Yes, I was the recipient of a gift that wasn't to my liking and now I'm wondering if I should mention it to the person who gifted it to me?
I received this gadget that produces what should be pleasing scents by heating up wax thingamajig pieces for my birthday, which was in early November. It wasn't really my style as I tend to like neutral smells in my home but I accepted the gift graciously thinking perhaps there would be an occasion to use it. Since then, Gift Giving Friend had asked me a couple of times, "Have you used the waxy thingamajig yet?" I'd always bean dipped. I had a cold and couldn't smell anything anyway or I was away last weekend so didn't get around to hooking it up, etc.
Well for Christmas Day, I had my occasion to use the waxy thingamajig as my MIL was coming over for lunch. One of the waxy thingamajig scents was cranberry and I thought that would be festive enough. I took a picture and texted it to my friend: "Using the waxy thingamajig for Christmas lunch!" But as soon as I got it set up and plugged it in, my nose started burning and itching and my sinuses closed. My husband came down the stairs, coughed and said, "Wow, that's strong stuff!" On my way to unplugging the gadget my head started throbing on the way to a migraine. I had to pour the wax into a plastic bag and toss it into the trash can outside to get the smell out of the house.
A while later Friend texted me back: "Do you like it? My favorite is the coffee." I replied "mmm...hope you're having a great Christmas!"
No question, the waxy thingamajig gadget is going straight to Goodwill. But what do I say to Friend? I didn't want to tell her that her gift made me physically ill in a text message. I worry she's going to give me the waxy replacement scent pieces for gift giving occasions for years when I no longer have the gadget so I feel I must come clean. What happens if she comes over to my place and wants to fire the thing up? At the same time, I don't want to hurt her feelings. She was so excited to give me the present and these things are popular right now so I know she spent quite a good deal of money on it.