Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Say the right things
• Part 2 of 4: React emotionally
• Part 3 of 4: Dealing with the gift
• Part 4 of 4: Avoid repeated bad gifts
• Warnings

Your great aunt knitted you the world's ugliest sweater. Your friend has given you a CD from a band you can't stand. Your children are waiting hopefully for a happy response to your new green-pink polka dot tie. Your neighbor has given you a pair of itchy green socks for the tenth time. Almost everyone will receive a bad gift at some point, but that doesn't mean you should make the giver feel bad as well.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Say the right things

1. Say "thank you". Every gift deserves a thank you. Look the giver in the eye and be as direct as you would be with any other toning of appreciation.
   • You can say, "Thank you! I really appreciate this."
   • You may want to say something about the kindness and generosity of the giver / gift; "What a generous gift!" or, "How sweet of you!"
2. Respond to the thought behind the gift. If you have a hard time showing joy and appreciation for a gift that you will never use or have never wanted, try to appreciate the thought behind it. It is always possible to express a few words of thanks for the thought behind the gift.
   • "Thank you! What a thoughtful gift!"
   • "I really appreciate you thinking of me!"
3. Appreciate the purpose of the gift. Think about why the person gave you this gift and thank them for it. Even though the giver made a bad choice, he or she probably had at least one good reason for it.
   • "You must have remembered that I love chocolate!"
   • "Thank you for these colorful socks; you know I like to keep my feet warm."
   • "Thanks for the CD! I am always expanding my collection."
4. Ask questions. Ask your giver questions about the gift and how he or she got it. This is a good distraction so you don't have to talk about whether you like it or not, how often you'll use it, and so on. Ask him or her where he or she bought it, if he or she owns one, or how best to use it (if applicable). In general, the best choice is to put the burden of the conversation on the giver, not yourself, when it comes to a gift you don't like.
   • "Do you have this CD too? Which track do you like best?"
   • "I don't think I've ever seen socks like that before; where did you buy them?
   • "I certainly don't have a sweater like this - how long did it take you to knit it? How long have you been knitting?"
5. Lie if you are comfortable with it. If you don't have a moral problem with telling little lies to guard the feelings of people with good intentions, just say you like it. Most people consider it polite to tell little lies about gifts instead of telling the giver that you are disappointed.
   • However, avoid telling a big lie. Say you love the gift, but don't say it's the best gift you've ever received or that you're going to use it every day.
   • If you're not lying, just avoid saying you hate the gift.
   • "Thank you! What a great gift."
   • "This is beautiful, thank you! Where did you find it?"
6. Speak the truth when you and the giver are close. If the person who gave you the gift knows you well and you are very close, just tell them the truth if they insist on it. You can laugh about it together.
   • A bad gift isn't a big deal, but it can become one if you lie about it.
7. Put off questions. If the giver feels that you don't like the gift, he or she may start asking you questions about whether you "really like" it, or when you will use it. Either tell a very small lie, or avoid his or her questions with more questions so you don't have to answer.
   • If you can, lead him or her to offer a suggestion on how and when to best use your gift. Then offer a quick "I sure will," and move on.
   • In the case of a gift that is clearly meant to be mean, it's okay to let go of politeness and respect. Don't be afraid to tell the giver to keep the gift.

Part 2 of 4: React emotionally

1. Respond immediately. Immediately thank the giver when you open the gift. If you unpack it and then pause, you will seem disappointed.
2. Make eye contact. Look your giver in the eye when you thank him or her! If you don't like the gift, you probably won't look at the gift itself with admiration, but you can always look at the giver's face and appreciate his or her kindness.
3. Smile if you can. If you are a good actor, smile at the person who gave it to you.It can help to remind yourself that he or she was trying to make you happy! That in itself is a gift. Only smile if you can do it reasonably naturally.
   • Don't force a smile! That will look fake.
4. As a thank you, give the giver a hug. If you're a bad actor, one way to hide your face and disappointment while expressing your appreciation is to give the giver a hug. If you know the giver well enough to give him or her a hug, hug him or her immediately after opening the gift.
   • A hug is genuine - it's a loving way to let the giver know that you appreciate the love behind the gift.
5. Behave naturally. You don't have to show fake enthusiasm. Instead, radiate warmth for the kindness of the giver, who is trying to make you happy with a gift. Think to yourself, "he / she wanted to make me happy by giving me this."
   • Smile if you can. If you're a bad actor, just thank the giver.

