Women reveal the worst gifts they’ve ever been given – from a ‘wedding anniversary’ toilet brush to a ‘helpful’ exercise video

Women have revealed the worst gifts they’ve ever received in a hilarious online thread.

Towards the UK parenting platform Mother networkrevealed a poster that her husband bought her a toilet brush for their 20th wedding anniversary.

The same woman also received a book of 1001 recipe ideas, which may not sound like the worst gift, but she was in the hospital with gallstones at the time.

After sharing her less-than-great gifts, the woman urged others to share their own funny stories and reveal the bad gifts they’d received over the years.

And as it turns out, the poster wasn’t the only one receiving ill-chosen gifts; others were happy to share some of their own disappointments, including anti-aging cream, a book called How to be Happy, and a frying pan.

In her post, the woman wrote, “What’s the worst gift you’ve ever had? I have a few examples. For our 20th wedding anniversary, my husband bought me a toilet brush (admittedly, it was one I had been looking for for a while, but really!).

‘Many years ago I was in the hospital (gallstones) and my get well soon gift was a huge book of 1001 recipe ideas, I tried not to take offense but again….really?

“I’d like to hear someone else’s gift fail. Lighthearted.’

One response to the post read: ‘When I was a teenager my dad forgot about it so he went to a gas station and bought me a five-a-side football and a copy of Q Magazine. I didn’t mind that, but I pointed out that they actually also sell liquor and chocolate in gas stations.’

Another said, “When I was pregnant with my first baby, a co-worker gave me three pull-ups. They were in a nice gift bag, just loose. She had a toddler then, so I think they were left!’

Another poster turned out to have received such a series of unusual gifts that she wrote her answer in point form.

The first gift they listed was “a cookbook with the words ‘meat feasts’ in the title, even though I had been a vegetarian for over ten years by then.”

The next gift they revealed was little better. The message revealed that it was: “Tickets to a well-known theme park with lots of rollercoasters and high-speed rides, while at the time I had been in pain from a car accident for about two years.”

And the third gift was equally thoughtless: ‘A robe in a color I’m known for. I must have looked surprised when I unwrapped it, when the giver said “I know you don’t like blue, but they didn’t have any other robes in your size”.

“So you purposely bought me a present that you knew I wouldn’t like, instead of literally buying another present from that department store?”

Other terrible gifts were shared by another poster, who revealed, “The worst part was my grandmother’s extremely cheap swimmers that were completely see-through when wet (in public). They were about 12 years old at the time. Second, there was a dirty plate from SIL.’

Some ill-chosen gifts received by women seemed to have been bought by the men in their lives.

In fact, some of the responses showed that some husbands were definitely in the dog house after their wives weren’t exactly impressed with their gifts.

One disappointed respondent wrote: ‘Frying pan from DH. To make matters worse, it came in a big, exciting box and I left it to the last.’

This was a little more exciting than another home product, with one Mumsnetter admitting, “My husband bought me a toilet seat for my birthday.”

Another said: ‘My now ex-husband gave me a mahogany colored toilet seat as an anniversary gift, which was a bit disappointing.’

While someone else wrote, ‘I’m about to date myself here, but who cares. It was a Jane Fonda exercise video from DH. My weight has been a sensitive issue for much of my adult life.

“I didn’t say anything, I just kept it and never used it. It was a misguided attempt to support and help me. Nothing anymore. To be honest, in my thirty years of marriage, this is the only bad gift he’s ever bought me.’