Gothamist: Worst Christmas Gifts Ever

Birkingirl

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:07:54 -0500

The worst gift I have ever received is one from a friend of more than ten-years, who should know better. It was a used, and I mean used in every sense of the word, book on Roses. Acoompanied with a set of pink Barbie doll garden tools (that was a re-gifted gag gift), how do I know this, because he announced it to me upon gifting it, and a basket which he told me was not really part of my Christmas gift at all, and which he took back. How's that for a gift from the heart?

siggie_pop

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:19:16 -0500

the Bob Marley t-shirt comment reminded me that I once got a Bob Marley scented candle as a present. It came in a tin can and smelled awful. I tried to look grateful when my friend gave it to me, but I'm afraid my disgust might have shone through.

Barbj8

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 22:31:03 -0500

Every year my Mom gets me pajamas, which I don't wear, so I have a closet full of pajamas in boxes. This year my pajamas came with slippers, not one, not two, but three slippers!

Blairy Blair

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:38:25 -0500

you people are greedy. presents are stupid.

Toby von Meistersinger

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:19:30 -0500

msk: Next Starbucks gift card I am given, I'll give it to the biggest, smelliest homeless person I can find. That way it is good karma all around!

Toby von Meistersinger

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:06:59 -0500

msk: Next Starbucks gift card I am given, I'll give it to the biggest, smelliest homeless person I can find. That way it is good karma all around!

msk

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:12:43 -0500

I got a Starbucks gift card yesterday and was quite happy about it. :) Mmmmm, peppermint mocha! This crew need to chillax and stop bitching about people buying you presents. It's rough to give McDonald's gift certificates to a vegetarian, admittedly, but grandparents are generally pretty out of touch, and you wouldn't be getting anything awesome in the $5-10 range, anyway. You could always give them to a homeless person. What about starting a "best presents" list? It might make a pleasant pallet cleanser between race-baiting posts.

icantsmell

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:54:51 -0500

I've been a vegetarian for ~20 years and my entire family knows. It was a big deal when I defected from the only-meat-eating southern family. My grandparents up until a few years ago gave me 5-10 dollar gift certificates to-of all places-McDonalds. They always ended up being thrown or given away.

Jen S

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:35:27 -0500

For years now, my uncle (slash godfather) has resorted to stuffing my greeting cards with confetti. A card arrives from him, I get excited because it feels lumpy through the envelope, and it turns out to be goddamn confetti. For the record, a metallic snowflake does NOT convert to dollars.

JRod5417

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:53:25 -0500

Oh and I also got two cookbooks the Christmas after from two different people. One was "How to cook Italian food", which I got from an Italian friend who does not know how to cook at all. I suspect that was a re-gift.

JRod5417

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:50:46 -0500

I got a book titled "The Most Evil People in the World" and another titled "Best Lawyer jokes" on the same Christmas Day. I immediately left them in my building's lobby for taking.

jimkrunk

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:49:36 -0500

I too received a set of pencils, but that was years ago. Yesterday, I got some sort of hygienic product called "Bidet in a Bottle" from my mother, which I opened in front of my girlfriend's family. It was intended to be a joke, but still...akward!

zodak

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:45:24 -0500

i got a reebok step from my ex because i had put on weight after chemo ended. thanks.

dana

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:21:52 -0500

I could provide many entries under the "worst gift" category. The latest would be a walkie-talkie i received from a boyfriend. Considering I live alone in an apt. bldg., my gift is a stellar entry.

RatherBe

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:18:04 -0500

a kazoo. i'll never use it.

Toby von Meistersinger

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:37:32 -0500

I got a Starbucks gift card. Would have been brilliant, but we don't drink coffee and hate Starbucks. We are trading it with someone for an interesting vintage New Jersey license plate. Basically any gift card is a bad gift, even more so if you don't patronize the establishment it is for. Finding someone to trade it with or "regifting" is the best thing to do with it, since these gift card exchange websites take a cut and the things are basically non-returnable. You would be better off giving cash instead - even a bag of pennies!

edEx

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:08:59 -0500

i get socks and shitty ties every year. i never wear ties!

tien mao

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:07:02 -0500

as a simpsons fan, i wanted the simpsons movie dvd. all i got was a burned copy. i guess i'll be buying the dvd myself.

Jen Chung

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:06:03 -0500

I am sure that crimson suede Nascar jacket could sell for a sweet amount on eBay. Nascar nation is big! And my worst Christmas gift, in retrospect, seems to be a Milli Vanilli CD.