Five holiday gifts to never give anyone

If you’re trying to rush around Dallas this weekend to pick up those last few gifts for friends and family, you may be struggling. We can’t tell you what to buy, but we can tell you a few things you should stay far away from this holiday. Nobody likes the following gifts, so do yourself a favor and avoid them. Your recipients will thank you!

1. Something they cannot return. If you’re going to purchase a gift from a major store, make sure it comes with a gift receipt. No matter how perfect the present might seem, you never know how your friend will feel. I have a cousin who takes back every single gift she gets, even if she likes it! Plus, providing that gift receipt proves that you are not re-gifting something you were given that you do not want.
2. Cutesy PJs. We all have pajamas, even if we sleep naked. Buying thematic or brightly colored pajamas as a holiday gift screams: “I couldn’t decide what to get you, so here are some pajamas you will probably never ever wear! They were on sale!” Exception: they’re for your significant other and you are tired of the holes and stains in their old pjs.
3. Homemade food. There’s already too much food around during the holidays, so don’t encourage seasonal obesity even further by serving up your favorite fruitcake or homemade fudge as a gift. Also, people are always sketchy about food products from other people’s kitchen, unless you have a tradition of doling out peanut brittle for all at holiday time.
4. Self-improvement books or products. Even if your best friend tells you over and over again that she needs to lose ten pounds, buying her a talking scale isn’t the way to motivate her in the new year. The better gift in this situation would be a new workout outfit and an offer to walk or jog with her several days a week. Bottom line: Never buy anyone a gift that could make them feel bad about themselves.
5. Something for your significant other that’s really for you. This is just selfish. Yeah, you might want your boyfriend or girlfriend to get into your favorite video game/sport/TV series/author etc., but gifting them with something that is really a present for you won’t be something they’ll appreciate. Unless they’ve specifically asked for that themed t-shirt, DVD or book, just don’t do it.