What Christmas present did you want more than anything in the universe, only to be colossally disappointed when you actually got it? What did you hope, wish, beg for, only to disown and abominate it once you found out that it totally sucked?
For me, it was the Tyco Super Turbo Train. As you can see, the commercial was amazing to a kid - it truly looked like the coolest thing ever. Having just been to Disney World and being obsessed with the monorail, I was sold. I begged, pleaded, etc., all the while just assuming that I wouldn’t get it (I think it was around $70 or something like that). Well, Grandma came through and…
…well, it sucked. The actual track was huuuuuuge, eating up most of a good-sized room, but the train itself was tiny. Notice how big they make it look! The actual train cars were incredibly flimsy, mere thin plastic shells over basic slot-car style wheels, but the worst was yet to come…only the first car was actually motorized. Yes, the fabled Turbo Train was actually too weak to pull its two cars at anything other than a polite, moderate speed. It would lethargically tow them around the track, just barely going up and down the wall…I don’t think it ever completed a loop without wiping out. On its own, the first car would zip around and go crazy, but actually making it into the train that it was supposed to be just killed it.
I think I let it go for $10 at a garage sale as soon as summer rolled around.
I believe the only one larger was Fortress Maximus (google that beast), but it either hadn’t yet been made, or I was unaware of its existence. The thing was, I never asked my parents for Omega Supreme. I suffered from a bizarre child-logic. I watched the commercials for it, really really wanted it, and therefor expected that my wishes were somehow psychically communicated to my parents. Anyone else used to think this way?
Anyhow, the huge present was a soccer ball. Which eventually got a good amount of use, but was largely useless during a long mid-western winter. It spent most of its indoor time as a cut rate imagination-powered Technodrome for my He-Men and ninja turtles to fight.
I was twelve and I wanted, more than anything in the whole wide world, a set of bongo drums. I’d even priced 'em at a local music store, and it even cost less than mhy “big present” of the previous year. Damn, I wanted those bongo drums! There appeared under the tree a wrapped package of exactly the size and shape to contain bongo drums.
On Christmas morning, I saved the big one for last and finally tore into it, to find – well, it’s hard to say exactly what it was. Educational, to be sure. When fully assembled, it was a working replica of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention. The pamphlet that came with it said that, for safety reasons, D batteries were substituted for the batteries Bell had originally used. Thank God for that, eh? But instead of actually using the damn thing to talk between rooms, it sat on a shelf in my bedroom for several years. I think my brother and I finally just started playing with the damn thing until we broke it, then it got thrown away.
I wanted a newborn Baby Alive. Not the ones out there today, but scarily realistic looking baby dolls. Anyway, I went on the forbidden search for hidden presents one year when I was 5 and I found this baby! I was so excited! I didn’t even care that the surprise was ruined…it was going to be all mine! SOoooo, I opened all of my presents on xmas morning…no baby! I looked over at my little brother and he was victoriously waving the baby over his head. It was to have been his all along. I was baffled, stunned and sad.
I, umm, never expected anything specific, and was therefore never disappointed by anything. The three things from my childhood that I have the fondest memories of receiving were:
This happened 21 years ago. My Partner and I had just met the previous month, and our relationship was in the heat of its head-over-heels-in-love stage. At some point I had mentioned to him that instead of buying presents for each other, it’s a nice gesture for people to donate to charity instead. Then I promptly forgot having said that.
So, Christmas morning, we’re sitting around with several of our friends, each couple exchanging gifts. Being so much in love with my Partner, I bought him several gifts, some useful, some silly, but all things that I had given a great deal of thought to, things that I knew he would love. Everyone was opening their presents and loving what they got, and the room was scattered with wrapping paper and ribbon. I got handed an envelope containing a note that he had made a donation to a charity. I know he did the right thing, and his heart was in a good place . . . but DAMN, I felt so left out!
When I was 10, it was Magic Sand. It was just not as easy to play with as it looked in the commercials.
