Deciding what to buy your family and friends for Christmas is always confusing. When it comes to gifting, we often hear the phrase, ‘It’s the thought that counts!’ Of course, the thought does count, but it doesn’t mean we can buy any random object we can lay our hands on. Gifts should be personal and thoughtful. To purchase useful gifts, put yourself in the shoes of the person receiving it. Do not be the person handing out gifts that make the receiver force an expression of happiness on their face. In this blog, let’s take a few minutes to look at the 10 worst Christmas gifts!
Gifts to Avoid During Christmas
To help you avoid gifting your kith and kin items that they may not like, we have come up with a list of some least liked Christmas presents. Shall we take a look at them?
- Socks and Handkerchiefs
Gifting socks/handkerchiefs might not be a great idea because your friends or family members may find such items boring. Socks and handkerchiefs are some of the gifts not to give during Christmas. They also fall under the category of “non-exciting gifts.” So, let your loved ones buy their own socks and handkerchiefs.
- Chocolates, Cakes, and Sweets
These used to be some of the favorite gift options in the past. However, in the festive season, people tend to go overboard on parties and get-togethers. And, nowadays, many people keep counting their calories. So, chocolates, cakes, sweets, and other eatables are some of the undesirable Christmas gift options.
However, if you are baking or making sweets for yourself and your family at home, here is a list of the top 5 desserts to make for Christmas!
- Self-Help Books
Your friends or family members might need help with some things in their lives. But let them figure it out for themselves. In many situations, people might find accepting self-help books a bit awkward. And, we are sure you don’t want to make them feel that way! Some may even find self-help books annoying or irritating. Thus, such books are gifts that disappoint during Christmas.
However, if your friend loves reading fiction or any other genre, you can gift them the latest paperback by their favorite author.
Homemade gifts are also good options for Christmas. Check out the top 5 homemade gifts for Christmas!
- Cups and Saucers
Choosing cups and saucers as gift items is an age-old tradition. But these are out of fashion these days. In case you gift your friend with a new set of cups and saucers, she might think, “Seriously?”
Cups, mugs, and saucers are also not desirable gifts for weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. Thus, they are considered the least appreciated holiday presents.
- Timepieces and Wall Clocks
There is no doubt about time being a precious factor in all our lives. But that doesn’t mean you need to emphasize this fact by gifting your near and dear ones wall clocks or timepieces. Imagine someone presenting you with a timepiece, dozens of which you will already have at home! Such items fall under the category of gifts that miss the mark at Christmas.
- Photo Frames
Do you like photography? Here are the top 5 ideas to display photos. Nowadays, photo frames come in various designs and colors. A photo frame might seem like the go-to gift for many. But chances are that your friend already has lots of empty frames and has accumulated them on the back shelves of a cupboard you have not seen! It is okay to present your bestie with a picture of the two of you in a nicely-shaped frame, but an empty frame is one of those Christmas gifts with poor reception.
- Keychains
Keychains come in different sizes and shapes. But if someone gifts a keychain to you, would you feel happy? We wouldn’t! Keychains are fancy things that you can buy within a few minutes, but they might not be appreciated by your family members or friends. It is true that they might turn out to be useful, but not all the time. So, the receiver might have a blank or shocked expression on their face when they open the gift wrapping and find out that it’s a keychain!
Therefore, presenting keychains is one of the Christmas gift ideas to avoid. Probably, the person you are gifting already has tons of them at home!
- Notepads
Today, all of us use Notepads on our laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc. Therefore, many of us don’t have time to jot down important things for the day/week on our hard cover notepads. While some people still have the habit of noting down stuffs on hard cover notepads, others would consider them dull or mundane when they receive them as Christmas gifts. In other words, notepads do not make exciting holiday presents. So, they are regarded as underrated Christmas present options.
- Teddy Bears
Gone are the days of presenting loved ones with cute teddy bears. Nowadays, they have become outdated gifts. However, if you are gifting a kid below 5 years of age, go for a soft toy that they like. You can gift them something resembling their famous character from a TV series. Children are smarter these days, and teddy bears might not be their favorite things always. During Christmas, lots of children tend to experience holiday stress. So, reading about the ways to prevent holiday stress in children will help you buy some nice gifts that can blow some of that stress away.
- Pens
A pen might be mightier than a sword, but not all people think the same. If your loved one likes writing and making notes, it would be wise to gift them a pen. But for many, pens are outdated objects, just like teddy bears. Presenting people with pens is one of the worst holiday gift ideas. Therefore, think of some other exciting item as a gift option.
More on the Types of Gifts You Must Not Purchase
While shopping for gifts, try not to buy highly expensive ones. Also, avoid buying uniform gifts for several members of the family. They may find them mundane and boring. Just because you have been lazy or were strapped for cash, you may tend to buy identical gifts for all your loved ones. But it is totally uncool to buy identical gifts. Imagine the situation where your aunts, who all got identical sweaters, opened them in front of each other!
Don’t Rely on Last-Minute Purchase!
If you head out to the shops at the last minute, hoping to salvage yourself something to gift, don’t be surprised to find yourself surrounded with rubbish or extremely expensive stuff. Don’t land up buying something just for the heck of it. It is better to remain empty-handed than gift something that won’t be liked. And, while purchasing gifts, ensure you are spending money on the right things!
The Worst Christmas Gifts Can Spoil All the Fun!
Before selecting a Christmas gift, take some time to think about the receiver’s personality. Remember that a boring present can spoil the day for your loved one. In case you cannot think of anything worthwhile, just gift some cash to the person. They will surely appreciate that!