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.

  • Vanth@reddthat.com
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    9 months ago

    A relative gifted me a really ugly tree ornament. I don’t put up a Christmas tree and haven’t ever in my adult life. Relative knows this and delivered it alongside comments about me needing to get a tree and get more into the “religious” spirit of the holiday.

    Normally I would at least look to donate or something I don’t want, but ugly, religious proselytizing junk goes in the trash.

  • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    9 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.

  • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    9 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.

    • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
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      9 months ago

      this is how my family has it set up too, everyone writes a list of some reasonable stuff they’d quite like to get anyways and we just pick a thing from each list while coordinating with each other to not duplicate anything.

      Works brilliantly.

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      9 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).

      • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.org
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        9 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.

        • schmorp@slrpnk.net
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          9 months ago

          Be a member of the Brother-hood. I have a big black multifunction Brother printer, scanner (even fax, wtf!), and it works on both Linux and Windows. Bought four years ago. It just wants a quiet corner and a wifi connection. I think it’d even print from my Android phone if I tickled it a little, but can’t be arsed now. It’s happy with cheapo ink as well. It also cleans itself and has survived in a definitely-not-an-office environment. If it makes another year I’ll give it a pet name, it deserves one!

  • soli@infosec.pub
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    9 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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        9 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.