by Manuel Raynal

Created on: June 08, 2008

How to Choose Great Gifts for Any Occasion by Avoiding Some Common Errors

Have you ever been given a gift you didn't like? How about one you absolutely hated? Wouldn't it be nice if such tragedies could be avoided? Sometimes, knowing what people don't want for Christmas-or any other occasion-is just as important as knowing what they do want. If you're thinking of giving someone any of the following gifts, you may want to take some time to reconsider:

1. A Shelf Organizer - Just tell someone they're a slob, it's far more civilized. Maybe give them something nice to put on a shelf instead, like a nice vase or a music player.

2. A Leather Remote Stand - Remotes were meant to lie down, not be shared, and be lost. I can assure you the remote doesn't care.

3. A Home Sanitizing System - You might have a phobia if... you go around giving these things.

4. A Kick in the Pants - Violence is never appreciated. When was the last time you heard someone say, "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good kick in the pants as much as the next guy..."?

5. An Automatic Paper Towel Dispenser - Why not just tell someone they are so weak and lazy they can't tear a paper towel at the perforation?

6. A Relationship Break-Up on Xmas or New Year's - Be a real man/woman and do it on their birthday or Valentine's Day like you're supposed to.

7. A Cat or Dog Bathroom Cabinet - Why would you want people to think that you care about their pet's ability to poop in complete privacy?

8. A Handheld Water Purifier - Just tell people to not drink the water. Yes, it may kill 99.9% of all the viruses, bacteria, and parasitic protozoa with no fuss but it's really the .1% that are not dead that one should worry about.

9. A Dictionary - Very little says, "I think you're illiterate." so quickly and so well.

10. A Real Stuffed Animal or Dead Flowers - Nothing says, "I care about you." like something that should have been alive.

With these examples in mind, it should now be easier for all of us to not only get something we want-but also give to people what they want. If you do happen to get any of the aforementioned gifts, you may want to consider re-gifting them to the individual that gave them to youat a later point in timewith really nice wrapping. Note: The nice wrapping helps to add to the look of disappointment when they realize that they gave you the same awful gift, previously.

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