What would you do? Receiving a flashlight as a (birthday) gift, but it's not up to your 'level'.

PBWilson · 2019-08-04T15:16:52.000Z

I received one from my stepson and it is a backup in my toolbox. It’s plastic and underpowered but has come in handy a number of times in my dark and dusty basement. I also received a couple Maglights (2xD and 2xAA) from my dad at X-mas time which are perfect for stashing in the kitchen drawer and under the sink in case of power outage. My 12 year old can use these with wild abandon and I don’t have to worry about li-ion risks or them getting banged up.

Find a use for it and appreciate the thought.

ChibiM · 2019-08-05T06:23:47.000Z

It's not that this happened to me with a flashlight, but was wondering what people would do personally. It's interesting to see so many opinions :)

I've had it with other stuff, not with flashlights I believe.. can't remember exactly.

Henk4U2 · 2019-08-05T06:52:31.000Z

ChibiM:

It’s not that this happened to me with a flashlight, but was wondering what people would do personally. It’s interesting to see so many opinions

I’ve had it with other stuff, not with flashlights I believe… can’t remember exactly.

Ahaaaaaaa, now the plot thickens. Your birthday is coming up soon. :partying_face:
You suspect someone is doing their best to find you a present. And you are afraid you’re not going to like it.
Remember that those un-initiated people generally pay much more for the same items as we do.

Which brings us back to rule #1 => if the giver is a “keeper”, so is the gift. And USE it!

Macka17 · 2019-08-05T07:29:18.000Z

Great. Thank’s I CAN use that.

AND NEVER. EVER……Give away a present to another person in same group/family.

99% of time.
It’ll come back and bite you.
“Hey. didn’t I give you that last?.
Happened to me around 60 yrs ago. He still reminds me.

KevinZA1988 · 2019-08-05T08:00:19.000Z

Mod it, if possible…

varbos · 2019-08-05T08:33:02.000Z

I would just say thanks. Maybe in a few months give it free it to someone else. Give it as a prize in a charity raffle or something of that nature.

ChibiM · 2019-08-05T08:51:20.000Z

My bday isn't coming up anytime soon :D LOL. But I just remembered I once received a 3D silver maglite (non-LED) as a present. I still have it in the kitchen with a LED PR bulb. So yes, I actually received a flashlight as a gift... totally forgot about that

bilakos10 · 2019-08-05T08:55:40.000Z

Of course I would be respectful for the gift.
If the flashlight isn’t up to my standards, I will be probably giving it away to someone else that will get some good use out of it.

Btw, I rarely talk about my flashlight hobby to my friends (only the close ones are aware of it).
For some reason, most people find it very weird to collect flashlights, haha

neBstress · 2019-08-05T09:40:47.000Z

I’d accept it politely then make sure to give the ugliest pair of socks I can find in return every year following!

Yokiamy · 2019-08-05T09:43:18.000Z

bilakos10:

Btw, I rarely talk about my flashlight hobby to my friends (only the close ones are aware of it).
For some reason, most people find it very weird to collect flashlights, haha

How recognizeable, haha

Henk4U2 · 2019-08-05T10:05:29.000Z

bilakos10:

Btw, I rarely talk about my flashlight hobby to my friends (only the close ones are aware of it). For some reason, most people find it very weird to collect flashlights, haha

Yeah, and used teabags and used stamps are normal :smiling_imp: :person_facepalming:
At least our hobby is useful (maybe a bit too much).

Marc_E · 2019-08-05T10:49:53.000Z

I’d put somewhere obvious as an emergency light, somewhere either the gifter can see it or i can show them that it’s there for when it’s handy, like by the front door, knowing full well the only time i’ll use it is if i get a chance in front of the gifter. Or, of course, if it’s the only torch i actually have access to in a genuine emergency.

Jack_Kellar · 2019-08-05T10:56:30.000Z

I’d thank the giver and stash it in my torch drawer. Even if it’s a cheapo with 3xAAA carrier, angry blue emitter and next-mode memory, I could end up using it… or more likely, cannibalising the host.

