Gifts Not to Give

We have a feeling Sparkler jonanners has given or received some bad gifts in her day. At least she can help the rest of us out! —SparkNotes editors

Sadly, every year many holiday gifts are given away, never used, or returned because, well, they suck. Some gifts are offensive, and others are tacky, impractical, or just not a good fit for the receiver.

These are some of the worst presents you can give:

The Holiday Sweater: This is the most typical Reject Gift. Sure, it's a true sign of love that you spent weeks knitting it, but the truth is, it's just tacky. The receiver will probably not wear it, or only wear it once to show "gratitude" for it. It will probably end up being used as a mop.

Tube Socks: Most of us can agree that we have enough tube socks in our sock drawer. During the holidays, some stores put the tube socks at a special low price. It’s tempting, but you can do better. At least give the person some glow-in-the-dark socks!

Workout Videos: This gift usually offends the person that receives it. He/she might think this is your way of saying "You're fat and need to lose weight pronto." Not only will he/she be angry at you, but this will not be good for the person's self-esteem.

A Picture of Yourself: The receiver loves you, and probably sees you often, too. It’s not that your face isn’t satisfying to the eye–it’s beautiful! But no one needs a constant reminder of your smiling face on his/her nightstand.

Underwear with Cartoons on Them: Many stores sell boxers with Spongebob Squarepants, Stewie, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Few guys actually want to wear these embarrassing things more than a few days a year.

Vacuum Cleaners, Cleaning Supplies: These are really offensive, especially to females. These gifts show that the receiver’s job is to maintain a household, and the receiver should be happy to have the newest gadget to help clean up somebody else's mess. Not nice.

Next time you see any of these gifts on display at the store, please, resist buying them. It will do all of humanity a favor. Instead, think of something that will melt a person's heart (in a good way). Or just bite the bullet and give out money.

What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

Related Post: Holiday Gifting on a Budget

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