It’s the thought that counts. Unfortunately, the thought might not always be equally appreciated by the gift giver and receiver. From Tippex to tissues, our readers share their best and worst Christmas present memories.

 

“Last Christmas my mum inexplicably bought me a set of bongo drums. I’m still not sure why.”

 

“A second hand magic kit.”

 

“My sister – born on 21st December 2010 (admittedly an early present).”

 

“Two of the things I hate most in life are mint and dark chocolate, so a box of dark chocolate mints definitely hit the rock bottom of Christmas presents. I even had to show my gratitude to the gift giver by tucking right into the chocolate nightmare – half a decade on, I still haven’t forgotten the taste. I guess it’s the thought that counts, though...”

 

“Half a decade on, I still haven't forgotten the taste.”

 

“One pack of scented tissues (cupcake scented, but stung nonetheless).”

 

“A colleague of my dad’s seemed to have forgotten that when time passes children grow up, so I wasn’t very impressed to receive a picture book aimed at young children when I was well into my teens.”

 

“My sister was hyping up the present she’d bought me one year. It turned out to be a bin.”

 

Presents on a budget

 

“My mum always used to put a packet of plasters in my stocking. Not even funky plasters with patterns on, just a standard box of plasters from Boots. I own SO MANY plasters now. Hundreds. I had to buy a new box for them in my room. I used entertain myself by arranging them by size.”

 

“My mum once bought me Tippex. I was 10, the joy of Christmas still in my heart, and my mum thought the ideal stocking filler for me was correction fluid. Wasn’t even the branded stuff”