However, at 23, I think Magic Sand is more fun, because the mess is easier to clean up.
In the actual “got what you asked for but it sucked” category: It would have to be a Barbie Dreamhouse (circa late 70s), when I wasn’t the least bit girly and wanted to explore my femine side. Yeah, I was better off with a baseball glove and a bike. This was eerily similar to my eventual trip to Disney World. Couldn’t wait; wasn’t all that.
In the “what youu were prepared for but got anyway” category: That would be 1) hiking boots, 2) a pillow and 3) a airbrushed sweatshirt in place of an engagement ring. Oh, he’d bought the thing alright, just hadn’t made it to the jewelers in time before they closed for the holidays. Even though he didn’t forewarn me, after much anticipation. A very fun, pre-married Christmas indeed.
This thread just breaks my heart from start to finish.
Nothing really stands out to be as the obvious disappointment, but I do recall a rather perplexing Christmas gift from my then-boyfriend. We’d been discussing marriage for a looong time, and we were over at his Grandmother’s house with his family, where he made it this big presentation to hand over my gift. Then he sits there grinning like a fool while I open it.
It was a ring!
And another ring.
And yet a third ring.
It was a set of rings, none of them of the engagement sort. I guess he just thought it was really clever that they all fit together. Even his Mom and Grandma were confused.
Ah well. I got the real thing 6 months later, so can’t complain.
Well, most of my Christmases were big disappointments when I was a child. I was a total tomboy and generally wanted boy toys but always got girl toys.
I finally got something I asked for (more boy toy than girl toy) when I was 11-ish. I wanted a drum set really bad and I got one. But I wanted a *real *drum set (nothing fancy, but something you could really use in a band). I got a toy drum set. It just about broke my heart.
I’m not sure if it was a Christmas present or birthday present. I really wanted a rock tumbler/ polisher. I got a rock tumbler/polisher. WHY ON EARTH did I want a rock tumbler? UGH! Lame, Lame, Lame.
I had a Baby Brother Tenderlove, circa 1976, I think. I really liked him, but if it makes you feel any better his hair got all matted and gross the first time I gave him a bath. His hair looked crappy the rest of the time I owned him.
I was thinking about this a few days ago. Not xmas, but hannukah.
30 years ago, I wanted, more than anything, a copy of Dungeons and Dragons. I was sure I was going to get it; absolutely positive.
The day came, and I, not thinking the box was awfully oddly-shaped for D&D, tore open the wrapping to find… A digital clock.
Now, being a kid, and not over-used to disapointment, I said with complete disapointed flatness, “Oh. A clock. How nice.” My folks were… Well, pissed. I was acting like a spoiled jerk.
The reason I was thinking about this a few days ago? I still use that clock. It’s a little on the iffy side when it comes to setting and using the alarm, but other than that it works fine, and sits next to my bed. All in all, I think it’s the longest ‘lasting’ present I’ve ever had.
I have a Christmas-time birthday, and right before I turned 16 all my dad could talk about was me driving. We went and looked at cars, we test drove cars, it was almost as if he was as excited as I was. I had saved up some money at that point and wanted to buy a car, but my dad told me to hold on to my money.
So when Christmas came around, and we had opened all our presents, I was a little disappointed. No car. But then, my dad brought out a small box with a big goofy grin on his face. He said that he’d been saving the best for last. He gave a short speech about this present and how excited he was about it. Then he gave me the box. I opened it up, imagining the shiny key that lay inside…
Nope. No key. It was a salt and pepper shaker key chain. Evidently, I had made some stupid joke when I was 2 or 3 about salt and pepper and he saw the key chain and just HAD to get it for me. Oh yeah, and for my birthday, he gave me a copy of my mom’s minivan key. He thought it was hilarious (and then he bought my little sister a brand new Mustang the Christmas she turned 16. Said it was a great deal or something. Good thing I’m not bitter. Not at all. Nope, not me.)
He did wind up helping me buy a car later that year, though.
