ☆
That's cruel! I know a young woman who always wanted a gift from Tiffany's. So her mom got a Tiffany box and put socks in it. Not funny. Just mean IMHO!
This reminds me of that trend where parents would trick their kids into thinking that they ate all of their Halloween candy. These things may seem trivial to an adult, but we need to remember how important they can be to kids. Lying to your child, who trusts and relies on you, is not okay.
Very sad dear person! Can’t believe a mom would do such an awful thing. If she meant it as a joke that is pretty sick. You don’t say when this happened hope you have been able to work through this trauma. Also hope at some point you managed to get a puppy! Norma Jean Morrissey
I am so sorry you had to go through this this had to be very traumatic for you. What a mean thing to have done to you.
Thanks for the clarification of it not being a taxidermy stuffed dog…that would have added many layers of trauma… and therapy
Seriously a bitch thing to do, that is called emotional abuse!! And yes, it can damage a person on the inside. The bruises from emotional abuse don't show for every pone to see.
[My brain isn’t working so well and I made a comment that made no sense...this is my delete.]
Why do people do this it’s just setting up a horrible situation with lots of hurt feelings on both sides. I saw on a similar post that a guy that he would be getting a car from his parents for Christmas and they had hyped it up and asked all the right questions to make it seem genuine. He got a key ring with a car logo on and a hot wheels toy, he said it took over 17 years for them to work everything out and make up! It’s mind boggling that parents do this
That is pretty... nasty for anyone to do to someone, especially a parent to child.
remember that when she asks for grandkids. get a positive pregnancy test and wrap up a doll for her.
You poor baby. I'm so sorry for you. How could any mom do that? I hope she apologized over it.
The same happened to me. I was given a muesli bowl resembling a dog's dish. I expected to find a puppy later on somewhere, but I didn't.
For 2 years I walked and fed my roomates dogs with mine. Mine was in a car accident, passed away in sptember. We had 10 new borns, that room mate offered me one, took it away, she wanted it, the other room mates she made sure they got 2 each. 1 left, awww sorry we just have to many. Sorry aww. Pluss she wont walk feed or play with them, and trolls me for trying. These kind go straight to hell.
This makes me so sad for you. What an awful thing to do to a child. Crappy stuff from childhood stings and never seems to really go away, but if it helps, now that I'm a parent it has shown me what not to do and I think I am a better parent for it. It doesn't take away the hurt, but it helps knowing I won't repeat the cycle.
wow. I am all for practical jokes especially on my kids, but this.... this is just mean. I would never even dream of something like this.
It could be they couldn't afford a puppy with the vet bills and food or they feel you weren't responsible enough to do all that., but still, it just a d*** move. They could have told you that they can't afford a puppy, not be passive-aggressive
My former mother in law did this to my son. She's very wealthy but gives odd gifts. I'm from a working class family and while everyone else got expensive, very carefully planned gifts, I'd get a box of cereal. It was so awkward as everyone was opening expensive electronics, clothing, airline tickets, etc. But when my son was turning 16, she kept telling him for months that he was going to LOVE the gift she was getting him, that it was very expensive and something any 16 year old would be thrilled to get, etc etc etc. Now what do you think think he thought he'd be getting? Well, it wasn't a car. It was a Didgeridoo. He was very respectful but so confused at the build-up, then endless teasers, the reminder of how expensive it was, etc. It still sitting in my basement 10 years later, never played.
I... can see how that could be intended to be playful, but 15 is not an age for that kind of letdown.
Also makes me. Remeber when my mother tricked me into eating a spoonful of cinnamon when I was 10. Everyone is laughing and I'm fight just to breath and unable to communicate the fact that I'm suffocating.
OMG! That was SO CRUEL! Especially from a mom! I'm so sorry that happened to you
People think they are being funny when they are traumatizing their children for a laugh.
That is a class A prank. It was well constructed and very well executed, I have to give her this. But come on, this level of a-holery from your own mother? That was colder than Clint Eastwood's stare!
My mother is such a FC that she wouldn't even go to these lengths to prank me. She would simply look at someone and say something like, why bother, you don't deserve it or why waste the money or in a lot of cases, she would just stand out sit there with the smuggest of smug arrogant resting bitch Karen faces and make it well known in the snarkiest of snarks that she didn't give a F about anyone but herself. Unfortunately for her, she will be one narcissist that I will not be able the shed a tear over when she passes.
Awe that was wrong, I hope she went bk out of the room to grab the real puppy.
Yeah been there, I wanted a jaguar car for my 16th and knew it'd never happen but the day came and I opened a box with car keys in it. I screamed and ran to the garage which had been emptied and in the center was a car. A single black jaguar hot wheels car... my family laughed while I stood there staring. I can laugh now but at the time I was so not amused
That is so damn lame! How pathetic! How could she do such a thing?? 🙄😱👎🏻
Funny how they dont mention the other stuff they got...and that's a teaching moment..you take care of this puppy and look after it and be responsible for it we will think more on getting a real dog...you guys waaaayyyyy to soft..but way to take the story and play a victim
I had left some video games in my mom's room, she found them and assumed my dad had bought them as Christmas gifts for me. So for Christmas, I got... my own games.
I know someone who had their phone confiscated by their parents and ended up getting it back as their Christmas present and nothing else. Whist her twin sisters were spoilt rotten.
