White Elephant Alert! 5 Terrible Gifts You'll Probably Get This Christmas
It happens every holiday. Despite making a Christmas list (and checking it twice) filled with gifts that you actually need and want, some clueless family member or forgetful friend just buys you something totally random. Whether it's something they're re-gifting themselves, something they just picked up at the Walgreen's en route to the Christmas party, or a gift they genuinely thought you'd like (but were wrong about), it's just plain awful.
The good thing about getting this sort of presents is that they give you something to give away at a White Elephant gift exchange. These gifts are ripe for wrapping right back up and exchanging with your friends' rejects.
What are these terrible gifts, you ask? Check out our list below:
Candles
The candle is a gift so incredibly re-giftable that Saturday Night Live decided to dedicate an entire song to it. Sure, candles can make a perfectly fine gift if the scents that you love are common knowledge. But generic scents like flowers, vanilla, fresh laundry, or "cotton" are the kinds of things that everyone kind of likes but nobody really loves. So, really, wrap that candle right back up.
Drugstore Bargains
Chia pets, lotion sets, Santas and snowmen with beards and scarves that are curiously dirty... Yep, somebody forget that they were supposed to get you a Christmas present, stopped by the nearest Walgreen's or CVS on the way to the party, and grabbed whatever they could find for under $15. Very little thought and even less effort went into these "gifts," but at least they're wrapped in a totally new gift bag (with the price tag still stuck on it).
Ill-Fitting Clothes
Especially if you've recently lost (or gained) weight, getting clothes from someone else for Christmas can be risky. Unless you've declared exact clothing items and sizes on your Christmas list, it's fairly likely that the clothes you'll be getting this holiday season will fit just a little bit off. Your choices are to wear the uncomfortably garment anyway, fight the returns crowds at the mall, or put that sweater, coat, or dress in the White Elephant pile.
Throw Blankets/Pillows
Every couch needs, at maximum, two pillows and two throw blankets. And even that is stretching it. Though a snuggly blanket can actually be thoughtful — it is really cold in the winter, after all — you already got the throw blankets and pillows you needed for Christmas last year. Someone down the line will appreciate these gifts more than you will.
Pre-Packaged Food
It's the much-dreaded gift for everyone at the holidays. We're talking popcorn tins, canned hams, vacuum-sealed cakes, boxes of cookies, and chocolates straight off the grocery store shelves. If these foods are local delicacies, they're perfectly fine gifts, but if it's just some random fruitcake or box of grocery store chocolates, there's not much here to be desired.