For me, there were several dollar store trinkets that already broke, and one toy for my kids that was a huge sparkly styrofoam mess waiting to happen, so I threw it out rather than curse anyone else with it.

    • dustyData@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Oh yes, we all remember that well established in the bible parable about Jesus dragging a pine tree into his house in a dessertic weather town for his birthday party every year and how mad Mary and Josef were when it started to rot in February because Jesus just refused to take it out.

      • Justas🇱🇹@sh.itjust.works
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        6 months ago

        Yep, from Rome to Rīga, they used to mark the death of nature with plants that refuse to die. Later, they started decorating them to symbolise the blossoming or the harvest of the year’s last feast.

        Source: school education from the last pagans of Europe.

  • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    6 months ago

    there were several dollar store trinkets that already broke,

    My kids got two or three items each that promptly broke. Into the garbage they go.

    I hate the dollar store so much. It’s a waste of money and an environmental train wreck.

  • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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    6 months ago

    My partner and I got scratch ticket packs for eachother for $38 total. I lost every ticket she won 20 dollar so we are starting the year 18 dollars short.

      • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.org
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        6 months ago

        I currently have a printer, also HP, but an old one (20 years).

        When I’ll finally need a new printer, I’ll be deciding between HP and Brother. I am not sure about Linux support with Brother printers. I heard it’s great, but I need to search more. I know HPLIP works well, but I also heard these new HP printers don’t last long. Then there’s also the thing called HP+ (not to be confused with Instant Ink) that many of those printers have, which REQUIRES HP account AND a connection to internet.

        • MeanEYE@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          HP is a nightmare, I had nothing but issues on my system with HP. Brother is no fuss no install kind of deal. It just appears ready and willing.

  • soli@infosec.pub
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    6 months ago

    My neighbour gave me a TV. To be precise, he rushed it to me unannounced at the exact moment I was leaving to go to a party. I accepted as quickly as I could in an effort to still make my train.

    It turns out it’s about 15 years old and I have no use for it. He’s a lovely man but I intend to post it as free to a good home then drop it at an e-recycling station if nobody is interested.

      • soli@infosec.pub
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        6 months ago

        Nope, just an LCD. It’ll make you feel old but 15 years ago CRTs had already lost majority market share. Sony shut down its last CRT manufacturing plants in 2008.

        I know, I’d kill to hear that sweet degaussing zap again.

  • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    6 months ago

    At the other end of the spectrum: My wife and I made a minimal gifts pact. We each got each other minor crap we needed for around the house. It was perfect. No waste. No extravagance. Just stuff we were going to get anyway.

      • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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        6 months ago

        Okay, was it a shared gift, or do you each have your own dishwasher now? If it’s two, do they match?

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      6 months ago

      Just don’t gift anything and enjoy a peaceful evening? Why does one need a special day to gift anyway?
      My family did it and it was honestly amazing (obviously kids should get something if possible).

      • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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        6 months ago

        Just don’t gift anything and enjoy a peaceful evening? Why does one need a special day to gift anyway?

        We haven’t made it that far yet. I imagine/hope we will eventually.

  • The baked goods a lady from my dad’s church gave me. I don’t even know what they were; it tasted and looked like it was just a bunch of dallops of cake frosting sprinkled with almond dust. I don’t really eat sweets, and these offended my taste buds when I ate one. Nobody else wanted to take them off my hands so into the trash they went.

      • 🇰 🔵 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️@yiffit.net
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        6 months ago

        Maybe? I’ve never had meringue as anything other than what tops a lemon meringue pie, and that’s pretty fluffy and light and doesn’t really taste like frosting (butter cream frosting to be specific). These treats in question were fairly dense, and a bit crumbly. Could be meringue that’s dried out some, I guess.

        • ANGRY_MAPLE@sh.itjust.works
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          6 months ago

          I think that the other person was right about them being meringue.

          There are a few different types of meringue that you can make, and there are also meringue cookies. I’ve had some before and they were almost exactly how you describe them.

  • SokathHisEyesOpen@lemmy.ml
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    6 months ago

    I haven’t opened any Christmas presents yet. We’re having a late Christmas due to crazy schedules for everyone involved.

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    6 months ago

    My 2.5 toddler got a little collectible car. It somehow exploded into all its tiny parts on the first trip to the ground, which of course was shortly after opening.

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    6 months ago

    The in-laws know I love to cook and got me a (to me, they’re familiar with the author through some TV show) random cookbook. It’s aimed at people who don’t know how to cook and lack confidence trying. Also who cook with things like Velveeta and cream of mushroom soup.

    I mostly eat from-scratch Asian food.

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    6 months ago

    Had the original floam as a kid. Smelled terrible and didn’t stretch at all like in the commercials. Definitely went into the trash and I can only imagine how much worse the kind you had was. Slime or playdoh would have been better or easy to make.

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    6 months ago

    I didn’t so much as to throw it out. But I convinced my relatives it “Just looks better in my old room”.