"Vacuum cleaner is a horrible gift.'" Is this an

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I like the answer my husband (who's a probably aspie) gave when I asked him if it's okay for a husband to get a wife a vacuum cleaner for Christmas (I think I said for Christmas). He said, "only if she asks for it". Good answer.

A vacuum cleaner isn't a very good thing to give your wife. It implies that you'd like her to spend more time cleaning, rather than being romantic.

I asked for a vacuum one year from my ex (I needed one, and I was very happy with it)...some of my best presents have been tools that I've asked for.

I basically "collect" vacuums these days (curbside finds...I repair them), so I guess it wouldn't thrill me because I have a bunch of them.

I would so much rather have something I can use, or stuff that would make my life easier... than jewelry, perfume (asthma), or clothes in the wrong color, style or size, or "cute" stuff I have to dust.

Thank god this isn't one of those "Is this an aspie thing" threads.

I've seen the Dirt Devil children's vacuum cleaners at Wal Mart. Red, miniature versions of the life size Dirt Devils. When I first saw them a few years ago, it was around Christmas time and I did question what kind of gift they were. If someone gave me a vacuum cleaner for Christmas I wouldn't have appreciated it because I was the kind of kid who didn't like cleaning. My mom used to complain I wasn't good at vacuuming and I dreaded it even more because of that. So, when I saw those vacuums my first thought was about how much I would have hated getting one as a kid and I felt sorry for any kid getting stuck with a present like that Christmas morning. That was one time I questioned that particular gift choice.
Nowadays, it's understandable why a real vacuum would be practical. One of those expensive Dysons that are virtually clog free would be an OK gift. I wouldn't frown at receiving one.
I prefer vacuum cleaners that use bags. I dislike cleaning the parts of the bagless kind and all the gross stuff that gets stuck to the filter. I'd much rather have all the dust in a bag and toss it. I'm allergic to dust.

Vacuums are something you can keep. Paper Towels and Windex run out and you have to buy more.

I need a new vacuum cleaner too. I added that to my wedding registry. When I use it, it smells of the rubber burning.


For Christmas one year, my parents got me a couple kitchen appliances. Hello Kitty toaster and a hello Kitty Waffle Maker. I also got a strainer from my brother one year.

I am autistic and for sensory reasons would NOT be very happy with a vacuum cleaner, though appreciate the thought. You see, if the neighbor is vacuuming I meltdown. :{ So yeah, not only social NT reasons for a vacuum cleaner not being the best gift.

I cannot seem to figure out the problem with "practical" gifts...being of limited financial means, practical gifts are nice because they are things that I need, but cannot afford, or just never thought of buying, but certainly help out in the daily activities. I am all for practical gifts, bring on the appliances, tools and home furnishings!

I'm with you guys when it comes to the vacuum cleaner though. A vacuum makes the chore of cleaning up quicker and easier, and if I didn't have one, or my old one was in bad shape, a vacuum cleaner would allow me to keep my house cleaner, faster and easier. If I had a wife, and she was complaining about the performance of her vacuum, I would assume a new one would be appreciated.

For example, I cannot seem to figure out what is wrong with a gym membership either. I certainly love mine. Going to the gym is a great way to burn off stress and feel better, and it's nice to relax in the pool or hot tub when done. Why do NT women try to read so much into something? Why would a gym membership "say" that you are telling your wife she's out of shape or fat?!?! What about if she's in good shape, and she already likes to exercise?!?!

Throughout the years, my mother has received some "practical gifts" and she has really enjoyed them. My Father gave her a microwave back in the eighties when they were real expensive, and just this Christmas, she received a pots & pans set for the kitchen...she loves to cook though, so anything cooking related gift usually goes over well with her. She also likes landscaping the yard and is always planting stuff, so one year for Mother's day, Dad and I got her a new lawnmower. She actually loved that, and we were quite suprised really! Mom also gets the "romantic" gifts like Jewelry every so often too to balance it out, but thankfully, she doesn't go crazy when she gets some sort of tool or something to make her life easier.

As for me, I tell people they can just walk into Lowe's and pick ANYTHING off the shelf and I will be happy with it...You could even get me a stack of 2X4's and I'd enjoy them!

Well, because you normally expect gifts to be less useful, more fun, like a silk blouse, some perfume, a nice coffee table book, or luxurious like some jewelry, a cashmere sweater or a gift certificate for a spa treatment. But I do agree with you, I personally think it would be nice to receive an expensive new vacuum cleaner!

My kids would love one of those. We actually picked one up last year for Christmas at Goodwill. They like cleaning with me. So when I use the swiffer, my 4 yr old will go get the stick-vac and start vacuuming beside me. I tried the cleaning set too, that had lots of brooms and sponges.. They enjoyed that for a while until they got destroyed during a meltdown.

But a practical gift from someone with whom I share my money (a husband) wouldn't have those advantages. If my husband buys me something practical, it comes out of the same pool of money as if I bought it myself. It just saves me the trouble of doing the shopping. Which can be nice.

NaTure abhors a vacuum. I do not! topic

I want a Dyson Cyclonic Vacuum. It Sucks!!

Belt is slipping, if it looks shiny change it...check the ends of the brush bar and clean any string or fiber from the around the ends that could be preventing it from turning freely, it should turn freely, if not the end bearings could be shot, but 90% of the time something just wound around it preventing it from turning like it should.

i DID buy my boyfriend a vaccuum cleaner for christmas!!

only it was a miniature handheld USB vaccuum... HE LOVES gadgets and USB toys and stuff.. so I got him that cos he likes to clean the fans of computers and suchlike!

he was pleased with it too...


but reason why they would have said a vaccuum cleaner was an awful gift to give a woman, is because its stereotypical that a woman cleans the house and giving her one for christmas would indicate she wasnt cleaning her house properly- so it would be an insult

In 1995 I got a floor vacuum for Christmas. I loved it. My parents knew I'd like it because I enjoyed cleaning. Of course we all used it and then it broke two years later before we moved to Montana. I think it was in the summer when it broke. It just came apart and they tossed it out.