My uncle got me a giant block of cement once. He put random things throughout the block and gave me a miniature hammer and chisel. I actually chiseled through the whole thing and found some coins and what appeared to be a arrowhead. My uncle is the strange one in our family.
My mother is terrible at gift giving. She shops for others with herself in mind, not them, so everyone gets s**t she likes but they don't. Or she buys it in March and then can't find it come December, and your gift is her telling you that's what happened. Or she'll buy, say, a book trilogy in an art box, and she'll give each book one holiday at a time, then the final gift will be the box.
As I grew older, I started seeing this. I never got anything that I specifically asked for, possibly a close approximate at best. I figured it was because nothing I asked for interested her, so I tried something: I asked for something that she would be into.
I asked for a Bible. I specified the brand, the translation, hardback/paperback, and the book cover including the color scheme. I got exactly what I asked for, down to the last detail.
I kept it as a reminder of what not to do to my kids.
It was the first Christmas my father and current stepmother had together. My step siblings each got a new laptop computer, I got a $20 gift card to McDonalds.
My dad bought my mom an actual human skull for Christmas a few years back. He wrapped it in a box some toy came in. My parents are weird; this wouldn't have raised an eyebrow at my house. Unfortunately we did our gift exchange at my maternal grandmothers who is much less creative with gifts. My dad and brother waited for this to be the last gift given. It was a big presentation. Upon opening it my mom squealed and shoved it back in the box. She was excited but knew it would t go over well. Of course now everyone wants to know what is in the box. My grandma insists my mom take out the mysterious gift and show it to the room. My aunt started screaming, made her kids leave the room. My grandma almost fainted and told us to get it out of the house immediately. 'Twas hilarious.
tldr my dad se7en'd my mom on Christmas in a hilarious fashion.
Oh God, there was a real human skeleton in one of my college anatomy classes, and it was impossible to forget that it was from a real formerly living human. The professor said it was India, so everyone called it "Mr. Patel" in acknowledgement of its former humanity, and kept their distance. Who the hell would want human body parts at home!
My grandmother gave my boyfriend a coffee mug with a German Shepherd dog on it. He has never owned nor expressed any interest in German Shepherds.
He uses it at work. It's a great conversation starter.
"Oh do you have a German Shepherd?"
"No."
"..."
I got a book called "Coping with Being Adopted" from Santa while I was in high school. Was news to me....
I had mentioned to my uncle one year that I wished I could grow a beard like his. Come Christmas time my uncle hands me the present he got me. I unwrap it and what do you know...It's his beard in a Ziploc bag.
When I was 13 I was taking drum lessons and was desperate for my own kit.
My mum worked at the Early Learning Centre (preschool age kids shop for non-UK chaps). Mum and Dad got me this little plastic toy drum and made me play a tune on it.
I tried my best not to look upset, I failed and stopped just short of bursting in to tears.
Turned out to be a sick joke, the drums were wrapped up in the dining room.
This wasn't my gift, but it was the most awkward situation ever. So a few years ago my grandma had her legs amputated. Don't feel bad, since then, her health has improved a ton. Anyway, last Christmas my Aunt bought her socks. It was sooo awful
Book about how to take criticism, gifted by my mother-in-law.
When I still lived with my parents they got me a cards against humanity deck. Right after I opened it they told me I’m not allowed to play it until I turned 18. I was 15 at the time
My cousin had died in a drunk driving accident a few months before, so my mom got me a breathalyzer keychain. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the card it came with said it was "from" my cousin.. I see what my mom was trying to do, but still f**ked up, IMO.
This is like parents who want to take their kids to the burn unit to explain how dangerous fire is. Ugh!
A calendar with half nude pictures of my father and stepmother
I am going to answer for my sister. When I was about five (making her nine) our uncle/aunt/cousin family asked me what my sister liked. I had no idea. All I knew was she liked to yell at me. So I dumbly replied she like hair ties. For Christmas that year my sister received an assortment of an insanely high number, like two hundred different high ties, scrunches, ect. She didn't let me live that down for a looong time.
Aw, that's on them for letting the five year old pick the present. Apparently at nine, your sister was already difficult to shop for. At least you didn't suggest anything cruel or self-serving. Hair ties was a fine guess.
My grandma gave me bright red undies with googly eyes on them and an extra piece of black cloth to put your d**k inside as the "nose"....I'm a girl.
My mother passed away when I was in high school. One of the years after she passed, my dad kinda-sorta forgot to buy me a big Christmas present. So I came downstairs, went to get my stocking (we still do stockings), and pulled out a fistful of 20s. He'd run to the ATM early that morning so I'd have something.
The cash was great and all, but at the time, it felt awful because I just missed my mom, and wished we could have a "proper" Christmas.
Poor dad wad depressed and couldn't get his head around doing Christmas
Every year my family does a secret Santa on Christmas. When i was about 10 my aunt had to buy me a gift. So Christmas morning i open my gift, and i find a Christmas sweater along with a pair of my aunts s**t stained underwear. Apparently she was doing laundry and wrapping gifts at the same time and got the two mixed up.
Probably a box of my grandmother's ashes wrapped to look like a gift.
My mother did this.
My parents got me an acoustic guitar one Christmas. Problem: my brother was the one who asked for a guitar, not me. So essentially my Christmas present was seeing my brother absolutely gutted. Meanwhile I had to pretend I was happy. Awkward.
