Oh hon I agree it is the thought that counts specially with her zoned out personality that she thought enough to even get 'anything' is what matters in the end even though it does in that moment feel like 'why did you bother' based on the lack of appropriateness to your taste or style.

I can empathize ~ she sounds like my own MOTHER who could not buy me a suitable gift if her life depended on it ... has bought me pierced earrings recently and my ears are not even pierced for the past 20 years, buys me 'bath products' with perfume in despite that I have very noticeable skin allergies She buys things that SHE likes verses stopping to put empathy into her gifts thinking 'what would Reggio like' ... and she does this with everyone because she can just not think from anyone's perspective but her own ... great thing about her is she is forgetful so you can wait a year or two and regift it back to her and she would have NO CLUE