They say it's really the thought that counts. We've all been there - smiling through gritted teeth as we profess great thanks for a truly terrible present. Have you ever received a gift so bad that you were rendered speechless? At some point you have probably received a gift that just seemed totally inappropriate, insensitive or just plain thoughtless. And perhaps you’ve even given some ‘stinky’ gifts. Giving is one of the real treasures in life, so everyone should take a little time and use some creativity to find and give the perfect gift!
A gift should make the recipient happy — or at least not sad or angry. Gifts are a powerful form of communication. Gifts can enhance connections between people. A truly bad gift, though, can ruin a relationship, with emotional impact that’s remembered for decades.
There are things to do with these awful gifts. You can donate them to a charity or regift them. The key to successful regifting is to ask yourself if you would have picked that gift out for that person in the first place — and then be really careful to remove any evidence that this was something that had been given to you.
Here are some of the worst holiday gifts that were received this year:
- Mr. Moose Candy Dispenser - Does anyone really want to eat candy that comes out of the back of a moose?
- Bathroom Scale - It was a fancy digital scale with all the bells and whistles, but nothing says ‘you should lose a few pounds’ more than a scale!
- Anything with the "As Seen on TV" Logo - Pajama jeans, ChiaPet, OveGlove-enough said.
- Magazine Subscription - Great gift if you really know the recipients interests.
- Initialed items with the wrong initials - Make sure the personalized items are accurate.
- Cheap wine - There’s not a lot of toasting going on when that bottle gets opened up!
- Framed pictures of someone else's baby - Great gift for grandparents. Anyone else will not be happy.
- Fruitcake - You are what you eat? This has been a joke for years.
- Personal hygiene items - Not yummy bath and body gift sets. It's when you get something like grocery store soap or anything that calls attention to bad hygiene.
- Prepackaged gift box of stuff sold in the pharmacies - Nothing screams last minute gift quite like these.
If you happen to receive a terrible gift – try to remember it is the thought that counts and smile sweetly and say thank you! And be sure to tell us all about it on Long Island.com Forum.