My Mom rarely cared what gift we might actually want or what our personal tastes were and most often she would select a gift based on her own personal tastes. In the late-80's she decided to buy me a stereo as the main/large gift for whatever reason and she selected a Fisher Price (the children's toy brand) turn table (record player). This is after CD players were invented and of course nobody played records any more. The worst part was that she decided to treat this stereo as some sophisticated equipment that was too good for a child to play with so after Christmas she stored it, in it's original box, in our attic where it has remained until this day. It was supposed to just be stored there until some arbitrary time but my Mom is a huge procrastinator and that time never came. I'm still salty that she wasted all the money on that stupid gift rather than on something I might have enjoyed and actually got to use.
Grandms got me a douche and a hospital gown that "would make a nice dress if someone sewed it all up" for me. That was weird.
Sounds like Grandma got her gifts free from the hospital that year!
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Reading some of these stories...I appreciate Vietnamese culture to absolutely under no circumstances open gifts in front of the one gifting you. Either bc you are not good at keeping a straight face or bc sometimes not even a straight face would rescue the situation and the gifter just looses face. :D
This is a depressing thread. But it makes me appreciate my parents. They weren't always great but they tried, poured tons of love, time and money into us - and we always had great gifts at christmas. Not many, but good ones.
The year my Aunt Doll mixed up mailing labels and accidentally sent me the "honeymoon starter pack" intended for Cousin Denise while 3 states away my soon to be married cousin is trying to figure out why she's getting She-ra action figures a month before her wedding.
I sent my 3 year-old nephew a Williams Sonoma cookbook and watched my mother open Curious George Goes to the Zoo on Christmas morning. Whoops.
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Seems a lot of people use gift giving as a way to express passive aggressive family issues. That's humiliating and childish
Well. My mom (75 yo) is VERY excited about my new bf and our first xmas together. He and I are in our mid 30s. She's knows he plays the guitar so she called me and asked me if he would like a jean jacket with a guitar embroidered on the back. Mom, no, just no! lol (sure somewhere there is a a hipster dying to wear this item in an ironic way, but that's not my bf.) Thank goodness she asked. I persuaded her to get him some locally made chocolates instead.
We didn’t have much money so christmas presents were mostly to restock on clothes and shoes. Since I was about 12 I would get stuff for my dowry. In my country dowry wasn’t even a thing anymore but while my brother got new jeans, hoodie or trainers, I got set of drinking glasses, silverware, hand crocheted table doilies, towels and similar stuff. I had to get my first job at 14 just so I can buy myself some charity shop clothes because I had literally nothing to wear. I moved to another country at 23 leaving my “dowry” crap behind.
I'm American, but my great-grandma was obsessed with making me a Hope Chest. It's the same concept: you get big chest (wooden box) and start filling it with things you will need when you get married and start a family. She didn't just do it for Christmas, she would randomly give me stuff throughout the year and tell me to put it in my Hope Chest. She was born in 1918, and I know she was just trying to help me. I regifted some of the items, sold some of them, and kept some of them. We were very poor too, and I started doing odd jobs around the neighborhood to buy shoes when I was very young (around 10, I think). I was born in the 80s, and my mom was a bit archaic too. She made me take etiquette classes, and riding lessons, even though we really couldn't afford it. She would say, "Better skills can land you a better man." Gross! I don't fault her for that, though; she was trying to give me a better life.
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My girlfriend is getting a book about how to accept God and become not queer anymore. My transgender lesbian girlfriend. She got excited and peeked at her gifts from her parents early and that’s what she’s getting. My heart bleeds for my sweetheart… I got her a necklace with a galaxy design on it and a ring with stars because she loves jewelry and outer space :)
Violet, I'm so sorry your girlfriend isn't being accepted and supported by her biological family. But life has shown me that we can choose another family when we're old enough, and it sounds like you're the start of her new, chosen, family. I can't think of a better gift - to give or receive. Many blessings to you both. ☺️
Load More Replies... I don't have a horrible gift story but my dad was an auto mechanic so I'd get a huge box,unwrap it and box says fuel tank. But there's a smaller box wrapped inside. Unwrap oh a water pump. But another box lnside like Russian dolls. After 4 or 5 boxes I'd get a tiny box of earrings or something. Made it impossible to guess my gifts too. This is my first Christmas without him. Feels very odd 😥 His mother dutifully sent me a $5 check for Xmas every year that dutifully bounced every year.
Me and my brothers would do that to my dad with one gift every Christmas. Sometimes we would put a brick in it to make it heavy, or wrap the outermost package in an odd shape. He loved it. We had a falling out, and didn't spend time with him for years. In his later years, he made an effort to reconnect with us. He told me one day that he missed getting his Russian doll presents, so we started doing it again until he died. The holidays always seem odd after a loved one dies. You expect them to always be there. It will be ok, though. You will get through it. Just hang on to the memories. He would want you to be happy. Sending you virtual hugs!
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Back in the old days (1980's), before cameras were digital and phones only hung on the wall, we asked my in-laws for a point & shoot 35mm camera. Our kids were toddlers and we wanted something we could quickly grab and snap a pic when the kids were being cute. My MIL was one to get you what you asked for, so she bought a pretty nice camera. On Christmas morning we opened the gift and found their much used P&S camera in a box. It turns out they liked "our" camera so much they decided to keep it and give us theirs. Over 30 years later I still shake my head over this one.
