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“A Gym Membership”: 70 Of The Most Insensitive And Tasteless Presents People Have Gifted Others
Interview
We’ve all heard that “it’s the thought that counts” when it comes to giving loved ones presents. As long as you choose or make something that you truly believe they will love, the gift will certainly be appreciated. But apparently, not everyone is capable of giving a gift from the heart.
Reddit users have recently been recalling the most tasteless and inappropriate gifts they’ve ever received, so we’ve gathered their wildest replies below. From presents that are completely inappropriate for children to gifts that clearly took absolutely no effort, the people who gave these out definitely deserved to find coal in their stockings on Christmas morning. Enjoy scrolling through this list of what not to give your loved ones, and be sure to upvote the stories that inspire you to step up your own gifting game!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
My friend, who is a recovering alcoholic received a bottle of whiskey from their sibling. The room went quiet.
RELATED:
#2
My cousin lost her hair during cancer treatment and still her parents got her hair products for her birthday.
#3
I watched a friend's sister gift her an already scratched off scratch off ticket for he birthday. When asked why she replied "well I didn't want to give it up if you won a bunch of money." I laughed out loud and when I got an icy stare I realized she was serious.
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we got in touch with the Reddit user who invited others to share the worst Christmas presents they've ever received, Xjuggernaughtx.
"Waiting for a report to run at work, I was day-dreaming," the author told Bored Panda. "I was thinking back to a present that I received once when I was briefly living with a family that my mom was going to marry into (she didn't go through with it). It was so mind-bogglingly terrible that it stuck out in my mind. It got me wondering how many other people had such distinct memories of similar gifts. I figured that there would be some good stories in those responses."
#4
My sister gave me library books for Christmas and told me I would need to return them or renew them in two days.
#5
My mother offered to pay for liposuction as my "birthday gift" in front of everyone. I don't need or want liposuction. I've never even been overweight.
#6
My brother gave me a stuffed opossum that is paddling a canoe. I named him George Washington Jr.
So what was the terrible present that the author still remembers many years later? "The gift that I received was a brightly colored African-style T-shirt," they shared. "At the time, I was an angsty sixteen-year-old metalhead who pretty much only wore black band shirts and black jeans. I really didn't like the family that I was living with, and they didn't like me, so it was absolutely a gift that was meant to [upset me]. And that's fine, I guess. It's not like I was being cool to them either, so it's whatever."
#7
My aunt (retired teacher) was visiting over Christmas. She spent Christmas day with us. My wife and I spent $50 on a gift basket for her. It had mugs, cheeses, crackers, spreads, teas and other assorted stuff. The next day, we went to visit my grandfather (my aunts dad). She was there as well. When my grandfather opened his gift, lo and behold, it was the gift basket with about 1/3rd of the stuff removed. So she kept what she liked and regifted the basket to her father in front of my wife and I. This also means she didn't spend one cent on her father for Christmas. My wife and I were both looking at each other with jaws dropped, but we were too polite to say anything.
#8
10 years ago my mom got me a bathroom scale for Christmas. I was exactly 2 weeks postpartum. She gifted my sister a designer purse, laptop and 400 in cash.
#9
Prenatal vitamins for their daughter in law. They knew about the troubles conceiving. Horrible people.
KatSaidThat 3 hours ago
Just... wow. I almost downvoted this until I realised this needs upvoting and it's not a like.
Next, we asked Xjuggernaughtx what they thought of the replies to their post. "To be honest, I thought that the responses would be funnier," they revealed. "I was prepared to read through them while chuckling. However, I found most of them to be pretty sad. They really displayed a lot more callousness, or possibly mental illness, than I expected."
#10
My sister got a word calendar from her "so smart" boyfriend for Christmas. Nothing else. He said, " it's so you can understand me better"
I almost wrung his little neck.
