Odd Ball Gifts. How Many Do You Get?

[PAUL161]

Going through a bunch of stuff cleaning out my truck, tool boxes and shop, I came across 5 Swiss mutable use knives, 7 plier/screwdriver/cork screw and whatever item things with little lights on them, for finding your way through the woods after dark I guess. A couple key chain mini lights, I guess for finding your car after dark? A couple of Chinese mutable tool kits, you know the ones that the whole case is not over 4 inches wide with a crescent wrench 3 inches long. 15 plastic 6 inch rulers, well 10 anyway and screw drivers that would break under the strain of a watch screw. Why do people constantly buy these things? You never say, Hey, don't buy me that crap anymore, not wanting to hurt their feelings, but sometimes I get the notion. Maybe stringing them up on a chain in the shop somewhere where they can be seen and maybe they'll get the idea that I've have enough. Oh well, keeps Walmart and the dollar stores busy I guess. Sorry, just my morning rant and I've even had my coffee! PJ

 

[TR6BILL]

Speaking of unusual gifts. Years ago the wife and I went to a Christmas <span style="font-style: italic">White Elephant Party</span>, you know, where you put a wrapped gag gift under the tree and take your turn picking. Well, a new doctor and his doctor wife were in town and their gift, which I invariably picked, was a set of car keys. They gave up their venerable college/medical school mustard-colored Subaru wagon, with no reverse. Heck, I drove it home, without backing up, took it to a mechanic the next day and he fixed the reverse for $47. The wife was embarrassed and said I couldn't keep it; after all, I am a doctor too! Women. So, I sold it to a teacher at our Catholic school for, you guessed it, $47 and he had to pay to do the TT&L. The guy moved away that year. I ran across him 8 years later and he said the Subie was still running, over 120,000 more miles in 8 years, without a nickel's worth of repairs. Women!

 

[Gliderman8]

When I moved into my house many years ago, I needed an edge trimmer. My brother who lives in another state told me his neighbor had just put one on the curb for the trash men to pickup since he had purchased a new one.
My brother put it in his car and dropped it off one weekend. Two or three pulls, and the Sears edger started right up. My brother said that the neighbor told him "it doesn't edge at all". I stopped the motor and took off the blade. The blade had an arrow stamped on it indicating correct rotation of the blade. Of course, it was on backwards! I turned it around and it works perfectly. My brother said "no need to bring it back since he aleady bought a new one"
I still have it and it still works!

 

[mailbox]

I have a sideline business of picking up OTHER peoples junk, fixing it and reselling it. Cleared a little over $1500 last year. LBC money.

 

[AngliaGT]

Paul,

I get stuff like that from my kids.I get some items
for the garage.I just wait a few years,send them back as gifts.
I've also received fire department related stuff,as I've been a
volunteer for years.I don't like generic items like tshirts,just
ones that are from real departments.The same goes for car tshirts.

- Doug

 

[JPSmit]

When I moved into my house many years ago, I needed an edge trimmer.

about 5 years ago, the neighbours were moving, and, there on to[ of the garbage they left was a combo gas - edge trimmer, weed wacker. Exactly the same as the one I owned. Took it anyway and less than a week later was at my VW dealer and asked the service manager how much a CD player for my wife's beetle would be? well he said, "they sell for about $200 but I have one at home that I was hoping to trade." for what says I? A gas weed wacker says he.

It was a very good day.

Not so much now but we (two or three of us) used to dumpster dive to order - never took long to find what we needed. My wife only ever insisted it had to be out of the garage in 24 hours.