Wow! I often buy presents and then decided I want that item myself. But I go ahead and give the gift I bought, then buy myself another one later.
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My wife's grandmother was very generous. Piles of beautiful presents, but one year when she was mentally slipping, she took all of our presents away after we opened them and gave them to my BIL and SIL. They did NOT return them to us later.
The BIL and SIL not giving them back is more messed up than what the grandma did.
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I thought the really simple babies colouring books and big crayons i usually get were bad (im 25 but my relatives i dont see often think i like baby things because i have autism) but these are AWFUL!! This year i’ll be grateful for my colouring book and colour in all the trains and teddies! 😳
I work with autistic individuals. We are supposed to work on life skills, but most of my day involves explaining to families, for the millionth time, that their loved one is just like everyone else! It's ok to like things that are "immature"; I'm almost 40, and I like Spongebob. But people shouldn't make assumptions. Everyone is different, and we should ask them what they like. One guy I worked with, told me he likes scary stories, so I bought him an Edgar Allan Poe collection. He can read, and he asked for it. His mom thought it was too mature for him. He is 20. We had to have another conversation about individuality that day.
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People in my family are so fussy and so darn choosy that they never like what they get for Christmas. I got enough of people rolling their eyes when they open the gifts I gave them. I keep asking myself, why am I spending a lot of my time to find "just the right thing" and spending money I could put elsewhere on these people?... So I started giving them Walmart gift cards. There are 100,000 items in the store to choose from, or the cards can be redeemed for cash which can then be added to their own money to buy something even more expensive and desirable if they prefer. Even this was not good enough. The ungrateful people considered themselves disrespected because I didn't put any time, effort, research, and money into making them happy. Huh? Why am I doing this again? It really got awkward as everyone got older. I got fed up with this. So the family adopted a new rule that I suggested: No adult gifts exchanged anymore. Christmas is for kids. They like everything, so only give xmas gifts to the kids from now on. Finish problem.
My ex's family was like that (including my ex); they turned their nose up at everything I bought them that first Christmas. The next Christmas, I gave them all certificates that informed them that $20 had been donated to a charity in their name. They were so mad! It was hilarious. The aunt in that family was especially snobby. It has been twenty years since I have seen them, and I still send her a digital copy on Facebook of the donation that I make in her name every year. For some reason, she hasn't blocked me, but she keeps complaining about it on Facebook, so I keep doing it. Haha! EDIT: I'm not donating because of them; I donate to charities every year anyways. I just did it in their name to make a point. And I keep donating in the aunt's name because it continues to piss her off.
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For mother's day this year, I took my 5 yer old to pick out a present for his mom and grandmother. His mom got a 2 ft tall empty layer cake pinata. His grandma got a twerking "happy graduation" unicorn,
I’m sure they loved it. It’s great you teach your kid to appreciate their loved ones
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This is so depressing. Our family solved this ages ago. The kids: just ask them what they want. Everyone else: their favourite sweets/chocolates OR money or gift vouchers for a useful store that has basically everything so they can choose what they want. My kids' grandparents just give them money, they don't even try guess what the kids want. Much better.
About 15 years ago, got this wonderful caricature of hockey legend Mark Messier in a Rangers uniform. Unfortunately, I'm a NJ Devils fan. This right on the heels of a leather jacket which didn't fit and was exactly the type that I do not like.
One good thing about the jacket is there's lots of people who are less fortunate that could use it.
Load More Replies... What is with people born in early January getting a Christmas gift that was also their birthday gift?? I was born in late December (a few days after Christmas) and all my gifts are separate…
I was born in early January, my family was poor, and I've never gotten a combo gift. I work with a family who have two sons with birthdays only two days from Christmas (one before, and after), and that family did a combo Christmas/birthday party for both kids every year, and combo gifts for each kid. They are not poor. When the kids realized that I had no qualms about standing up to their parents on serious issues, they asked me to back them up when they told their parents they hated it. The parents were mad at first, because it would mean having three parties in one week. I suggested a compromise: Have the "before" birthday party one week before Christmas, and have the "after" birthday party one week after Christmas. Then it isn't all smashed into one week. They all agreed that would be feasible.
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My ex's aunt gifted me a baby's cologne in a very big plastic bottle shaped as Minnie, because she had heard I liked cartoons. What I liked was manga... The fragance is so distinctive, everybody knows it and that it's specifically for babies, so I couldn't use it either. I thanked her because she didn't know the difference and I didn't had the heart to tell her. I thought about giving it to some kid that would actually enjoy it but mom said gifting it to others was being cheap, so I guess it's still around 10 years later, stored somewhere... If I ever find it I'll definitely give it to some kid, there's no point in keeping it...
Regifting is not necessarily being cheap. I regift cologne, lotions, and scented bath items because I can't use them; I have sensitive skin. I know people don't remember this, and I appreciate the gifts. My neighbors love them, though; especially this one old lady down the street. I know she uses it, because I can smell it on her when I visit. I love the smells, I just can't use it on my skin. Last year my family didn't exchange gifts, so I had nothing to regifted. I went to the store and got a set of lotions for that neighbor.
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My brother once gave me his old broken telescope. An aunt gave my son a roll of wallpaper from a charity shop. Same aunt gave my daughter some second hand waterproofs from the same charity shop.