MascaratumB · 2019-08-05T11:00:13.000Z

People in the family and friends are VERY aware that I’m into flashlights, so I guess they wouldn’t dare offering me such a thing! It is more the contrary, I give lights to them

My girlfriend considers that it is very hard to offer me things as b’day gifts, and when the time is nigh she still asks “Do you want a flashlight?” I say “No, thanks ” as I chose my own lights!

However, she went to Ireland once and bought me the “Guinness” flashlight you see below! It is a light and a bottle opener! :o

I was delighted, said “Thank you!” a lot of times and kept it well, undamaged! Do I use it? No! But still, I love that “flashlight” for the sentimental value! And I won’t give it away (3x5mm LEDs, 3 button batteries, Cool Freakin White)

Scallywag · 2019-08-05T14:35:14.000Z

Like others have said, it depends.

My wife gave me a few of my lights. My E2L for example, was my first favorite flashlight, and was a gift from her. I will never mod that light, and I still carry it sometimes. My Jaxman M8 is another one - same deal. I like to take it when we go for walks in the evening. It is usually enough - I’ll have an EDC light as well, and it’s a cute mini-thrower to play with. She bought my Jaxman Z1 recently, somehow knowing it was “on my list” - I told her the truth right away, that I wanted it to do a very specific mod, and had been planning that, and then I did it (Boost HL and ~5A driver). It’s loads of fun, and sometimes she will catch me “putting squares” on the wall
If someone else got me a light, I’d evaluate a few things. Is it complete crap? I may re-gift it (to a different friend circle, of course), or I might throw it in the car and wait for the Alkaleaks to strike. If it’s just sub-standard, I’d see about modding it. It would be a cool conversation to have later “hey look, you know I mod lights right, this is what I did with that one you gave me” and I don’t think any of my friends will be too sensitive about it getting modded. Pretty much everyone knows I do weird things with flashlights, because I always have one on me, and worse I often can’t resist playing with them randomly…
But I would never refuse the gift, and I would never tell someone their gift was bad. It’s nice that they know my interest and were thoughtful about it. Like others have said, I can be very difficult to buy gifts for. I will usually try to build a list (around this time of year, actually) on Amazon of things I kind of want, but not enough to buy them myself. Which to me, is perfect for gifts, to find someone’s category of something they wanted or appreciate but wouldn’t have purchased for themself for some reason. Otherwise, everyone I know is an adult that just buys what they want when the time is right (budgets and such).

agent80 · 2019-08-05T14:53:29.000Z

Be glad and say Thank You. Its the thought that matters. Most people don’t even care what your likes are. Sounds like the person who gifted took an interest in knowing your likes.

Nev · 2019-08-05T16:50:55.000Z

Or ,spit on it then carefully place it in the bin ,then I would politely ask them to leave.

SociopathicSamaritan · 2019-08-05T16:30:08.000Z

I have kids that get flashlights that aren’t up to my standard. It gives them something to use when we’re camping that won’t leave me completely blind if they switch it on turbo and shine it directly in my eyes.
As for the gift, they tried; that’s more than I can say about most people, so I try to be grateful and remember the effort they put in.

Lightbringer · 2019-08-05T16:44:49.000Z

“I love getting mail, any kind. The very fact that somebody, somewhere, licked a stamp just for me, is reassuring.”
— Thomas Magnum

It might even be trash, but it’s sentimental trash that has meaning.

xevious · 2019-08-05T17:46:00.000Z

People who know me understand that there are certain gift types that are a no-no. Flashlights is one of them. The most helpful thing is when people believe you’ve got too much of something. Then they’ll never buy you another of that item type.

If you get a useless (to you) gift from someone you barely know, usual protocol is to be thankful and cordial. Then later, give that item away to someone else. If by some chance you see that person later on and they ask you about the gift, just give an easy standard story. In the case of a flashlight a response like “Oh, I keep it in my car for emergencies. Thanks!” satisfies the response and you’ll likely never have to talk about it again.