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Top 20 worst Christmas presents to receive
Here’s the list of the gifts you should avoid when shopping for your friends and family, according to our Reddit data. We analysed 41,000 comments and recorded the number of votes (known as ‘upvotes’) for each gift type.
| Rank | Gift | No. of Upvotes |
| 1 | Clothes | 58,198 |
| 2 | Books | 47,900 |
| 3 | Kitchenware | 40,200 |
| 4 | CDs and DVDs | 26,200 |
| 5 | Outdated tech | 24,000 |
| 6 | Toiletries | 20,200 |
| 7 | Cigarettes | 17,200 |
| 8 | Stationary | 17,000 |
| 9 | Food | 16,300 |
| 10 | Handmade gifts | 15,500 |
| 11 | Card games | 14,800 |
| 12 | Teddy bears | 13,400 |
| 13 | Wool | 11,700 |
| 14 | Calendars | 10,600 |
| 15 | Balls | 9,900 |
| 16 | Vouchers | 8,062 |
| 17 | Action figures | 8,000 |
| 18 | Luggage | 7,700 |
| 19 | Batteries | 5,700 |
| 20 | Adult toys | 2,100 |
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How to give gifts they’re guaranteed to love
Our findings revealed that the reasons any gift can become hated or unwanted are very similar. Common reasons for a gift to be disliked include already having one, or it appearing not to have much thought behind it. To be sure your gifts don’t end up in the back of a cupboard or regifted to someone else, try these tips:
- pay attention to the sorts of things your nearest and dearest complain about throughout the year, so you can buy them a gift that solves a problem you know they have
- take (mental) notes if they mention something they really want, wish they had, or need to replace. If it’s affordable, make it happen for them come Christmas!
- check their wishlists for gift ideas. You might need to speak to their partner or someone else who’s close to them for the details, but if your gift comes from a wishlist, it’s virtually guaranteed to go down well.
- if in doubt, ask either the recipient what they would like, or if you’re determined to keep it a surprise, see if their partner has any ideas. They weren’t voted the best gift-givers for nothing…
For more ideas on how you can get the right Christmas presents for your loved ones without breaking the bank, check out our 10 free gift ideas. Plus, find out the best shops to get an online discount in our biggest bargains study.
Gag Gifts
There are times when you’re expecting something you won’t love—like if the party invitation specifically states that everyone is to bring a gag gift. The main objective of a gag gift exchange is to elicit groans, eye rolls, and witty comebacks. But even so, there are times when the gift is worse than you ever imagined or it’s inappropriate for the occasion.
What to do when a gag gift crosses the line:
- If you get an inappropriate gift at the office, quickly put it away without making a comment. Hopefully, the giver will get the hint and not do this again next year.
- Say something like, “That was awkward,” smile, and gesture for the next person to open a gift.
- Have a private chat with the person who gave you a gift to let him or her know the gift was out of line. If you choose this option, be prepared for defensiveness and a likely snub later. However, if this person is new to the business world, you might be doing him or her a favor by explaining what is or isn’t appropriate to give in a professional setting.
10. “My husband’s stepmother gave me, a 36-year-old at the time, a kindergarten-size backpack.”
“When I opened it she said, ‘I actually bought that for ____ (a child) a few years ago and she hated it, so I threw it in a closet and I saw it and thought you’d like it. None of us did. We all think it’s ugly.’“
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Most Important Thing to Remember
No matter what someone gives you, the most important thing for you to do is show dignity. Acting like a spoiled child is more of a reflection of your bad manners than anything else. Holding your head up, smiling, and expressing gratitude shows that you are a class act.
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