How to Handle Unwanted Gifts over the Holiday
Every holiday someone, somewhere, will make a gift that is entirely inappropriate, unwanted, tacky, tasteless or downright hideous. If you are on the receiving end of such a gift it is important to be gracious and enthusiastic as you un-wrap their rather hideous choice. It’s far better to plaster a false smile of appreciation on your face than toss the item aside with a derogatory comment. After all they may feel exactly the same about the atrocity you gifted them in return.
Remember that the gift you receive can be recycled and passed on in your own round of gift giving, and great Aunty Madge may adore the purple bed jacket that personally you would never be seen dead in. Just because the last thing on the planet you would ever eat is the jar of humbugs you’ve received doesn’t mean they won’t be perfect for your elderly uncle who has false teeth.
There is also the option of returning the gift and obtaining either a refund or a credit note. Thus it pays to subtly discover where the unwanted gift was purchased. Beam enthusiastically as you ask the giver where they found such a find. Of course they may choose not to reveal that it’s some loathed item they received and decided to recycle to you.
You may well end up receiving an unwanted gift from someone you know well and feel obligated to keep the gift around to be displayed on their visits. Gruesome garden gnomes, tacky ornaments and vile vases may need to be retained, removed from the cupboard, and given a quick polish next time your visitor is due.
If the thought is just too much you can accidentally drop the item after its first few airings, rather than live with something you really can’t stand to have around. It is almost a certainty though that an identical item will find its way into your clutches on the next holiday, to replace the presumed treasured item. If the gift is from an aged and rich relative you should give it pride of place unless you want to kiss goodbye to an expected legacy.
A good way to avoid unwanted gifts in the first place is to tell people in advance that holiday gift giving seems so shallow when there is so much hardship in the world. You could request that charitable donations are made in your name, such as a chicken, goat or cow, sent through theSend a Cowcharity, to an impoverished region in Africa.
Whatever unwanted gift you receive, remember to receive it graciously, enthusiastically, and vocally. There is always something you can say to feign pleasure in an unwanted offering and “oh how perfectly delightful” is the perfect way to say thank you.
