Definition of complimentary: given free as a courtesy or favor
My Mother, she’s never been one to turn down a freebie, and well it’s that time of year again, time to do a little show and tell and show off all the items she has collected this past year. Sadly, the HH’s box got left behind on accident so I only have 3 boxes to show you today, but still, it’s always fun to see what my Mother and her sticky fingers have been up to, so here you go:
Merry Christmas Mavis…
Socks, party napkins, condiments, dishwasher detergent samples, Clinique bags, water bottles, bath salts, Annie’s Mac and cheese, sugar packets galore, tp, flower pots plastic appetizer plates and cutlery, tea, buttons and moist towelettes. You know, the stuff dreams are made of.
The highlight for me of course being the Tazo English Breakfast tea. Presumably pocketed on an Alaska Airlines flight {or two, or three} and the Clinique lotions.
Merry Christmas to our favorite grandson Monkey Boy:
Annie’s mac and cheese, heavy duty bathroom towels from the W hotel, where does one get free Miso soup and snack sized chips? Hot coco packets from the bank, room service condiments, coasters from Tommy Bahamas, a free Hawaiian CD, plastic cutlery, plastic appetizer plates, a pen, some chocolate, and oh ya, 2 rolls of toilet paper.
Merry Christmas to The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird:
A laundry bag from Lucy {which I stole for the puggle princess} a ridiculous amount of green tea and stevia and sugar in the raw, Clinique make up bag and potions, perfume samples, a can of tuna, water, mint M& M’s {presumably taken one scoop at a time from somewhere}, green beans, napkins, make up remover pads, socks, various cocktail napkins, nail polish, green beans and a granola bar.
The highlight of course being the Lucy bag and a toiletry travel bag from Nordstrom.
Oh, and the 4 pack of Butter nail polish {that my Mother said she won} wasn’t to shabby either.
Ahhh the holidays. They are just full of surprises, aren’t they?
~Mavis
P.S. Anyone know where she got free socks from? They always end up in our boxes and my Mom won’t cough up the secret.
Links to previous gift boxes:
Practical Parsimony says
I always made up what I called {the junk box) in addition to a regular gift for my mother and two sisters. I sort of continue this with daughters. I put in strange things and they know it is something I got free or so cheap it was hard to turn down. I love the concept. So, I am all behind it and tp for a gift.
Jessica says
The towels from the W hotel.. are those disposable or real cotton… That would be the only thing that makes me wonder how far one stretches the line of thought of * Free for the takings*
Mavis Butterfield says
Disposable. They are just really thick.
Jessica says
Fair game! lol
Emily S says
I’d guess the socks are from Kohl’s. My MIL is always getting $10 off a $10 purchase coupon in the mail even though she doesn’t shop there.
Myeshia says
That was my guess as well. This year they sent $5 off of $5 or more and I purchased fuzzy socks.
Donna says
JC Penny also does a 10 off 10 coupon fairly regularly and that’s what I buy with the coupon.
MEM says
I love this tradition of your mother’s! I am always getting “swag” from benefits fairs and an annual convention I attend for work. Some of the freebies seem random – like the bone-shaped holder for poop bags for my dogs – that freebie bears the name of an insurance company! Most of them are practical like oral hygiene products (I work in dental education). I think next Christmas I’ll try this!
Melanie says
I’ve been waiting all year for this, and your mom did not disappoint! I love the variety and randomness of all the items, as well as some of the combinations she puts together. 🙂 Please tell her how much I enjoy her efforts and her sense of humor.
tia in boise says
socks could be from free$10 off $10 JCP’s has been giving out every couple weeks since late summer…
Jessica says
A great idea! Im totally doing this next year. Not sure for who just yet. Maybe my sisters?!?
nancy says
I have to tell you I remember you posting a similar pic of freebies your mother gave to you last year at Christmas and I remember being so impressed. My husband and I are artists and many of the shows we exhibit at give us lots of amenities (free perks). Then we stay at a hotel for the weekend, more freebies. And sometimes there are booths giving away free samples, yet even more free stuff. I came home from a particularly great weekend and the amount of free stuff filled my entire kitchen counter. Elated, I posted a pic on line for my friends. However, it was not received well and I had friends just think it was the worst thing in the world I had taken all this free stuff. I then became embarrassed I had shared a pic of my “loot” on line. So when I see these pics it makes me feel good there are other people in the world that value getting these treats. So for that, thanks Mavis!
