Things You Should Never Give as Christmas Gifts

Slide 1as
Christmas
Gifts
Overview
Have you ever received gifts that you found insulting? Do you wonder what the givers
were thinking when they chose them for you? Have you ever been to an office gift
exchange when someone (maybe even you) received an inappropriate gift that made
you and your coworkers cringe?
Unless you've agreed to exchange gag gifts, you should think about how the other
person will see the item. Gift-giving should be a positive experience for both the
giver and the receiver, regardless of the setting. What you consider funny might be an
insult to the receiver.
Underwear
They call them "unmentionables" for a reason. Lingerie or underwear might be a
sexy gift for a partner, but save it forValentine's Day. Opening these racy items
around family and friends is just plain awkward.
Souvenirs
You may think it’s nice to show a loved one that you thought about them on a
recent vacation. In reality, though, no one wants a souvenir from a trip they didn’t
take—especially if it's a kitschy key chain or miniature license plate with their name
on it.
Pets
The decision to adopt a pet requires time, thought, and planning. Not everyone is
ready for the responsibility, and gifting a pet commits the recipient to years of caring
for an animal.
Clothing
Every individual has a unique style. Buying clothes for someone else is tricky, and
there’s always a risk of choosing the wrong size, which could offend the giftee.
CDs and
DVDs
A trendy movie or album was once the perfect gift for a pal. But with the growth of
streaming services and digital downloads, CDs and DVDs are now obsolete relics that
waste storage space.
Cash
Little kids might get excited about a $20 bill in their stocking, but cash is a tacky
present for adults. If you’re really strapped for another idea, muster up a gift card
instead.
Household
Basics
The cost of mundane items like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and groceries
definitely adds up—but this isn’t an excuse to purchase household necessities as
"presents." Plus, the recipient may think you're implying that they keep a dirty or
poorly managed household.
Candles
The gift of a candle says "we're not that close." There's nothing wrong with giving a
candle to an acquaintance or coworker, but if you know the person well, consider
something more personal.
Gym
Membership
Even if you mean well, signing someone up for a monthly gym membership could
have a negative connotation. Plus, aside from its potential for offense, a gym
membership serves as an unwelcome reminder that New Year's resolutions are right
around the corner.
Major
Purchases
Do you plan to go all-out by purchasing an insanely expensive gift? You may want to
reconsider the generous gesture. Chances are, the recipient will want to choose
their own car, vacation destination, or major appliance.
Exercise Gear
We all have at least one friend who's obsessed with fitness, but you don't want to risk
unintentionally insinuating that she needs to lose weight.
Plane
Tickets
There's nothing "bon" about a "voyage" that you didn't get to plan whatsoever.
Knife
A new set of cutlery could be a really helpful gift for a novice cook — or someone
starting their first home. But don't just gift one big knife. That's creepy.
Ugly Sweater
They can be ironic and fun for parties, but they can also make horrible gifts.
Fruitcake
For some reason these gross cakes are still a thing. Skip the store-bought, boxed
cakes and opt for literally any other baked good.
Lotion
Similar to the candle, the gift of lotion also seems incredibly impersonal, unless it's a
specific request from the recipient. This is especially the case for holiday-themed
lotions that will only be stuffed in a bottom bathroom drawer, likely to be forgotten
until spring cleaning rolls around. If you still feel the need to give your family or
friend a bottle of lotion, give them a more hands-on experience—like a lotion kit that
allows them to use their favorite scents and follow step-by-step instructions to create
their own lotion.
A spa basket
Though a pre-packaged spa basket can seem like the easiest way to give them the gift
of relaxation this holiday season, it can also make it look like you really put little
effort into their gift—but tried to make it look like you did. Rather than giving
them a generic spa basket, opt instead for a gift basket more tailored to those things
that they truly enjoy—like coffee, movies, or music.
Cheap makeup
While it can be hard to shop for that makeup fiend in your life (especially if you have
never shopped for beauty products), failing to consult with them about which
products they desire is your first mistake. Even if the person you're shopping for
isn't makeup-obsessed, purchasing cheap, generic makeup is yet another item that
they will soon toss to the side.
Notebooks
If there's any object that humans always seem to have a surplus of, it's the notebook—
meaning that you might as well avoid contributing to already overcrowded desk
drawers by giving them something other than yet another notebook for the holidays. If
you'd still like to go for the same retro vibe (as in, putting actual pen to paper like they
did in the olden times), give the writer in your life the gift of stationary—finally giving
them the ability to send their letters off to real people, with retro stickers and
accessories to make their snail mail stand out.
Professional
clothing
Just because your friend spends all of their time at work doesn't mean that you need
to remind them of this fact. So, rather than give them yet another tie or leather
briefcase, give instead the gift of serenity by purchasing an accessory or two for their
desk at work that may help keep their zen level on target throughout the week—like
this adorable planter.
A calendar
Though a themed calendar might be a nice addition to a kitchen wall, it's likely to be of
little use in this digital age. With myriad other ways to keep track of important events,
the cat calendar you buy for your Aunt Linda will probably remain stuck on January for
the rest of the year—and that won't benefit either of you. (Plus, a calendar becomes
functionally useless in 12 months flat.)
Socks
If you've chosen the holiday season to tell a loved one that you're really not that fond
of them, then you can easily achieve this by giving them a pair of socks. Unless they
are an incredibly special pair of socks, steer clear of the message that this gift delivers
by opting for other relatively cheap options like fashion-forward gloves or other
winter accessories.
Scale
Let's be honest: the holiday season isn't exactly the time to tell your loved one that
they should be hopping on the scale more often. Not only that, but it's incredibly
likely that they have a scale hidden somewhere in their home already, so your gift
won't exactly make an impact—at least not in a good way. For those on their own
fitness journey, no matter what that may entail, make the effort to find a book,
activity, or piece of equipment that further encourages progress.
A mug
You mean to say that you're only getting your mother a mug for Christmas? Unless
you're doing a gift swap at work, a mug should always remain a stocking stuffer to
build up the other impressive gifts that come along later. The coffee lovers in your life
will appreciate a subscription to a coffee club where they'll get to celebrate the New
Year with a new caffeinated perspective on life.
Holiday-
themed
items
Never give someone a gift that remains hidden in the attic for the majority of every
year—no matter how crazy they are over porcelain snowmen. Instead, allow them to
celebrate their love of the season in a more interactive fashion by giving them tickets
to a Christmas-themed play or a holiday lights show.
Conclusion
Among the most common holiday season stressors is the quest to find your loved
ones the perfect gift. For every friend and family member on your shopping list, the
pressure is on to simultaneously demonstrate that you completely "get" each person
and can anticipate their true desires before they even do themselves—so it should go
without saying that giving a boring gift it out of the question.