#11
My best friend used to host Christmas for her in-laws, and that included grand-ma-in-law. One year granny apparently just grabbed something out of her closet and wrapped it, so my friend got a dusty, stiff with disuse, out of style purse. Complete with a used tissue and a poker chip inside. Her MIL tried to salvage the situation by saying, "oh WOW, you got the *lucky poker chip*!!!! but no one bought that act.
#12
My mom took me shopping, and had me try on pajamas - she said they were for my cousin, we were approximately the same size. I made a comment about not liking them, but hoped my cousin would enjoy them.
I received those exact pajamas for a gift.
Child of the Stars 3 hours ago
My kids and I have a tradition of pjs, a movie, and their favorite candy as a Christmas Eve gift. But I always try to get jammies I legitimately think they'll love. This year, my Minecraft-obsessed 7yo got creeper jammies and my goth 12yo got skulls.
"I feel bad for the many people that responded that received a can of chicken soup for their birthday or whatever it was for them," the author continued. "It really says something about the human condition when multiple people received scratchers that had already been used with the explanation that the gifter was going to keep them if they had been winning tickets. So without winning, the giftee just received garbage."
"It takes a really [messed up] person to give a gift like that, and there were a LOT of responses in the 'I basically received this person's garbage' category," the author added. "By the end, I was regretting having asked that question because I found the responses so depressing."
#13
One year my uncle gave espresso machines to four different people. After the first person opened theirs he gave a long speech about how much research he did to find out that it was the best espresso machine on the market. The next two people got the same machine. His girlfriend opened hers last and it was a different espresso machine, so clearly not as good as the other three. They broke up soon after.
#14
Last year for office secret santa I got an opened and half eaten box of chocolates. There is no office secret santa this year.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 5 hours ago
Just had our work secret Santa. I always make sure we have a couple of boxes of ‘stunt’ chocolates, ready to jump in and take the place of any missing gifts or ones that are particularly mean.
#15
My elderly mother gave her life long friend a pair of fluffy socks for Christmas. I didn’t see it happen but my mother was describing how soft they were.
Conversation:
Me: Socks?
My mom: yes. Her favorite color too.
Me: For Kay?
My mom: Yes!
Me: Mom, think about it….
Mom: What? Oh…..
Kay lost her legs below the knees in an accident when she was young.
Kay, being the kind soul she was didn’t point out the error. My mom said she never thinks about her missing her legs (obviously!).
#16
My 18th birthday my parents took me to a car dealership to pick out a (used) car, decided it was too much after all, then we left. The only gift I got for my 18th birthday was from my girlfriend. I don't understand how they thought they might be able to get me a car, not even looking at the prices beforehand then, when they figured they couldn't do that, just got me nothing. How could they have been so thoughtfully thoughtless (thoughtlessly thoughtful?)? It's the fact that they got my hopes up, dashed them, and didn't even try something else when it didn't work out. That was 20 years ago and it still bothers me.
#17
My office was absolutely positive that she was pregnant. She wasn’t. They all got her a car seat.
She laughed it off like a pro, and has a niece on the way that she needed a seat for.
sturmwesen 6 hours ago
When I had the role as a safety and health person at work I asked our assigned doctor what to do if I THINK one might be pregnant but am not sure, because she didn't inform us. He told me if she looks pregnant she is and to have her sign the forms. no way in hell... I wrote a company wide email instead reminding everyone to let us know if they are pregnant, so we can take precautions (as is the law)... spoiler: she wasn't pregnant
#18
An uncle gave me a printed zip code directory for Christmas. I was 10.
Child of the Stars 3 hours ago
How old was said uncle? My grandpa (who was about 90 at the time and suffering from age-related dementia) gifted my then -5yo an old Rolo-deck. This was in 2018, so my 5yo obviously had no idea what it was.
#19
A $15 Starbucks gift card. This was after the receiver had gifted the person a brand new iPad that they knew they wanted. Worst part is the person isn’t a big coffee drinker. I was shocked as was everyone else that knew the situation.
#20
Not me but someone at work received a pack of batteries in a Yankee swap 8years ago. The budget was $25 and when everyone figured out who brought it... Let's say it was a well compensated leader 😶 It was the most swapped item.