Years ago our next door neighbor lost his ring finger due to a nail sticking out from a basketball backboard. My mom wanted to buy him an album so she asked the clerk what’s a good album to get. She bought him the new Rolling Stones album. When he opened his gift he began to laugh and told my mom that it’s morbidly funny that she bought him this. My mom’s like, “what?” Turns out that it’s was their “Sticky Fingers” LP that she gave him and my mom was so embarrassed!
It probably makes me the bad family member but as I've gotten older, I've gotten pickier (I also blame a job I had that forced me to research product quality). I know what I like and all. I've asked family for the past 5 years not to get me anything, I'm happy with cards. They never listen. I'm happy to receive socks though.
My step dad bought me snow tires, they sat wrapped under the tree for a week...leaving me unable to drive.
I remember one Christmas wanting a doll to play with. I got a doll that had to be on a display stand. I remember another one wanting a lap top: I got a hand me down lap top from my sister's friend. (My younger step sister).
Worst gift ever......One year my grandma bought my brother a brand new very expensive custom Dell desktop computer (he was 14) and I (11) received a hodge podge of oil paints and small canvases that mostly were from a yard sale or thrift store. I want to note that I had no artistic inclination at all. When it became obvious I was upset, my grandma said it was because he was going to make something of himself and he needed for college. Now at 33 my brother is unemployed and has 2 kids and lives with my mom. Another year this same grandma wrapped up kitchen towels from the dollar store and said to keep until we were older because when we lived on our own we would need them as adults. I was 13 and my brother 16.
My LAST Christmas with my mother in law she gave all the daughter in laws Lenox gifts beautiful big boxes I got one too inside garbage bags and dish soap along with a slap from my husband for not being grateful . I left his sorry ass and his spiteful witch mother
She put your Lenox gift inside garbage bags? Or she gave you dish soap in a garbage bag? Either way, that's messed up. Also, I'm glad you left your abusive husband.
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As newlyweds, I mentioned once to husband that he has never bought me lingerie. Does he gift it to me alone on a romantic night so we could enjoy them? Of course not. It was his big extravagant Christmas gift to me in front of all the parents, aunts and uncles. To top it off, my MIL who I hardly know, requests that I put them on to model for everyone and she wasn’t joking. My dad and FIL turn pale and refuse to make eye contact. Great memory attached to my lingerie for sexy nights in the future. Husband wondered why I hardly wore them. SMH
In laws were the worst. I missed many Christmases as a child so as an adult having mean gifts hurt. I don't eat meat so one year they used a box with beef blood all over it, another year they had cut out mans pant from flyer and put it in a card with a few bucks ( I am a woman) Regifted a 20 year old sweater, faked giving a microwave, big box, bow, and bricks for weight, list goes on and on, very cruel people.
Every other year my mom gives me finger puppets... it started when I was 19 and now I'm 33. I got my brother a watch and by the time I gave it to him for Christmas the batteries had stopped working. He also has bad teeth and so I told my niece to get him a gag gift as well as a regular one and she got him a toothbrush but forgot to get a regular one lol. Luckily he found it hilarious 😂
The year my aunt decided that giving me feminine hygiene products was a good idea.
I always put a lot of thought into my gift giving for friends and family so it was very disheartening to get on book on Auschwitz from a long time friend last year. For Christmas !??? ,She is clueless and I'm still ticked off about it.
One of the weirdest gifts I've gotten was when I was around 12-14, in which I had a relative who gave me leggings that were specifically designed to show off your butt. I worry about what the hell they were thinking.
I don't understand people. My kids are all teens / young adults. Every year we tell them make a list. It's hard to keep track what they're into, what they were into, what they're definitely not into anymore etc. So I ask for a list and if they can attach links to said list that's even better. During the year if they say "oooh I really want this for my room / car / self whatever... I buy it and stash it and WRITE their name on it so I don't forget later. It's not that hard geeze.
All I could think of is that kids record player still new in the box is most likely worth far more than when it was bought. Time to get it out of the attic and let it get you something to enjoy.
In the 80s and 90s giving my father a gift was impossible! Being a young girl who wanted to make Daddy happy and really thinking about a meaningful gift meant nothing to him. I'd get something like a hat or key chain saying #1 dad. Well he'd make a disgusted face, say oh gee thanks and throw it across the room. Lucky for me he became a Jehovah's witness so I never had to go through that again..... wrong! He celebrates holidays when he feels like it. As an adult I bought my dad cologne. My fiance was there and was upset with my father's response, I didn't even notice being it was so normal to me. He said oh gee thanks another cologne. Surprisingly, he didn't throw it across the room but we were at a restaurant so that's probably why. Gotta love my dear old dad
When I was 17. My mother gave me a winter coat as a Christmas gift. It was nice but more her taste. I found out why real quick. I tried the coat on. Said thank you. And she asked if she could try it on. Then asked if she could borrow it that night to go see her be. Never saw the coat again. It was now hers.
My (now) ex's sister knew I am incredibly allergic to roses. Cue Christmas day. I open a gift set of rosewater and rose scented things as well as a candle with rose petals in it. Thanks. I hate it.
