14 Comments
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Bill Tammeus's avatar

Lee: As soon as someone chimes in here that the worst gift ever received was a subscription to the Lee Judge blog, I'd block him or her forever. Merry Christmas.

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Lee Judge's avatar

Appreciate the support, Bill. Merry Christmas to you, too.

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Dan Walden's avatar

Smacks (local hamburger chain)gift certificates when I was very young from an aunt..

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Lee Judge's avatar

I'd have to try a Smacks burger to know for sure, but yeah, generally speaking nothing says I've given up like a gift certificate. Hence my "just get it over worth and give 'em cash" position.

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Mary L Brooks's avatar

An inflatable rubber boat to go fishing. I could just imagine flying across the lake like a popped balloon the first time it caught a fish hook.

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Lee Judge's avatar

Yeah, inflatable rubber boats should only be used if you crashed your fighter jet into the sea. Guessing you got it from someone who doesn't do a lot of fishing themselves.

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Mary L Brooks's avatar

Ex-husband- might have been a contributing factor to the divorce

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Lee Judge's avatar

Bad gifts don't help for sure.

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janulous@me.com's avatar

Our first Xmas in Raleigh, Xmas eve, we had friends over to celebrate. There were gifts under the tree and we decided to open all in view of our friends, with whom we also shared gifts. My box from Dwane was the size of a shirt box, but heavy. He opened the new stereo I gave him and then I opened my "shirt box". It was a disassembled Rubbermaid footstool ($8). As I looked at Dwane with questioning eyes, he chirped "now you don't have to ask me to reach things for you anymore!" After the scorn he received from our friends and my sad eyes, all future gifts from him were expensive and more personal. RIP Dwane.

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Lee Judge's avatar

Sounds just like Dwane. I had a section on gift wrapping (never wrap a gift in such a way that implies it's something awesome when it's a footstool) and never wrap a gift in such a way that makes it obvious what's inside. My mom once gave us a football and while it was still wrapped and had a bow on it we went outside and played catch with it.

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Erika Zeitz's avatar

When I was 11, I wanted a Monkees album. My mom got me The Animals, claiming that “Monkeys were animals.”

My anger and disappointment were off the charts. I was just about to enter the “nobody understands me!” stage of life, I felt completely justified.

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Lee Judge's avatar

Clearly, you WERE misunderstood. True story: I was driving in Marin County and passed a hitchhiker and thought I recognized him. Stopped to give him a ride and it was Peter Tork. According to the internet, he was worth $4 million when he died, but I guess he didn't spend any of it on cars.

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Erika Zeitz's avatar

I never got that Monkees album, but little by little, I began to appreciate The Animals.

And I’m impressed! Peter Tork (He was a close second to Mickey Dolenz, in my mind)

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Lee Judge's avatar

Totally random encounter. Glad you finally got into the Animals. Just a touch grittier than the Monkees (pretty sure they never recorded a song about a house of prostitution) but some really good music. I always thought they shouldn't blow a factory whistle at quittin' time; they should play "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" instead. P.S. If you're not already aware, look up Michael Nesmith's mom, she invented Liquid Paper...heck of a story.

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