She Strengthens

The Gift of Disappointment: What Not to Buy This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are left scratching our heads, wondering what to get for those hard-to-shop-for individuals in our lives. But have you ever stopped to think about the gifts that are simply not worth the money? We’ve all been there – receiving a present that’s more of an obligation than a thoughtful gesture.

Socks: The Ultimate Gift Faux Pas

David shares his thoughts on socks as gifts, “They’re so subjective. No one likes the same type, everyone has specific sock-preferences.” It’s a traditional holiday joke, but let’s be real, who actually wants socks as a gift?

The Lottery Ticket Debacle

Maggie’s story takes the cake when it comes to bad gifts. Her sister got her and her parents lottery tickets, only to scratch them off in anger and still give them as gifts. Talk about a holiday buzzkill!

The Spencer’s Gifts Conundrum

Andrew’s simple yet effective response sums it up: “Anything from Spencer’s Gifts.” Need we say more?

The Scented Bath Product Problem

Carrie Ann highlights the issue with buying women scented bath products. “It’s a thoughtless gift…like oh, she’s a girl, she probably likes pink lotion.” As we grow older, our preferences become more specific, making these gifts a waste of money.

Tchotchkes: A Waste of Money?

Katie’s experience with a ceramic frog gift raises an important point: “Unless you know the person super well and know that the little thing will fit in with their life and they’ll really like it, it is most likely a waste of money.”

Gag Gifts: More Annoying Than Amusing

Ben’s straightforward response says it all: “Worst gift to get are like, gag gifts. I know they are meant to be cute and humorous. I’m not a fan.”

The Obligation Gift

Thomas’s insight is particularly poignant: “The worst gifts are ones that show the giver knows nothing about the receiver but they give a gift anyway. Because then it shows it’s more about the obligation than the person.”

Video Games: Not Worth the Price Tag

Mike’s comment on video games is a harsh reality check: “People probably shouldn’t waste their money buying video games anymore. They are not worth the high price, I’ve actually stopped playing games due to their prices.”

The Granola Bar Fiasco

Audrey’s story about receiving a box of granola bars is a classic example of an obligation gift gone wrong: “It was cute but like, obviously I buy those for myself. That is more of an obligation to buy me a gift while not knowing anything about me besides the fact that I enjoy granola.”

Gift Cards: A Cop-Out?

Anthony’s take on gift cards is blunt: “Gift cards tend to be a shitty Christmas gift unless specifically requested. At that point, it seems like maybe you shouldn’t be getting them a gift.”

Ties: The Corporate Noose

Ryan’s rant about ties is relatable: “I hate getting ties so so so so much. Get me something that excites me, not a corporate noose hanging from my neck.”

This holiday season, let’s take a step back and think about the gifts we’re giving. Are they thoughtful and meaningful, or just a waste of money?