1. Something from an aunt with a dirty mind
Redditor /u/Jack_is_a_Potato got a stinker of a gift one Christmas. He writes: "When I was a teen, my aunt gave me deodorant, mints, and an air freshener in my stocking. [S]he "didn't realize" how that could come across as mean." In other words, she gave him a healthy dose of low self-esteem.
2. Re-gifting should be a bookable offence
"My mother gave be a book for Christmas that I gave to her for her birthday a year before," recalls /u/j_truant. That alone is bad enough, but it gets worse. "She acted as though she purchased it for me. I wrote a note it it to her, so I know it was the copy I gave to her." Ouch.
3. Christmas is a time for sharing, but not oversharing
Getting a bad gift instantly becomes a million times worse when you have to open it in front of people - as /u/lunchesandbentos knows all too well. She wrote: "My mother in law pulled out a box in which there was a fire engine red nightgown and said in front of the family, "This is what you'll wear when you conceive a son."' Shudder.
4. It's the thought that counts
"My grandma gave me an electronic stapler and said 'Well, I know how you like electronic things,’" writes /u/
johnsonaustinj. I mean, at least it's better than a regular stapler?
5. Because giving should feel as good as receiving
/u/SalAtWork tells this dramatic tale of a bad gift in just three sentences: "My old boss took me out to lunch on my birthday." Aw, that's nice. "At a place he picked." Ok, still quite sweet. "He then made me pay for myself." Nope. Not cool.
6. They must've thought souper long about this one
"I received an expired can of soup for my second birthday from my aunt and uncle," writes /u/
Pillar_of_Filth. Because what does a two-year-old need more than canned goods? Out of date canned goods, of course!
7. At least she knew it would be something he wanted
Really, the only way you can ever be sure if somebody is going to like something is either a) they explicitly asked for it, or b) it was already theirs to start with. For one special occasion, /u/drewmatic305 got, "My own hoody that my gf took from me." To be honest Drew, I think you're actually quite lucky to get that back.
8. This guy found himself being the butt of a joke gift
Gag-gifts are fine, providing they're not too offensive, and that they precede a genuinely thoughtful gift. For /u/CarsenAF, that wasn't the case: "
Did a anonymous gift exchange at work one year where all the gifts were wrapped and put on a table. We then drew numbers and went and picked a gift in whatever order you had. The gift I received was a velvet pillow that inside had a dildo the size of my forearm and a butt plug. I was a 16 year old boy when this happened".
9. Not a smart move
"One year for Christmas my dad gave me a notebook and pencils and told me Santa wants me to study more," writes /u/thatindianchick. This doesn't seem too harsh - I know I was pretty grateful for stationery supplies when I was going to college. But then the redditor adds: "I was 5." Oh.
10. She really put her foot in it
/u/BuildinMurica wasn't on the receiving end of a bad gift, but their mom was responsible for giving one. They write: "
I have an uncle that was in a nasty truck wreck before I was born in which he lost most of his left leg.
For Christmas one year my mother gave him a pair of slippers."
11. Suffice it to say, this did not float his boat
"My uncle gave me a wooden toy boat that had been made from my own wooden toy boat, only now it was smaller, with no paint, and had whittle marks all over it," writes /u/crumbbelly. Honestly, I can't tell whether he was being cruel or just a bit dumb. Either way, this is a strong contender for the crappiest gift of all so far.
12. Gift-giving is a tricky game, so make sure to play your cards right
Have you ever received a gift that you just know was more for the giver than it was for you? /u/FortLagomorph does. "One year my (now ex) boyfriend bought me a deck of Magic: The Gathering Cards," they write. "I had absolutely no interest in them prior to receiving them, and then he refused to teach me how to play the game. He took them with him when we broke up."
13. This is so tacky it doesn't even deserve a witty comment
If there's anyone you should be able to rely on for a good gift, it's a significant other. Unless you're /u/RubixRube, that is. She writes that she received a "
happy meal Barbie.
For my 20th birthday.
From my boyfriend.
It wasn't intended to be ironic." I hope that boyfriend is now an ex.