What Christmas gift disappointed you the most?

[macro]

Not looking for the obvious things here: cheap cologne, socks, bad ties, fruitcakes, etc. Rather, what gift did you ask for and look forward to with great anticipation, only to receive it and find that it was a huge disappointment. It will probably be something from your childhood, but it doesn't have to be.

Mine was something I asked for and was given when I was 7-8 years old called VertiBird Air Police. The commericials made this thing look like a realistic adventure that would entertain for hours. When I got the thing, all it did was spin around-and-around in cirles suspended on the end of a wire. I don't think the commercials even revealed that a wire was involved, but rather implied that the helicopter flew on its own. Furthermore, I was never able to use the hook on the helicopter to pick up the car the bad guys were riding in, even though their car conveniently had a handle on it. Look carefully at the box below and you'll see what I'm talking about.



My mom tried to steer me away from this thing, but I would have none of that talk. This was one time it would have behooved me to listen to her. At least no one got an eye put out.

By the way, if any of you remember the VertiBird or care to, there's a site devoted to it that I ran across before I made this post:

http://www.whirlybirdcentral.com/museum/

[westofyou]

My aunt gave me a poncho, knitted... like a girl would wear.... I laughed, said I wouldn't be caught dead in it. I was nine.

She never forgave me.. but she's a pill anyway.

[OldRightHander]

After I moved out on my own, one of my older relatives got me a vacuum sweeper and an iron. Very practical gifts, but not exactly what I would have wanted. I still use that vacuum though.

As a kid, clothes were always a disappointment. One of the biggest disappointments was when I was about ten. I was taking a liking to basketball at the time and I wanted a hoop. We had a big enough yard and there was a concrete area at the side of the house where the cistern was. My parents bought the backboard with rim and gave it to me for Christmas. Then my dad never did get around to actually getting a pole and putting it up. He kept coming up with all kinds of excuses, but I think he was just plain lazy when he figured out that it would actually involve some work. That thing just sat in the garage for years until the wood was falling apart and it was useless.

[RedsFan75]

Hey Macro I remember that!

Mine had to be an electric football game. The commercials indicated that we could be the next Namath and lead our team to the Super Bowl. Had the little magnetic football and the QB would throw with that spring loaded arm. I was the only boy in the family and none of my cousins that age cared about any type of sport. Not much fun in a football game where the little men went which ever way they decided, and you had to play it by yourself.

[Blimpie]

This one is an absolute no brainer. My Portuguese grandmother got me a pair of superhero underoos. They were not of Superman, Batman, Spiderman or even Aquaman....but of Robin. I was twelve.

[LoganBuck]

This one is an absolute no brainer. My Portuguese grandmother got me a pair of superhero underoos. They were not of Superman, Batman, Spiderman or even Aquaman....but of Robin. I was twelve.

Ouch.

On my father's side I had an aunt who got me a sweater and a picture of Jesus every year. For high school graduation she gave me a book of Christian inspiration, that is it nothing else. I have 4 cousins that are my age, and we only exchange gifts from godparents to godchildren. They would get cool stuff, and I was stuck with a sweater, and another picture of Jesus. Its not like I didn't like Jesus then, but a 10 year old boy can only have so many pictures of Jesus.

[SunDeck]

I got an electric razor from my grandma when I was about 14. Not a whisker on my face yet, it was actually more embarrasing than dissappointing as I looked around, knowing what everyone was thinking.

Its not like I didn't like Jesus then, but a 10 year old boy can only have so many pictures of Jesus.

I may make this my new sig....

[Johnny Footstool]

Its not like I didn't like Jesus then, but a 10 year old boy can only have so many pictures of Jesus.

No one can have too many pictures of Jesus.

http://www.jesusoftheweek.com/

[Red Leader]

No one can have too many pictures of Jesus.

http://www.jesusoftheweek.com/

That website has a picture of the "Ohio Mega Jesus" off of I-75. Just click on the drop down up top to view.

[Rojo]

When I was seven, I got a Johnny Bench Batter-Up . Thought it would turn me into a .300 hitter but I tired of it pretty damn quickly.

http://www.toyadz.com/toyadz/sports/jbench2.html

[KronoRed]

Neon green bell bottoms from my Grandmother.

2nd worst?

The neon orange ones she gave me the same year.

[Johnny Footstool]

When I was seven, I got a Johnny Bench Batter-Up . Thought it would turn me into a .300 hitter but I tired of it pretty damn quickly.

I had one when I was a kid, and I used to work it like crazy. I ended up destroying all the rubber bands, plus some others that my dad stole from work.

My worst gift was a dartboard when I was 14. I didn't play darts then -- didn't really like the game at all, plus my mom worked at Sears at the time and I could tell it was something she got out of the clearance rack there.

[Unassisted]

Macro, I had a Vertibird, too. I have a two-word description that will distill its shortcomings for the benefit of those who didn't get to experience its wonders... Tetherball Helicopter.

[M2]

I asked for a radio-controlled car when I was 12 and got it. It only turned left.

[ochre]

I loved my Johnny Bench batter up. Do they still make those?