Child of the Stars 3 hours ago
While I personally hate these kinds of games, this (to me) actually seems like a really good idea. You avoid potential food allergies from things like candy, scent-sensitivities (colognes/perfumes/candles), alcohol to a co-worker in recovery (some people prefer not to advertise it), etc (you get the idea). And batteries are inherently useful. Everyone has something that uses batteries and in my experience, AA seem to be the most common.
#21
Me, a dude, on my 17th birthday. Received a gift card to a women's clothing store that had gone out of business.
#22
My grandparents bought me lingerie. And encouraged me to show everyone what I got. I was 16.
#23
My grandmother gave my brother a tea towel for Christmas when he was 8. She was a weird stingy old rich lady. She did not have any memory issues at that point.
Nils Skirnir 6 hours ago
A lot of folks who grew up when money was tight or lived through the Great Depression are tight with money. Sometimes they’re just a-holes though
#24
I mean, these make mine pale in comparison, but here's mine anyways. I once received a belt that was way too small. It was my only gift... I sat there while everyone opened gift after gift, admiring my tiny belt.
#25
My in-laws gave everyone Trump Bibles last X-mas.
Tucker Cahooter 5 hours ago
The same as a regular bible except all references to "Jesus" have been replaced with "President Donald J Trump" and every tenth word is in capitals
#26
I personally received a tube of caulk from an elderly relative. I knew exactly what it was before opening it and took my sweet time, thinking of what to say.
#27
My wife likes to tell the story of the time I got her a vacuum for her birthday when we were dating.
She always leaves out the part where she specifically asked for that model vacuum. I still think she was playing the long game, hoping to be able to tell that story for the rest of our lives.
#28
My brother gave me a Job Hunting for Dummies book for Xmas between 2008 and 2012.
Yep. Threw that one in the thrift store pile after having a depressive breakdown due to trying to land a job, any job, during a horrific time in my life.
#29
My cousin bought his mom a book only knowing that it was a big bestseller and popular so it must be good. It was 50 Shades of Grey.
Beak Hookage 6 hours ago
My mum bought that book because she thought it was a crime thriller. Boy was she ticked off when Christian Grey's creepy, suspicious as hell behaviour did not turn out to be leading up to a story about a serial k1ller.
#30
My ex’s mother hated me - the feelings were mutual. I went from weighing 120 to 140lbs. She bought me gym clothes…..sized 4X. FOUR X.
#31
I've been in the Army since 2007 and unable to grow a beard due to appearance and grooming regulations.
My mom got me beard oil for Christmas in 2018.
I don't have a relationship with her anymore.
#32
Relative gave his wife a gym membership for Christmas after she put on weight.
Tears and violence!
Beak Hookage 6 hours ago
I hope the "gift" giver was the one on the receiving end of the violence.
#33
My sister in law once gave my husband, for his birthday, two books. One was about financial planning, which, fine, I guess. The other??? I had recently been diagnosed with autism as an adult and she gave him a book on parenting toddlers. I wish I was kidding. He opened them in front of the two of us and she said that it was advice on how to “deal with” me.
Beak Hookage 6 hours ago
And people wonder why me, an autistic person, gets so massively set off by being infantilised. 🙄
#34
For his 20th wedding anniversary my father bought my mother a used dirt bike. She rode one in her teens so I’ll give him that. But a 40yo woman for her 20th wedding anniversary? Yeah so I got a dirt bike.
#35
A religious, expensive cross necklace given to a known atheist as a birthday "gift". That's not a gift. That's turning someone's birthday into a pulpit. Bonus for upping the pressure by getting an expensive one and making a big deal about it. Just skip the gift entirely at that point.
#36
Granted it was a white elephant exchange, but I had a 52 yo male coworker get a giant poster of a shirtless Zach and Slater from Saved By the Bell. This was circa 2008, so how such a thing existed still escapes me.
#37
My neighbor’s husband bought her a shirt folding device so that she could fold his shirts better. This was a Christmas gift from him to her, and he saw no issue with it.