Alicia says
I’m sorry you felt that way. I LOVE seeing loot photos!
Sea says
I love the freebies and swag bags, and I love to see what other people have lucked into!!! It’s fun, and if it’s a perk/benefit, why wouldn’t you take advantage of it??? Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it—you’re among your people here! 🙂
nancy says
Thanks! I feel so lucky when given freebies and great coupons. Yes, it’s nice to find my people…LOL I had to tell my husband the response from one of your husbands who said “there are more like you”. We both got such a kick out of that. So thanks….happy to be here.
Donna says
Guess I’m behind the times, but where does she get what appears to be little jars of jelly/jam?
Kate says
They’re room service tray condiments.
Alicia says
Love this post! I remember last years and I was SO impressed. I just sent this to my boyfriend and he replied “there are more of you!?”
Carol says
Alicia,
Your BF is toooooo funnnnnny!!
Kathy G says
I️ want to be best friends with your mom. Her gifts are very impressive! I️ totally have brought home nice hand towels like those. They work beautifully on the bathroom mirror. Family member collect the little ketchup and jelly/honey for me as I️ use the hats as well as the contents. After seeing her hauls I️ need to up my game.
Kathy G says
. Her gifts are very impressive! I️ totally have brought home nice hand towels like those. They work beautifully on the bathroom mirror. Family member collect the little ketchup and jelly/honey for me as I️ use the hats as well as the contents. After seeing her hauls I️ need to up my game. We should be friends
BethC says
I hope that she has signed up for a lot of those birthday freebie lists, I typically give myself a freebie day around my birthday-I indulge in my free Starbucks, free breakfast at IHOP, free lunch at Red Robin and my birthday gift at Sephora, among other things. I did what your Mom did as a birthday gift for my son using coupons-he was moving to his own place and loved it.
Laura says
I collect this sort of swag and it ends up in the kids’ stockings. I keep the condiment things and use them for picnics or road trips. My kids are not as enamored with the swag as I am but I find those items to be very helpful. Hospitals give out the cutest mini first aid kits and hand warmers and such. Can’t resist them. The kids have them in their backpacks. Who doesn’t need bandaids occasionally??!!
Libby says
Your Mom is awesome! At chick-fl-a I asked my grandma to grab a few ketchup packets bc they work well in my sons lunch. I feel like I’m entitled to about 3 per meal and so I took and few and asked her to get a few while I brought around the car. She gets into the car and shows me that she took them all! There were at least 100! I was shocked. Sadly she is a bit senile these days but I can’t imagine her standing there shoveling them into her purse.
Cass says
My grandmother used to shop Montgomery Wards “bargain room”. We would each get a small trash bag (literally a green trash bag) full of her loot. As a child it was very disappointing, as an adult and a memory to relive each Christmas it was wonderful. Rarely did we throw out anything she got, because it was “from grandma”, but one year we did pitch the used underwear. LOL
I am totally going to start collecting the little things from hotel stays and donate them to the Interfaith Shelter for the Homeless. (I usually leave them, unopened, on the counter…but now that I have seen hotel housekeeping folks say they throw them out because they can’t tell if they have been tampered with, I am going to take them) (I visited the links to past year’s post…that’s where the housekeeping remarks were)
I do know that here in NY State that even those little mustard/mayo/ketchup packets must be tossed if they have been handed out to a customer. Soooo, if you don’t take them for your own use they go to the landfill. Pretty sure it is the same for the jelly jars/honey pots…which is why they have gone to small plastic containers in some places.
Thanks for the giggles, Mavis. Give your Mom a hug from all of us.
Cindy Brick says
I have been waiting and waiting for these photos — they make me laugh! And a lot of that stuff will come in handy too, not only for you, but others.
Yes, it’s weird — but in a wonderfully kooky way. Fits really well with a grandma who gives her grandson toilet paper and Doritos for Christmas. (We give one daughter cans of tuna, and black olives to both daughters. So there.)
Keep posting the wacky stuff, Mavis, as well as the useful stuff. And give your mom my compliments…in our family, this would be called “being a real Hollander.” (My dad was Dutch. It was the ultimate compliment.)