All right! I have to chime in that my husband is obsessed with vacuum cleaners! We have four large ones. It’s ridiculous.
That said, he is obsessed with cleaning , and does do a lot of the vacuuming along with all the bathrooms etc.
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Another problem with the robo-mop is that we have a very high-end floor steamer that DH LOVES to use (every week) and was the thing he had to have several years ago (not Christmas though). I asked him if he was getting tired of using the steam cleaner and he said no, he just thought I’d love the idea of having this thing run constantly to keep the floors spotless all the time, and he thought it was cool. Of course he did. Seriously, if they enhance these things to crawl up walls, I guarantee you, there’ll be another big box under our tree. 
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Love the shoes you created! Very cute 
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Well if they can have the swimming pool ones I think they could do wall crawlers too. 
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Husband asked for a cordless vacuum with a long reach on his Christmas wish list. I bought it. My wish is that he uses it. 
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And then there’s my husband who assumes vacuum cleaners should last 20+ years and why would I need a new one ever. Luckily he also pays little attention and I don’t think has yet noticed that I bought a new one two years ago. I actually don’t mind vacuuming so also don’t mind his lack of awareness of it.
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H and I only exchange a couple of small things because we buy what we need/want throughout the year. I did secretly mat and frame some prints, that I found while cleaning out our basement that had gotten lost in the chaos of life, to hang in our newly re-painted bedroom. I got two of the Lego flower sets I’d been coveting from one son and several things I suggested from other sons - mug, tea, calendar.
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After the fire blanket conversation here, I randomly received one from my wife’s aunt for Christmas. She was surprised by how happy it made me.
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I gave out 4 fire blankets Christmas morning to our 4 different family households that were together. Everyone seemed happy to receive them. I gave them out first thing before getting to the fun presents!
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Hmmm, no fire blankets I’ve seen this year. Glad it made recipients happy!
What would you do?
A close family relative buys presents that are often “not good fits.”
For example, a size small men’s shirt for a person clearly not a small, cheap sunglasses for someone who who can’t see without their regular glasses, flip flops in the wrong size for someone who never wears them, etc.
I generally just “smile and nod” and don’t ask for gift receipts.
This year I received 2 exercise shirts from this person. Neither fits, and one is a color I never wear.
Do I ask for a receipt so I can return, or put them on the donate pile and call it a day? I hate that this person wastes money, but…
We used to either take back to the store where they were purchased (if we could tell) for a credit or donate. I feel weird asking for receipts. If they offer it is one thing but otherwise I don’t ask.
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Some places will give you a store or vendor credit…if you know where these were purchased. Some just won’t.
If no one will give you an exchange or refund, just donate them and don’t feel guilty about it.
You can call them and ask for a receipt…but I’m betting they won’t have one🙄
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I have tried to be creative in returning these types of gifts. If it is sold in Walmart, I return there first (they have a very lenient return policy). Otherwise, I try the store it was purchased from, saying it was a gift and I don’t have a receipt (some stores will accept returns like this but may give you the sale price back.)
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Gosh, exercise clothing sizing is tricky even for myself - not a great idea to try to buy for others. If advise above for attempted return / exchange not possible, I say donate.
Note to self - check out the ARC exercise clothing racks next week for new items.
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Heard two people this week talking about how happy they are that they got new vacuums for Christmas and thought immediately of this thread.
Got a bunch of nostalgia items in a most unusual way. I posted photos of the items on FB and tagged my kids. A friend of mine saw the post and knew someone who collected these items–friend contacted one of my Ds. D contacted my friend’s friend and low and behold I had several items of Marshall Field’s memorabilia.
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I’m guessing the items were purchased at TJ Maxx or Burlington Coat Factory (I don’t even know that they have one of those near me) or other place like that, but I really have no idea. The shirts are not names I recognize.
OK, you’ve convinced me to not ask for receipt, which is the direction I was leaning in.
Thanks
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I think it’s hurtful to ask for the receipt. To me, it says “there’s something wrong with your gift” (either the recipient dislikes it, or the size/color is all wrong).
Completely different if it’s your spouse, or something you really really want but it doesn’t fit or something.
(My post isn’t directed at the op!!)
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We always include gift receipts when we send gifts. Then the recipient can return if they want to. Without a gift receipt, most places only give you the lowest sale price the item has sold for.
We want folks to be able to enjoy their gifts…and sometimes we just guess wrong on color or size. I think it’s OK for a recipient to exchange these items, or return them.
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