I gave my mom a character-themed makeup set a couple years ago, for a character she collects stuff of. I actually asked her if she wanted it for her collection and she said yes. So on Christmas that year, she opens it, and my sister is all snarky because the makeup is purple and mom doesn’t even wear makeup that often anyway, let alone purple. So from her perspective it was an awful gift, and it made me feel like s**t even though mom WANTED IT. :)
P.S. I held it together really well but cried later that day.
Load More Replies... Some of them, yes. But some of them were intentionally mean/bad.
Load More Replies... Reading some of these stories...I appreciate Vietnamese culture to absolutely under no circumstances open gifts in front of the one gifting you. Either bc you are not good at keeping a straight face or bc sometimes not even a straight face would rescue the situation and the gifter just looses face. :D
This is a depressing thread. But it makes me appreciate my parents. They weren't always great but they tried, poured tons of love, time and money into us - and we always had great gifts at christmas. Not many, but good ones.
The year my Aunt Doll mixed up mailing labels and accidentally sent me the "honeymoon starter pack" intended for Cousin Denise while 3 states away my soon to be married cousin is trying to figure out why she's getting She-ra action figures a month before her wedding.
I sent my 3 year-old nephew a Williams Sonoma cookbook and watched my mother open Curious George Goes to the Zoo on Christmas morning. Whoops.
Load More Replies... Seems a lot of people use gift giving as a way to express passive aggressive family issues. That's humiliating and childish
Well. My mom (75 yo) is VERY excited about my new bf and our first xmas together. He and I are in our mid 30s. She's knows he plays the guitar so she called me and asked me if he would like a jean jacket with a guitar embroidered on the back. Mom, no, just no! lol (sure somewhere there is a a hipster dying to wear this item in an ironic way, but that's not my bf.) Thank goodness she asked. I persuaded her to get him some locally made chocolates instead.
We didn’t have much money so christmas presents were mostly to restock on clothes and shoes. Since I was about 12 I would get stuff for my dowry. In my country dowry wasn’t even a thing anymore but while my brother got new jeans, hoodie or trainers, I got set of drinking glasses, silverware, hand crocheted table doilies, towels and similar stuff. I had to get my first job at 14 just so I can buy myself some charity shop clothes because I had literally nothing to wear. I moved to another country at 23 leaving my “dowry” crap behind.
I'm American, but my great-grandma was obsessed with making me a Hope Chest. It's the same concept: you get big chest (wooden box) and start filling it with things you will need when you get married and start a family. She didn't just do it for Christmas, she would randomly give me stuff throughout the year and tell me to put it in my Hope Chest. She was born in 1918, and I know she was just trying to help me. I regifted some of the items, sold some of them, and kept some of them. We were very poor too, and I started doing odd jobs around the neighborhood to buy shoes when I was very young (around 10, I think). I was born in the 80s, and my mom was a bit archaic too. She made me take etiquette classes, and riding lessons, even though we really couldn't afford it. She would say, "Better skills can land you a better man." Gross! I don't fault her for that, though; she was trying to give me a better life.
Load More Replies... My girlfriend is getting a book about how to accept God and become not queer anymore. My transgender lesbian girlfriend. She got excited and peeked at her gifts from her parents early and that’s what she’s getting. My heart bleeds for my sweetheart… I got her a necklace with a galaxy design on it and a ring with stars because she loves jewelry and outer space :)
Violet, I'm so sorry your girlfriend isn't being accepted and supported by her biological family. But life has shown me that we can choose another family when we're old enough, and it sounds like you're the start of her new, chosen, family. I can't think of a better gift - to give or receive. Many blessings to you both. ☺️
Load More Replies... I don't have a horrible gift story but my dad was an auto mechanic so I'd get a huge box,unwrap it and box says fuel tank. But there's a smaller box wrapped inside. Unwrap oh a water pump. But another box lnside like Russian dolls. After 4 or 5 boxes I'd get a tiny box of earrings or something. Made it impossible to guess my gifts too. This is my first Christmas without him. Feels very odd 😥 His mother dutifully sent me a $5 check for Xmas every year that dutifully bounced every year.
Me and my brothers would do that to my dad with one gift every Christmas. Sometimes we would put a brick in it to make it heavy, or wrap the outermost package in an odd shape. He loved it. We had a falling out, and didn't spend time with him for years. In his later years, he made an effort to reconnect with us. He told me one day that he missed getting his Russian doll presents, so we started doing it again until he died. The holidays always seem odd after a loved one dies. You expect them to always be there. It will be ok, though. You will get through it. Just hang on to the memories. He would want you to be happy. Sending you virtual hugs!
Load More Replies... Back in the old days (1980's), before cameras were digital and phones only hung on the wall, we asked my in-laws for a point & shoot 35mm camera. Our kids were toddlers and we wanted something we could quickly grab and snap a pic when the kids were being cute. My MIL was one to get you what you asked for, so she bought a pretty nice camera. On Christmas morning we opened the gift and found their much used P&S camera in a box. It turns out they liked "our" camera so much they decided to keep it and give us theirs. Over 30 years later I still shake my head over this one.
Wow! I often buy presents and then decided I want that item myself. But I go ahead and give the gift I bought, then buy myself another one later.
Load More Replies... My wife's grandmother was very generous. Piles of beautiful presents, but one year when she was mentally slipping, she took all of our presents away after we opened them and gave them to my BIL and SIL. They did NOT return them to us later.
The BIL and SIL not giving them back is more messed up than what the grandma did.
