6 Worst Christmas Gifts (And What to Gift Instead)

Happy Boxing Day!

After stuffing ourselves silly with roast turkey, slivers of juicy lamb and stickly sweet fruit cake, we eagerly tear open wrapping papers and gift boxes, hoping to find at least one item listed our ‘Naughty or Nice’ Christmas wishlist since March. Ahh…a mystery box! It’s snowglobe-sized, but it perhaps it isn’t a snowglobe. Oh, it IS a snowglobe. Yet again.

Feel familiar? Yes, more often than not, we’ve all been guilty of being on the receiving & gifting end of several questionable, unoriginal and downright unimaginative gifts that typically end up stored away in a cabinet or drawer.

For the gifters, perhaps some of us had been caught up in the last minute Christmas shopping debacle which left us with several less-than-ideal gift options, while others simply decided to play it safe. On the receiving end, we’ve certainly had our fair share of furrowed eyebrows and frazzled expressions on (un)Boxing Day.

But whatever the reason, it’s safe to say that we think these 6 gifts deserve a spot on the Worst Christmas Gifts list – a sign that it’s probably time to think out-of-the-box when it comes to your next gift.

1. Mugs

Quick question: How many mugs does a regular person need?
The answer: definitely NOT five.

While mugs seem to be an obvious, somewhat practical and safe choice for a gift, it ranks sub-zero on the sincerity scale. It screams “I ran out of ideas and this was sitting right next to the checkout lane at the grocery store so I bought it for you,” or “Someone bought me this mug last Christmas and it was taking up space in my kitchen cabinet so…Merry Christmas and have a good one!”

Especially if the design of the mug is as sleep-inducing as it gets, i.e. a plain coloured mug or a flower-patterned one. If you are guilty of mugging, don’t repeat it next year. Instead, try to get creative by decorating a plain white mug with words of encouragement or cute, personalised doodles. Better yet – give them a mug that reminds them of a special moment, interest or significance. (ie: a Limited Edition Hard Rock Café mug if they love collectibles or a Darth Vader mug for the ultimate Star Wars fan).

2. Blank Photo Albums

Besides the fact that hardly anybody prints photos anymore, a photo album is as thoughtless as throwing a pile of blank paper at someone and saying “It’ll come in handy one day, take it!” Honestly, a bulky photo album (in 10R, none the less) takes up valuable space on a bookshelf and just might spend the rest of its life sitting in transparent plastic wrapper till it finds a new home at the next secret Santa gift exchange.
Instead, if you were adamant on giving photos as a gift, think ahead and try investing in a personalised Photobook from Photobook Malaysia (prices start from RM10!) or even a homemade scrapbook with handwritten captions and cards instead. You’ll rank much, much higher on the ‘Meaningful Gifts 101’ scale.

3. Snowglobes and Tabletop Trinkets (generic decorative items)

Granted – it does not snow in Malaysia. And we all love staring at tiny little snowmen standing in front of their snowhouses while specks of white glitter dust rain down. Back when we were 5, that is.

Here’s the cold (no pun intended), hard truth – nobody really knows what to do with a pair of dark green clay ducks or miniature Ferris wheel. They’re nice to look at but a pain when it comes to cleaning and dusting. Ranked ‘Most likely to end up in a storage bin in a year or two’.

Divulge in a practical gift instead, such as table liners, placemats or even cookie cutters for the baking enthusiast.

4. Keychains

Unless said keychain has a variety of functions (ie: comes with an attached Swiss Knife or handy bottle opener), it definitely does not qualify as a proper gift. As a souvenir…acceptable. Need I say more?

So, instead of buying dollar souvenir keychains in bulk from your island holiday, go for a slightly more thoughtful option like a personalized engraved bracelet, necklace or T-shirt!

5. Soaps, Candles or god forbid – Deodorant

“Er…do I smell bad?” Trust us – that’s the first thought that comes to mind with this gift.

Not only does it seem rather predictable, nobody really knows what to do with decorative soaps, other than to chuck it in a drawer to make our clothes smell good. You might be better off getting hand creams, colognes or fragrances (available at The Body Shop), though we would recommend checking if the receiver has a particular scent preference before jetting off on a spree.

6. A Santa hat or holiday-themed clothing

Need we say more?

Holiday sweaters and hats are apt in the season, but a strict no-no as a gift. If you are bent on getting clothing as a gift, go for a scarf, free-sized cardigan or even comfy socks that will surely come in handy all year round. If all else fails, a gift card will suffice for the receiver to shop to their heart’s content. Do ensure that the gift card has a reasonable expiration period!

Well, we sincerely hope this has given you some insight into gifting ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ for the festive season. Granted, there are no 'perfect' gifts and we want to express gratitude for all the gifts received nonetheless. Happy Holidays to all!