The worst gift received
By cynthiann
@cynthiann (18602)
Jamaica
December 15, 2008 10:21am CST
Rocket started a discussion re cows, and as I responded yesterday, I remembered a gift that my husband gave me on the birth of our second son. I told my DIL and we experienced one of those belly cltching, tears on face, laugh - filled moments.
I returned from the U.K. with a 5 week old preemie son as well as a two year old.As well as being 5 weeks old the baby also weighed 5 pounds and needed constant care.
The morning after reaching home, my husband announced that he had a gift for me and presented me with a 10 day old cow, a galvanized bucket and 2 bags of dried milk powder and proceeded to give insrtructions on how to mix the feed and let the cow suck the milk from my fingers. I really tried so hard to thank him. Honestly.
The baby was on 3 hourly feeds and the cow on 4 hourly feeds and within a week I was exhausted. I did try to keep to their schedules but one day when I found myself going into the nusery with a bucket of milk instead of a bottle of formula, I totally lost it.
"Other women get jewellry or at least flowers and chocolates from their husbands' when they have a baby", I screamed. "And what do I get - a cow. I'm feeding the baby and the cow is outside bellowing for a feed and I can't take it any longer. The cow thinks that I am his mother."
"But you always said that you liked baby cows' reasoned my husband.
"Just because I said I liked one didn't mean that I wanted to adopt one" I yelled."Give it back to its mother." He got the message and someone else on the farm took care of the cow.
My question is, what was the worst gift that you ever received from anyone?
2 people like this
12 responses
@meow1978 (190)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 08
Well, for the past 3 years, i received bad gift for my birthday. 3 years consecutive, I have fail in business and drop hard on the floor. 1st year, I involve in a small business which is magazine printing. Luckily I pull back and never lost much. On 2 year, I was cheated to join venture in a club business and wasted 1 year. Well, this year was the worse, I lost a dance club and now back to the working atmosphere.
All that happen during the month of my birthday. Would that be the worse gift that I get from myself?
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
Ouch! You really have received some 'bad' gifts. I would pray for wisdom before making business decisions Meow. I hope that this next year brings you all that is good. Thanks you for responding. Blessings
1 person likes this
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
15 Dec 08
I had very unusual inlaws with my ex husband. They believed the gifts should be practical, rather than something I really wanted. One year I had a huge box under the tree with my name on it. Ok, so maybe it was childish to be excited that my gift was the largest, but I was. So I saved that one for last. Finally it was my turn to open my big present. I peeled back the wrapping paper and saw it said Charmin Toilet Paper on it. Yup, I was given an entire case of TP for Christmas. I never trusted another gift after that until it was unwrapped. LOL Some years it was laundry detergent, some it was toothpaste. But there wasn't a year that went by that I didn't receive something really strange wrapped up so pretty. Personally, I think I'd rather have gotten the cow you got. LOL
1 person likes this
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
15 Dec 08
My gifts to them were always fairly normal. A clock radio, some xmas ornaments, clothing, or pretty sets of towels etc. I knew from the beginning my MIL was strange, so it was easy to just smile and say thank you. Because you never knew WHAT to expect from her. (This is the same woman who stood up at my wedding and announced it was a farce, she would never accept me, and walked out)
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
How did you keep from laughing or crying? They really were strange people.what did you give them in return? Can you remember? This is so funny. Thank you for responding. Blessings
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
15 Dec 08
My in laws got me tiger print lingerie one Christmas. I think I would have preffered the toilet paper. It's not that I don't like lingerie, just not from my in laws.... ewww.
1 person likes this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
16 Dec 08
One year my oldest daughter bought me a bra. 44 Double D. I looked and the bra and then at her.
"How big do you think my boobs are?" I asked.
"I don't know, it looked like it would fit." She said. "What size do you wear?"
"36 C."
"You can't wear a 36 C!" My daughter cried. "That's the size I wear!"
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 08
Ah daughters. I hoped that you got it changed. My sister bought me a 40 triple D and I laughed so hard until I tried it on - it fitted perfectly. To this day, I just know that the manufactureres made a mistake in the label that they attached to the bra! Blessings
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
15 Dec 08
A candy bar. For my birthday, that my husband forgot, he came home from work with a candy bar. Luckily he has gotten better in the past few years.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
15 Dec 08
It's funny because he started off as a great gift giver, but once we had the twins everything changed. He became a horrible gift giver, and used our finances as an excuse. He's definitly getting better. I have no idea what I'm getting for Christmas, but I do know that he saved his weekly allowance that he gets to eat out for lunch on Friday... he saved it for a couple months! Then he had to spend it on medicine for me when I went into the ER :(
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
It's amazing how men change after a few years of tutoring from wives. I've just remembered that one birthday soon after marriage my husband gave me a tea kettle! Wow! That took a lot of thought! Blessings
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
Saving his Friday lunch money is a great act of love. I respect him for that. What ever he gives, you know that he has given his heart along with it - no matter how small the gift. He sounds like a wonderful man. Blessings
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
16 Dec 08
Hi cynthiann! You had me laughing so hard when you said that
you brought the baby the bucket! You poor thing! Your husband
really bought you a cow! What was he thinking? Or should I
say not thinking! Why on earth did he think that you needed
a cow to take care of with a newborn and a 2 year old? I
sure hope the gifts got better as the years went on!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 08
Oh, when I took that bucket of milk into my bedroom then I knew that I had lost my presence of mind! He had the cow loosley tethered just outside the house and wehat with the cow bellowing and the baby crying - need I say more? The worst fright of my life was when the cow got lose and walked into the house - straight to the litchen to look for me. Just like a kid looking for its mother.