#38
For Christmas from her dad my wife got a Tool Kit when she was maybe 8 and her sister got a Barbie.
40+ years later she remembers that.
#40
My dad received a microfibre cloth and car ‘shampoo’ from his mother for his 40th Birthday.
I’d never seen him cry before that.
#41
I once attended a white elephant where the limit was $50 and one of the participants literally got stuff from her house that equaled that much. It was a gift bag with a bar of soap, two boxes of pasta, a can of raid, and dish scrub pads. There might have been more spare stuff but terrible gift. That gift screwed over the recipient and the giver ended up with the best gift, a massager with a Starbucks gift card.
#42
A dirty used apple slicer from a hoarder in-law.
Mother in law would buy gifts I was allergic to (like scented lotions, etc). I would open the gift, say thank you. She would announce to everyone that I can’t like it because I am allergic, would walk over, take the gift back and place by her chair. It was so weird.
#43
I was 30 and single and came in from out of state for Christmas. One gift I got from my parents was a year’s subscription to an online dating site.
I almost packed up and drove away on Christmas morning.
#44
My uncle gave me a box of Turtles one year - chocolate, caramel, and pecans. I'm allergic to nuts. I gave them to my grandma.
#45
For my 30th birthday my then girlfriend gave me a cheap book of spiral bound notebook paper and a cheap Bic pen. She said it was a journal. By far the worst gift I’ve been given, at least get a nice journal instead of freaking notebook paper.
#46
A relative survived cancer (yay!), and that Christmas received a gift from his sister-in-law, which was just a card that said, "I'll give you the greatest gift of all - having survived cancer."
The rest of us at least got something like a coffee mug with our names on it from her, but he just got the card.
#47
I had a girlfriend in college who was really into horror movies, in particular Freddy Kruger for some reason. I wasn’t a huge fan or understood her obsession with the character, but I got her a really well made replica of Freddy’s sweater (actually really cozy despite the tears). Now for my birthday she knows my art and videogame and general style, yet when I opened my gift it was a Nightmare on Elm Street DVD. Noting I have already watched her copy twice over these years with here, and I didn’t keep a movie collection as I rarely watch movies more than once. Like I get that she was trying to share herself in a way… but I realized then it’s always been about her and never about us or me. I broke up soon after. .
#48
When my parents Christmas shop for each other, they go practical, stuff we need around the house. Dad got mom a plunger one year, wrapped it to the point where you knew it was a plunger lmao. Mom was obvs in good spirits with it.
#49
Ex-boyfriend’s dad had to have an above the knee amputation of one of this legs.
When we bring him home from the hospital, we pull into the driveway to see his neighbor (who was aware of the amputation) standing there with a brand new bicycle, red bow and everything.
#50
A colleague got his wife a week in “fat camp” - she had not asked for it and he was surprised she wasn’t happy….
#51
My gift at a work Yankee swap were two small cans of off-brand air freshener sprays. Of course no one wanted to steal my present. I stopped at the drugstore on my way home from work and these same two cans were sitting on the clearance rack. They went into the donation pile as soon as I got home.
#52
Drew names for Christmas with my extended family. 18 of us. It was the practical and fun thing to do.
I was the only person to not get a gift.
#53
My great grandmother who is mentally aware and fit(no issues) gave me a pair of tool plyers when I was 13 y/o. My brother and cousins got board games and gift cards. I was the oldest child but that side of the family always gave me gifts that were obvious they did not like me. For my 15th birthday my grandmother gave me an open board game with clearance tags from five below. She gave my brother $50 on MY birthday, in front of me and said, this is just because.
Maybe I am adopted or something else.
#54
My senior year of high school my (relatively small) class decided to do secret Santa.
On the exchange day I received a bag full on chintzy Channukah merchandise.
Despite filling out the sheet describing my interests/likes, my secret Santa (the organizer!!!) decided my defining interest/trait was that I was Jewish.
