I’ve given and gotten a lot of weird gifts over the years, none more so than a pachinko game and its pieces. On Christmas morning in 1969 I opened a carefully wrapped package and found a small but very heavy box inside; opening the box, I discovered about 100 spherical things which looked like ball bearings. I had no clue what this was, but being polite, I put it aside at the time. Then, after all the other gifts had been opened that morning, I was advised to look behind the chair in which I had been sitting (subtle, huh?). I duly did so, and this is what I found.
What was your weirdest gift?
Last year, someone bought me a chainmail and bead ‘dress’ for a wine bottle. Er…ooookay. An odd gift to begin with, nevermind that I really don’t drink very often. I mean, the last bottle of wine I bought was probably 18 months ago.
It wasn’t a Christmas present, but my great-uncle and his wife, for my ill-fated wedding, gave me a 6″ x 8″ porcelain nightlight in the shape of Jesus’ face. I can only assume that a.) they meant well, and b.) they might very well BE that ‘neck. They aren’t the types to consider that a joke.
I don’t recall ever getting anything weird, but the most disappointing gift I ever received was one of those blankets that snap around you. It must have been a poor time for my parents ’cause this was the best thing I got that year.
I almost cried but sucked it up as best I could for the child that I was, and pretended it was just what I’d wanted.
Pachinko! How neat!
One of the oddest gifts I’ve ever gotten was a case of tuna as a wedding present, from my cousins. They did this without knowing whether or not I eat tuna, by the way (luckily I did, at the time).
In a way I think it was an admirable thing (certainly a lot more useful than a pair of candlesticks — we got about eight of those, which left me thinking that everyone thought we were so impecunious, we’d have our power turned off).
No fair, I’ve always wanted a pachinko game!
I don’t think I’ve gotten any particularly weird gifts, but I have gotten some cheap and disappointing ones. You know, the “filler/just-got-you-a-trinket” kind. I know it’s the thought that counts but quantity doesn’t match quality and if I’m going to turn around and put it in the Goodwill pile unopened, it might be better to just give me a card. That sounds heartless! I’m really not – but I have so much clutter already that if it’s not our style or not useful (like kitchen stuff or bathroom stuff), it just adds to the clutter.
Oh, hell, I admit I’m too particular.
weird? maybe. sad? definitely. the last gift i received from my father was a tin of popcorn. that same year my younger brother got a tv from him.
I got a little magnetic alphabet once, which would have been cool, except that I was probably ten, and was reading crap like “The Red and the Black” by then. It reinforced the fact that the people buying it had NO idea what I liked.
My favorite all-time present was a big blackboard (school size — at least eight feet long!) that flipped around to the green side so we could play school properly — it was awesome! God, we were such geek children.
No wierd gifts here. I guess I seem to be too sensible for that. But I’ve given a couple of zingers. Pachinko sounds like a good gift. Hope you had fun with it. Kind of pricey.