Suggestions for the Christmas present from hell as far as I’m concerned

Isn't the former a lie too though?

I hate serious lies, but I think a little white lie in a situation like that can be an act of kindness. It's better than letting them down, when their intentions were good.

Plus, how far would you go with the honesty? "Thank you but I think this is really tacky - which I suspect aligns with your whole aesthetic. You REALLY shouldn't have".

P.S. I would like to add that people who like things like that are usually really lovely ladies, I would never want to be rude to them, quite the opposite.

 

How about

It was so pretty I put it in the front garden and somebody stole it.

Somebody once stole a nice little metal bench from our front garden. It was bolted in place on concrete. When we tried to get the police involved they just said words to the effect that it happens all the time.

 

You could always dig a huge hole in your garden, fill it with water and stick that contraption on top! Then you'd have a proper well!!

And if your "friend" calls round you could chuck them down it as repayment for buying you the eyesore in the first place!

 

I'd not like to be the friend!

 

The gift was given graciously and no doubt accepted graciously. I would be inclined to place it somewhere in your back garden where you can't see it and where the giver doesn't visit. That way, if she asks about it you can say it's been given a special place in the back garden. You know what "special" means (I can't see it) she thinks "how nice, it's got a special place". As time goes on, and the lady doesn't visit you regularly, you can move it to that real "special place".

I was once given a red Cordyline which I loathe. I placed it where I knew it wouldn't thrive and I couldn't see it, then, a few months later, disposed of it when that was the kindest thing to do.

 

Put it by your front gate, fix a metal lid with a slot for coins and hang a laminated photo of something heartwarming such as a crying baby orangutang.

Reap your harvest when the box is full and buy chocolate and wine.

Passer bys will feel like they have contributed to a random act of kindness, so in a way it's a very charitable thing to do.

 

I love this idea. Or skip the coin slot and add a sign saying "toss a coin and make a wish"

 

@hailbopp You have my full support. That thing looks so ugly, I can't deny the idea that this person who gave it to you wanted to get rid of it.
We have a local tip nearby and there is a corner for furniture etc., things that can be still used. I'm sure there will be someone who likes that and you got rid of it.

@Plantminded buying paint for that is a waste of resources and money and won't change anything. You could paint Blackpool Tower with whatever you want, but it will always be Blackpool Tower.

 

I quite like Blackpool Tower. Although I'd not want it in my garden, admittedly.

First World problem, in my view.

 

I’m not so sure @simone_in_wiltshire, painting could transform it .

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Just imagining it in your garden

 

I looked on YouTube to see what the worst example of a wishing well I could find was, and came across this:


It's AI Slop. In fact the whole channel "Ash Garden Ideas" is full of these terrible AI generated videos and somehow has 46 thousand subscribers.
The one that really made me laugh in this video was the wishing well made from drink cans. What size drink cans would that be?

They have over 500 videos posted. Some are pure AI, others are just slide shows that look like they've lifted other peoples' garden photos. The purple and white wishing well in @Plantminded's post is in the thumbnail for one of them. They are an Indian channel and yet show very English looking gardens.

This kind of stuff is killing YouTube. You really have to dig through to find the channels containing original content.

 

Lovely music too @Escarpment .