Part 3 of 4: Dealing with the gift

1. Send a thank you note. While this is good advice for whatever gift you receive, a thank-you note is especially important for gifts you aren't a fan of. This will rest some (or all) of the giver's concerns about your attitude toward the gift (or toward the giver for giving it). Send the note about a week after receiving the gift. As when you received the gift, say more about the thought behind the gift than the gift itself. Don't be specific about what you give / did with the gift afterwards, for example just, "I enjoy it."
   • "Thank you so much for coming over to spend some time together. I can't believe you went to so much trouble to knit something for me - thank you again."
   • "I just wanted to say thank you for stopping by recently. I really appreciate you making the effort to buy me a present, I am happy to have another CD for my collection."
2. Pass it on to someone else. If you really want to get rid of the gift immediately, you can always pass it on to someone else. Just be careful and make sure that no one finds out about this. Even though you were honest about your feelings from the start, it is seen as cheap and insincere to pass on a gift that was already given to you. At the very least, make sure that whoever you're passing it on to for real will appreciate. Your only defense in this situation is to genuinely insist that you gave it to someone who will really enjoy it. Either that, or donate it to a charity.
3. Let time pass. Most of the time, the anxiety and uneasiness of giving a gift only stays with that one moment. Over time, most people begin to appreciate the idea of ​​the gift, realizing (as it should be) that it really is the thought that counts. So if you haven't been honest from the start, don't be afraid to let your real feelings surface afterward when urged.
   • Tell the giver that you tried out the gift but didn't like it anyway. Pretend this is as big a surprise to you as it is to the giver when you tell him or her.
   • Do your best to keep the situation light, but never make it seem like you are sorry that you received a gift. A thoughtful but unwanted gift is always better than no present.
   • Ask the donor if he or she would like it back. If it's something the giver would like or use for themselves, offer to return it. Most people will say no out of courtesy, and you will have to accept this. Never try to impose it or you will come across as rude.

Part 4 of 4: Avoid repeated bad gifts

1. Make a wish list. Depending on the situation, such as your birthday or the winter holidays, it may be appropriate to have a wish list. This does not necessarily have to be a real list, but have an idea of ​​what you would like to receive. Make it clear to your friends and family who really can't buy good gifts what you want from them. If you really want to simply avoid a bad gift, make your suggestion something cheap and easy to find.
   • "I'm still working on the last CD you gave me. But I'm really looking forward to the next album by [artist name], which should be released before Christmas."
   • "I really like those socks you gave me, I always wear them at home. But there are a few shoes that I really want; I think they are sold at [store name]."
2. Take good gifts as an example. Go the extra mile to find just the right gift for that one bad donor. Don't be afraid to ask, "What would you like?" If he or she tries to get out of it or says everything is okay, insist. Everyone always has something in your mind, so find out what that is. Hopefully he or she will make the same effort when it comes time to give you a gift.
3. Be clear. If the giver doesn't want to stop, it may be time to speak up before you have a room full of unwanted gifts. Hopefully you know the giver well enough to explain without offending him or her. If not, be prepared that he or she will get upset, even if it isn't actually justified. Speak to him or her privately for a while after you received the gift, and sincerely tell him or her, "I'm not sure this gift is right for me."
   • "You know I love music, but this is just not my style. I like [music style] more".
   • "I can't thank you enough for this self-knitted sweater, but I'm not sure it will fit in my wardrobe."
   • "I think I have to be honest: I have never found a way to combine the socks you gave me with the clothes I wear. I really appreciate the gift, but I don't need more of these socks. . "

Warnings

• If the person you received the gift from is someone you are in a very close relationship with or someone you see often, it is probably the best choice to be direct about your feelings about the gift.
• If you choose to pass the gift on to someone else, give it to someone from another circle of friends or someone from another part of your life. Give it to someone who will most likely be out of touch with the person who originally gave you the gift.