Yes, the gifts got nbetter after that - a bit. Thank you for responding. Blessings
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
15 Dec 08
ROFL!!!
I think that there has always been a lot of talk about women becoming forgetful when a baby is born. They say the baby saps some brain cells from us. But I truly believe that it actually happens to Men! That is the funniest story ever! I can't believe that you actually made it through a whole week let alone a day!
I will have to get back to you on my worst gift. I just can't think now!! I'm shaking my head and laughing too hard!! Thanks for sharing that!1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
You're welcome! I have plenty more. I will re tell this to the family at Christmas. some of our stories just have to be passed on to the next generation. Thank you for reminding me of this story and for your response. Blessings
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
I should have mentioned in my 'cow' gift story that one day, it got lose from it's staking out side the patio and actually walked into our kitchen looking for me. I heard a 'moo' and shrieked. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
15 Dec 08
i am laughing so hard when i am reading your post... a cow for a present for the birth of your second son... that is really very funny... but i think your hubby is very creative and he only wants to make you happy... it is just that he is doing that in a wrong way... anyway, my worst b'day present would be a lingerie that my uni friend give me when i am still at uni... i never use it even until now and i think my mum ended up giving it to somebody else... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 08
I know that my husband meant well. He was a wonderful husband and father and we still miss him so much. That lingerie must have been awfuy for you not to even wear it once but yor friend probably meant well. and you can laugh at the memory now. Thak you for responding. Blessings
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
15 Dec 08
I'm not really sure whether I should talk about the camera I've talked about in another discussion, or not. I think that was the worst gift I have received, but then again the story gets boring (to me). Long story short, my oldest cousin got a better camera then me, and I was upset.
A baby cow and a preemie baby? I'm sure he meant the best by it, but then again, I guess he just didn't think that you already had so much on your hands. Not to mention the two year old as well.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
You know, you've reminded me of a gift that I received for my 21st birthday and it was a camera from my sister. I was disappointed as I had not interest in photography and so could not think why she gave me a camera. However, I hid the disappoitment. Thanks for responding SomeCowgirl. Yes, he did mean well but it was the wrong goft at the wrong time! Blessings
@Humbug25 (12540)
•
16 Dec 08
Hi ya cynthiann
Well I have been given some pretty rubbish gifts in the past but I think the worst one was a nightshirt that glowed in the dark. The worst thing about it was that I never wear nightshirts, I like nightshirts but I hate sleeping in them and the other thing about it was that my mother gave it to me and she should know better!! It is always in my drawer because I have to get it out sometimes for when my mum comes to stay and forgets her nighty as she gets that one to wear! LOL
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 08
A nightshirt that glowed in the dark would really freak me out. I couldn't bear that. You did the right thing by keeping it though and she does get to see that it is still in use. That was kind of you. Thank you also for responding. Blessings
@dreamweaverjan (3471)
• United States
15 Dec 08
{{cynthiann}} aaawww! LOL! Your story just struck me so funny, sorry (G)!!
I grew up on a farm so this would not have bothered me at all except for the fact
that in my present condition it would be impossible for me to do this for the
little one, with my neck and back injuries but I'd still try given the chance
again, they really are cute at this age and they do consider us their mommy
as we are the ones feeding them, they become really gentle and sweet, and I
miss them all so much, but that's just me, not everyone is cut out for the country
life, but reading this did bring back many fond memories for me, Lord knows how
many little animals I've helped along early in life;
its still a great story..(G)!! Poor girl!! 
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
You have to remember that I was from London U.K. and was now on a Banana farm. At that time, I had no idea of country life and besides the bananas and animals there was breakfast for 30 each morning! And there I was with a preeemie baby. Talk about recipe for a melt down.
I would not live anywhere else but the country now. I adore it and later on I did have 8 baby cows that I fed. and yes, I did become their Mommy too.
But at that stage of my life - I just could not cope. (I soon got a cook to feed the hungry at breakfast too)
I was in a strange country with different cultural customs and had yet to get used to everything. Thank you for responding. Blessings
@hisbabydoll (228)
• Ecuador
15 Dec 08
The worst gift I ever receive was a three-pack of the exact same turtleneck sweater in a size way too big, in a design only a bingo-playing grandmother would ever wear. No disrespect intended, but I've seen some pretty wild bingo garb.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 08
Ouch! This must have hurt. Could you take it back to the shop and change it? Thank you for responding. Blessings
@nick_roxas (28)
• Philippines
15 Dec 08
I haven't received any gift my entire lift... that's the worst thing, no one really thinks about it.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 08
I am so sorry that you have never received a gift from anyone - but he day will come when you will receive something and that will make you very happy. YOu also have received the gift of life from God. Blessings
