by Lorelei Cohen

Created on: December 02, 2010

Yep. We have all received a gift which we immediately wished we could silently tuck right back into it's wrapping paper. They are the gifts that no one in their right mind should give to anyone, and yet there they are, grinning maliciously up at us from the parcel that we have just unwrapped. This year make absolutely sure that one of these gifts doesn't come from you. Avoid the top 10 worst gift giving mistakes that a person can unintentionally make.

1) If it smells funny, is harder than a rock when it should be soft, or rattles when it shouldn't, do not give it to anyone on your gift list. It doesn't matter that you have lost your receipt, do not have any other gift to offer, or really do not like the person that you are gifting to. A nice card is far better to receive than a defective, or possibly poisonous, gift. Giving this type of offering is going to make you look bad so just cut your losses and throw that item away.

2) Never purchase a gift item because you are the one who wants it. There is nothing worse than receiving an item that is just not wanted. Don't buy your wife season tickets for the local hockey team if she would rather be at the theater. Don't buy your husband or teenage girl a laundry hamper as their special gift. The gift you are giving should be something that they will enjoy so don't make their gift something that you would choose for yourself. 

The people you are buying for have their own unique likes, dislikes, hobbies, and interests. Use these traits to help you in your gift choice. Take the time to really think about the person who you are buying for and then select a suitable gift for them. They will appreciate it.

3) A broken vase, crushed cookies, or a water stained clothing item is a terrible gift to receive. Make sure that your gift gets to them in the same condition it was in when you purchased it. If your present will be traveling a long distance be sure to wrap it so that it gets there safe. Use bubble wrap, buoyant box filler, and a strong box to send it in. It is a waste of your time and money if you don't wrap it up right and it is terribly disappointing to receive a defective gift.

4) One of the rudest gift giving mistakes that a person can make is to give a gift for sheer spite. Gifting is supposed to be a nice thing. Do not give revenge presents. It is just plain rude to be so shallow and small as to intentionally purchase a bad gift for someone and yet it happens all too often.

Even if the name you pulled for

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