Load More Replies... I thought the really simple babies colouring books and big crayons i usually get were bad (im 25 but my relatives i dont see often think i like baby things because i have autism) but these are AWFUL!! This year i’ll be grateful for my colouring book and colour in all the trains and teddies! 😳
I work with autistic individuals. We are supposed to work on life skills, but most of my day involves explaining to families, for the millionth time, that their loved one is just like everyone else! It's ok to like things that are "immature"; I'm almost 40, and I like Spongebob. But people shouldn't make assumptions. Everyone is different, and we should ask them what they like. One guy I worked with, told me he likes scary stories, so I bought him an Edgar Allan Poe collection. He can read, and he asked for it. His mom thought it was too mature for him. He is 20. We had to have another conversation about individuality that day.
Load More Replies... People in my family are so fussy and so darn choosy that they never like what they get for Christmas. I got enough of people rolling their eyes when they open the gifts I gave them. I keep asking myself, why am I spending a lot of my time to find "just the right thing" and spending money I could put elsewhere on these people?... So I started giving them Walmart gift cards. There are 100,000 items in the store to choose from, or the cards can be redeemed for cash which can then be added to their own money to buy something even more expensive and desirable if they prefer. Even this was not good enough. The ungrateful people considered themselves disrespected because I didn't put any time, effort, research, and money into making them happy. Huh? Why am I doing this again? It really got awkward as everyone got older. I got fed up with this. So the family adopted a new rule that I suggested: No adult gifts exchanged anymore. Christmas is for kids. They like everything, so only give xmas gifts to the kids from now on. Finish problem.
My ex's family was like that (including my ex); they turned their nose up at everything I bought them that first Christmas. The next Christmas, I gave them all certificates that informed them that $20 had been donated to a charity in their name. They were so mad! It was hilarious. The aunt in that family was especially snobby. It has been twenty years since I have seen them, and I still send her a digital copy on Facebook of the donation that I make in her name every year. For some reason, she hasn't blocked me, but she keeps complaining about it on Facebook, so I keep doing it. Haha! EDIT: I'm not donating because of them; I donate to charities every year anyways. I just did it in their name to make a point. And I keep donating in the aunt's name because it continues to piss her off.
Load More Replies... For mother's day this year, I took my 5 yer old to pick out a present for his mom and grandmother. His mom got a 2 ft tall empty layer cake pinata. His grandma got a twerking "happy graduation" unicorn,
I’m sure they loved it. It’s great you teach your kid to appreciate their loved ones
Load More Replies... This is so depressing. Our family solved this ages ago. The kids: just ask them what they want. Everyone else: their favourite sweets/chocolates OR money or gift vouchers for a useful store that has basically everything so they can choose what they want. My kids' grandparents just give them money, they don't even try guess what the kids want. Much better.
About 15 years ago, got this wonderful caricature of hockey legend Mark Messier in a Rangers uniform. Unfortunately, I'm a NJ Devils fan. This right on the heels of a leather jacket which didn't fit and was exactly the type that I do not like.
One good thing about the jacket is there's lots of people who are less fortunate that could use it.
Load More Replies... What is with people born in early January getting a Christmas gift that was also their birthday gift?? I was born in late December (a few days after Christmas) and all my gifts are separate…
I was born in early January, my family was poor, and I've never gotten a combo gift. I work with a family who have two sons with birthdays only two days from Christmas (one before, and after), and that family did a combo Christmas/birthday party for both kids every year, and combo gifts for each kid. They are not poor. When the kids realized that I had no qualms about standing up to their parents on serious issues, they asked me to back them up when they told their parents they hated it. The parents were mad at first, because it would mean having three parties in one week. I suggested a compromise: Have the "before" birthday party one week before Christmas, and have the "after" birthday party one week after Christmas. Then it isn't all smashed into one week. They all agreed that would be feasible.
Load More Replies... My ex's aunt gifted me a baby's cologne in a very big plastic bottle shaped as Minnie, because she had heard I liked cartoons. What I liked was manga... The fragance is so distinctive, everybody knows it and that it's specifically for babies, so I couldn't use it either. I thanked her because she didn't know the difference and I didn't had the heart to tell her. I thought about giving it to some kid that would actually enjoy it but mom said gifting it to others was being cheap, so I guess it's still around 10 years later, stored somewhere... If I ever find it I'll definitely give it to some kid, there's no point in keeping it...
Regifting is not necessarily being cheap. I regift cologne, lotions, and scented bath items because I can't use them; I have sensitive skin. I know people don't remember this, and I appreciate the gifts. My neighbors love them, though; especially this one old lady down the street. I know she uses it, because I can smell it on her when I visit. I love the smells, I just can't use it on my skin. Last year my family didn't exchange gifts, so I had nothing to regifted. I went to the store and got a set of lotions for that neighbor.
Load More Replies... My brother once gave me his old broken telescope. An aunt gave my son a roll of wallpaper from a charity shop. Same aunt gave my daughter some second hand waterproofs from the same charity shop.
Years ago our next door neighbor lost his ring finger due to a nail sticking out from a basketball backboard. My mom wanted to buy him an album so she asked the clerk what’s a good album to get. She bought him the new Rolling Stones album. When he opened his gift he began to laugh and told my mom that it’s morbidly funny that she bought him this. My mom’s like, “what?” Turns out that it’s was their “Sticky Fingers” LP that she gave him and my mom was so embarrassed!
