Have you ever noticed how many excuses we have for giving badgifts? “It’s the thought that counts.” “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” “Agiftgiven from the heart is worth more than gold,” and so forth. Probably because gift-giving is a highly challenging task that requires time, effort, and knowing the person. And once we fail to get what the recipient appreciates, it’s always better to focus on the positives than the negatives.However, today we’re ruthlessly looking at theworst presentspeople have received in hopes that it serves as a PSA before the biggest gift-giving time of the year. Scroll down to find a what-not-to-get list and be ready to note the things that are better avoided than gifted.This post may includeaffiliate links.
Have you ever noticed how many excuses we have for giving badgifts? “It’s the thought that counts.” “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” “Agiftgiven from the heart is worth more than gold,” and so forth. Probably because gift-giving is a highly challenging task that requires time, effort, and knowing the person. And once we fail to get what the recipient appreciates, it’s always better to focus on the positives than the negatives.
However, today we’re ruthlessly looking at theworst presentspeople have received in hopes that it serves as a PSA before the biggest gift-giving time of the year. Scroll down to find a what-not-to-get list and be ready to note the things that are better avoided than gifted.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
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One year on my birthday I got $15 cash from my parents. They said it was so I could buy pogs. We then went to a store where my dad said the pogs were a good price. I went in and bought the only kind they had, and apparently they were expensive. My parents then scolded me for “spending all $15 on only this many?”. My dad was the one that said the price was good at this store. I ended up feeling really guilty because I assumed we were hard up for money and I wasted $15.My brother’s birthday is exactly 2 months after mine. He had a party with a lot of friends over, and my dad bought him a $25 Nerf gun. This was over 20 years ago, but still hurts my feelings lol.
Adding to the list of worst gifts, gift-giving expert Leah namedthree thingsto avoid gifting unless the person asks for it.First up are memberships of any kind. “Unless they’ve explicitly told you that they want to try said membership,” she says. “Imagine getting a gym membership somewhere that you didn’t ask for—think about how you might respond. This is not limited to gyms. I love to work out, I’d love a membership, but that’s only because I’d ask for it.”
Adding to the list of worst gifts, gift-giving expert Leah namedthree thingsto avoid gifting unless the person asks for it.
First up are memberships of any kind. “Unless they’ve explicitly told you that they want to try said membership,” she says. “Imagine getting a gym membership somewhere that you didn’t ask for—think about how you might respond. This is not limited to gyms. I love to work out, I’d love a membership, but that’s only because I’d ask for it.”
My dad didn’t get me a graduation gift, but was kind enough to bring me along the next day to buy his third wife a diamond necklace in my college town.Three years earlier he told me he was sorry about my struggle to pay tuition and then bragged about spending $12,000 on an engagement ring.Oddly enough third wife and I are super close now and the jewelry is getting willed to me. Although I fully expect him to steal it for wife #4 if he outlives her. He’s a scumbag.
My ex-mother in law gave me a used broken tape dispenser for Christmas one year. My kids even remember this. Another year she gave me a very oversized deep purple sweater. Dragged my now ex-husband and made him wait in line to return/exchange it. Waited over an hour in line to find out it was a clearance item and only worth $1.75. Even he was a bit taken back at the time. Meanwhile sisters in law would get $100 gift cards, luxury items, and actual items off their lists we gave her for ideas. The woman is an awful human being-not because of her poor gifting of said items. Those are just minuscule examples of her poor demeanor.
Self-improvementgiftsshould also be off the table. Things like teeth-whitening products, self-help books, or plastic surgery vouchers should be kept clear of. Similarly, Leah says hygiene products like deodorant, face wash, and toothpaste arepresentsshe would be offended to receive.
My aunt hates me and my sister, she would give us gift cards to pizza hut. This was the s**t we didn’t have a lot of money and could afford it as a family. We would go use these gift cards she would give us but they would be the change from her using it. So it would have like $3 on it or something. Fooled me once with that, I had to call my parents to come pay for the pizza my dumb 10yr old a*s bought with the card thinking it was $50 like it said.
A book " How to be a Good Jewish Mother"I am not Jewish and I am a guy. It sits on my bookcase. Visitors see it and ask questions. I am not married and I have no kids. .
When I got married my mom handed me $10.00 and said good luck. My parents were well off and paid for my 4 sisters’ weddings and my only brother’s boarding school.
Statistics show that the top 4 worst gifts a person could receive are bad romance novels, diet plans, car manuals, and soap on a string.In addition, a poll of 2,000 people labeled friends, children, and colleagues as the worst present givers.However, after receiving a useless item they will probably never use, 27% graciously accept it and 17% even pretend to be overjoyed.
Statistics show that the top 4 worst gifts a person could receive are bad romance novels, diet plans, car manuals, and soap on a string.
