Used to think a hand-painted mug was a thoughtful gift until my aunt gave me one with a crying clown on it

I swear I tried to like it. It was from a local artist in Omaha and she paid like $45 for it. But the face on that clown stared into my soul every morning during coffee. After 3 weeks I hid it in the back of a cabinet. Now I just gently tell people I'm picky about mugs lol. Anyone else get a gift that was nice in theory but absolutely cursed in execution?

2 comments

2 Comments

laura_wright1mo ago

The Omaha artist detail got me, because I actually bought a mug from a local potter in Topeka once and it was fine, but one from a different artist in Lawrence had this weird lumpy handle that made my hand cramp. I used to be one of those people who thought any handmade mug was automatically a great gift, but a crying clown would definitely break that spell for me. There's something about facing that every morning that just feels wrong, like the mug is silently judging your coffee choices. Your aunt probably meant well, but that clown sounds like it belongs in a horror movie prop collection, not a kitchen cabinet. I'm with you on being picky now, some gifts just aren't meant for daily use.

paigep201mo ago

Oh man, that lumpy handle thing is so real. I got a mug from a craft fair that had this weird thumb rest that was totally off, it made my wrist ache after like two sips. I thought I was just being picky until my friend tried it and was like "nope, this is broken." Now I'm super careful about actually holding a mug before I buy it, especially the handle part. A crying clown that also has a bad handle would be like double punishment for trying to enjoy your morning coffee.