It probably makes me the bad family member but as I've gotten older, I've gotten pickier (I also blame a job I had that forced me to research product quality). I know what I like and all. I've asked family for the past 5 years not to get me anything, I'm happy with cards. They never listen. I'm happy to receive socks though.
My step dad bought me snow tires, they sat wrapped under the tree for a week...leaving me unable to drive.
I remember one Christmas wanting a doll to play with. I got a doll that had to be on a display stand. I remember another one wanting a lap top: I got a hand me down lap top from my sister's friend. (My younger step sister).
Worst gift ever......One year my grandma bought my brother a brand new very expensive custom Dell desktop computer (he was 14) and I (11) received a hodge podge of oil paints and small canvases that mostly were from a yard sale or thrift store. I want to note that I had no artistic inclination at all. When it became obvious I was upset, my grandma said it was because he was going to make something of himself and he needed for college. Now at 33 my brother is unemployed and has 2 kids and lives with my mom. Another year this same grandma wrapped up kitchen towels from the dollar store and said to keep until we were older because when we lived on our own we would need them as adults. I was 13 and my brother 16.
My LAST Christmas with my mother in law she gave all the daughter in laws Lenox gifts beautiful big boxes I got one too inside garbage bags and dish soap along with a slap from my husband for not being grateful . I left his sorry ass and his spiteful witch mother
She put your Lenox gift inside garbage bags? Or she gave you dish soap in a garbage bag? Either way, that's messed up. Also, I'm glad you left your abusive husband.
Load More Replies... As newlyweds, I mentioned once to husband that he has never bought me lingerie. Does he gift it to me alone on a romantic night so we could enjoy them? Of course not. It was his big extravagant Christmas gift to me in front of all the parents, aunts and uncles. To top it off, my MIL who I hardly know, requests that I put them on to model for everyone and she wasn’t joking. My dad and FIL turn pale and refuse to make eye contact. Great memory attached to my lingerie for sexy nights in the future. Husband wondered why I hardly wore them. SMH
In laws were the worst. I missed many Christmases as a child so as an adult having mean gifts hurt. I don't eat meat so one year they used a box with beef blood all over it, another year they had cut out mans pant from flyer and put it in a card with a few bucks ( I am a woman) Regifted a 20 year old sweater, faked giving a microwave, big box, bow, and bricks for weight, list goes on and on, very cruel people.
Every other year my mom gives me finger puppets... it started when I was 19 and now I'm 33. I got my brother a watch and by the time I gave it to him for Christmas the batteries had stopped working. He also has bad teeth and so I told my niece to get him a gag gift as well as a regular one and she got him a toothbrush but forgot to get a regular one lol. Luckily he found it hilarious 😂
The year my aunt decided that giving me feminine hygiene products was a good idea.
I always put a lot of thought into my gift giving for friends and family so it was very disheartening to get on book on Auschwitz from a long time friend last year. For Christmas !??? ,She is clueless and I'm still ticked off about it.
One of the weirdest gifts I've gotten was when I was around 12-14, in which I had a relative who gave me leggings that were specifically designed to show off your butt. I worry about what the hell they were thinking.
I don't understand people. My kids are all teens / young adults. Every year we tell them make a list. It's hard to keep track what they're into, what they were into, what they're definitely not into anymore etc. So I ask for a list and if they can attach links to said list that's even better. During the year if they say "oooh I really want this for my room / car / self whatever... I buy it and stash it and WRITE their name on it so I don't forget later. It's not that hard geeze.
All I could think of is that kids record player still new in the box is most likely worth far more than when it was bought. Time to get it out of the attic and let it get you something to enjoy.
In the 80s and 90s giving my father a gift was impossible! Being a young girl who wanted to make Daddy happy and really thinking about a meaningful gift meant nothing to him. I'd get something like a hat or key chain saying #1 dad. Well he'd make a disgusted face, say oh gee thanks and throw it across the room. Lucky for me he became a Jehovah's witness so I never had to go through that again..... wrong! He celebrates holidays when he feels like it. As an adult I bought my dad cologne. My fiance was there and was upset with my father's response, I didn't even notice being it was so normal to me. He said oh gee thanks another cologne. Surprisingly, he didn't throw it across the room but we were at a restaurant so that's probably why. Gotta love my dear old dad
When I was 17. My mother gave me a winter coat as a Christmas gift. It was nice but more her taste. I found out why real quick. I tried the coat on. Said thank you. And she asked if she could try it on. Then asked if she could borrow it that night to go see her be. Never saw the coat again. It was now hers.
My (now) ex's sister knew I am incredibly allergic to roses. Cue Christmas day. I open a gift set of rosewater and rose scented things as well as a candle with rose petals in it. Thanks. I hate it.
I gave my mom a character-themed makeup set a couple years ago, for a character she collects stuff of. I actually asked her if she wanted it for her collection and she said yes. So on Christmas that year, she opens it, and my sister is all snarky because the makeup is purple and mom doesn’t even wear makeup that often anyway, let alone purple. So from her perspective it was an awful gift, and it made me feel like s**t even though mom WANTED IT. :)
P.S. I held it together really well but cried later that day.
Load More Replies... Some of them, yes. But some of them were intentionally mean/bad.
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