Miscellaneous Monday - Odd presents

Esme Crutchley

So, my 40th is on 2nd April (in 4 days, right in the middle of Summit) and it got me to thinking about odd birthday and Christmas presents (why wouldn't it).

The sort of thing you look at and make this kind of face:

But you rally, you smile and accept them, and make sure that you use the item when the gift-giver is over and can see you using them, that kind of thing.

But then there are the odd presents that turn out to be fantastic, and if they hadn't bought them for you, you'd never have known you needed them.

For example, Mother bought me these for Christmas:

I didn't know I needed these, but boy are they useful! (adulting perfected, right there!)

So, come on, what's the oddest present you've ever had, or the thing that someone bought you that you never knew existed and that you'd never have thought of?

Jimmy Seddon

@Esme Crutchley this is a great topic!  But, honestly I had to stop and think for a moment.  Because I also wanted an example of a gift that was both strange, but actually ended up being quite useful.

A number of years ago, long before any of us had kids, my wife's parents would always get gifts for all of their kids as well as their significant others.  I'm the "odd" on in the group in that I wasn't raised on a farm, I have no interest in automotive or mechanical repair, and I try to avoid country music as much as I can.

That being said, they will usually get me a gift card to the local hardware store, and they always want to include something tangible to open.  One year they gave me a yard mounted Christmas light timer.  It was a weird thing to get, but we have made use of it every year so they we can have the lights come on when we want, go off when we want, and I don't have to step outside to make it happen.