In addition, a poll of 2,000 people labeled friends, children, and colleagues as the worst present givers.
However, after receiving a useless item they will probably never use, 27% graciously accept it and 17% even pretend to be overjoyed.
I bought a bag of Lindt chocolate for myself, then it mysteriously disappeared before I could eat anyWhen Christmas rolled around, my aunt gifted me the almost-expired bag of chocolates that I bought and she hid for some reason.
I love to cook and my food is good. Everyone who knows me knows this including my mother in law. On my wedding day she gave me a gift of a beginner cook book. It was so long ago I forget the name of this book i have since tossed but I still remember the glee on her face on my special day as she tried to ruin it. It was a hurtful gift. The book basically told you how to make a grill cheese sandwich or reheat canned soup. She knew what she was doing. Fast forward twenty five years we see her about an hour a year. She’s still full of hate and spiteful.
My grandfather once sent me a birthday card for my 16th birthday. It was made on his color printer using PaintShop Pro on a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper then folded in half twice.The front was a stretched clip art cartoon teenager next to 16 clip art poops all stacked up.The inside said “Sixteen years old?! I didn’t know they could stack st that high!“The envelope contained 1 dime.He was of sound mind, but also a huge a***e.
Not me, but my mom. Of all 6 grand kids (my mom and her 5 siblings), my great grandma absolutely hated my mom in particular, even in early childhood. My mom looked and I guess had a personality most similar to my grandma, and my great grandma HATED my grandma. One year for Christmas, my great grandma got presents for all the kids except my mom. This made my grandma furious obviously. After they had a screaming match about it. My great grandma picked up a magazine and cut out some pictures of models. She gave them to my mom and called them “paper dolls”.
On my 16th birthday my mother took us to an spa to wait for her to get a facial for HERSELF. Can’t say it was too enjoyable.
My step mom bought me a shirt that said, “blondes have more fun.” I have always been a brunette.
I gave my girl friend $300+ in jewelry, she gave me $10 cleaning supplies and said “I know you like to clean so here”.
The promise from my parents that they would pay for my drivers license when I turn 18. (16th birthday). Then one year later the promise that they would pay for half of my drivers license. And when I turned 18 the promise that they would help me with paying for my drivers license. When I finally got it at age 20, they paid for one of the 15 (or more, I can’t remember) lessons.
No gift at all. The ex and I were supposed to exchange gifts, but he didn’t care enough to buy mine.
Ok. I have a couple and it is not the gifts, but the presentation. A CD walkman for my 13th birthday. OMG I was so happy and excited and then I walk into the living room and my two sisters are wearing the exact same ones. Not their birthday. I guess there was a sale.Then, on my 40th, my mom gets me a beautiful birthstone ring. Again, over the moon. Then she tells me that my sisters love theirs too. What? Their birthdays are not near mine.
An opened bag of peanut m&ms from my dad. My dad is an amazing and kind human but remembering events/holidays just isn’t his thing. The running family theory is that he bought that bag for himself on the way home, started eating it, then found out it was my birthday upon arriving home. To be fair, it was the big bag.
This guy I dated in college got me a framed photo of himself for Christmas. I thought it was a joke. It was very much not. .
A single sock. Not even a pair, just one.
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A ziploc bag filled with cotton balls with the words “ghost poos” written on the bag in sharpie.
A gift card to a store that went out of business a year prior.
For my birthday, My wife got me this ugly red and blue Tommy Hilfiger shirt two sizes too small. She turned around and wore it to bed that night.
I once received a half-used candle with a broken wick.
A dvd of their churches Christmas pageant. I was 25 and not a church goer, and live in another state. Was odd.
One year i got a gift card… with a negative balance on it. somehow, it had already been spent before it reached me. still not sure how that even happens, but yeah, nothing like being gifted debt.
One of those gimmicky acne lights that did absolutely nothing to help my acne. When I opened it I cried. I was probably thirteen.
The worst gift I ever received was a mystery box filled with random items that seemed to be leftovers from someone’s garage sale. There was a broken lamp, a half-used candle, and some outdated board games. It was definitely a creative idea, but it felt more like clutter than a thoughtful gift.
I once got a self-help book titled “How to Be More Productive” from a family member. It was one of those awkward moments where I wasn’t sure if they were trying to help or send a passive-aggressive message.
Clown statues. My grandma, god rest her soul, thought I liked them. They were weird.
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Not me but my brother got my 80 year old mother a scimitar. Cool gift for the right person, but not my mother.
The worst gift I received was a random fruitcake that no one wanted.
A keychain with my name misspelled such a simple mistake, but awkward!
Oh, probably clothes for Christmas as a child that I hated, and then was forced to pretend I liked as to not offend the gifter. I wanted to scream at my parents, like, ok, now you’re encouraging me to lie to somebody’s face? Yesterday you told me that lying was unacceptable behavior .
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