It’s been years and it still annoys me to think about.
#55
My ex and I split up in September 2020, and my brother gifted *to him* a book on what changes to make on yourself to save your marriage! I opted to not give it to him lol.
#56
A surprise dog as a birthday present to a 6 year old. Mom knew, Dad was just as surprised as the kid when a huge puppy came bounding up. They’d recently bought a house so had a new, expensive mortgage. Dad was the only one who worked. The look on dad’s face was absolutely priceless.
Child of the Stars 2 hours ago
Oh. Oh no. Pets (like children) should ALWAYS be agreed on beforehand.
#57
Gold teeth from a deceased patient who was under their care.
#58
My narcissistic mum gave my auntie fruit a few years ago for her birthday. Turns out the fruit was going mouldy and had fruit flies. Why did she even give that to her in the 1st place idk.
#59
I got a 2x2ft tarp once.
I was 13 and told I could use it to make a fort outside.
I still chuckle lol.
Child of the Stars 2 hours ago (edited)
I need more context here. If someone's only experience with kids is from their own childhood and doesn't know the kid they're buying for very well, they could be gifting from what they enjoyed at the same age. Another situation of "it's the thought that counts."
#60
MIL gifted my son (19) Doctor Who tree ornaments because SHE likes the show... son probably didn't even take them home.
#61
Not traumatically bad but two I can think of are from work gift exchanges.
First one, we had a $20 limit gift exchange. Since the company was small employee SOs were allowed to participate. GF of a co-workers gave a picture of a sunset. Not like a framed one, like a literal lackluster developed photo of a sunset. The photo was so bad it took several of us awhile to understand what it was. She figured that since her son won a $20 GC for that photo in some school event it was worth $20.
Another company gift exchanges. Like before, this was a regular gift exchange but this time with a $30 limit. One coworker decided it’d be funny to buy a chipped and broken precocious moments stature from the Goodwill store. So everyone got relatively nice gifts except one guy who ended up with literal trash. .
#63
The setting was loose on my mom’s engagement ring, so my dad took it in to be repaired. He surprised her by adding my sister and I’s birthstones to it. To say she was DEVASTATED would be an understatement. This regularly stoic businesswoman cried her eyes out.
#64
My mom once gave me a glass vase stuffed with moldy potpourri and a string of Christmas lights. It had a cheap doiley over the top secured by a rubber band.
It was supposedly a DIY air freshener that her friend made to make money. The idea being that the Christmas lights would heat up the potpourri and make the area smell like moldy potpourri. Every part of it was just absolute garbage.
I looked at it and immediately thought, 'This is a fire hazard.' I also thought it was a joke at first. .
#65
Nothing. Context: Our group of friends did Secret Santa. One guy showed up to the party without a gift for his “recipient”… but with a $2,000 laptop he bought for himself and wanted to show off.
#66
Husband’s parents are divorced. His mom always throws and pays for her own birthday dinners and always invites his dad. One year, his dad got her a single bottle of febreeze. His dinner alone probably cost her $45.
#67
Secret Santa at work. The general manager bought rotating push up handles for the person whose name he drew. The recipient was a young man was overweight and very self conscious about it. We all gasped when he opened the package.
#68
Mom got my older sister a toothbrush for Christmas once. She was in her 50s when this happened.
#69
My step grandparents thought it was my sister's birthday, so they brought gifts for her on my birthday.
#70
A dead fish.
My Mom got my sister a whole new tank setup, and placed the fish in a small bowl (following the directions from the Pet store.) she then put the bowl in a gift box early Christmas morning before my sister woke up.
Between then and when she opened the box the fish jumped out of the bowl.
Child of the Stars 2 hours ago
This just seems like an accident rather than thoughtless or mean.
What do you think ?
Lost Panda 6 hours ago (edited)
A few Christmases(Christmas'?) back, Mrs. Lost Panda got me bacon bits, SPAM, and a can of chili. Can't be mad though, since I do love those things. I ended up splitting it with the kids. She said she didn't know what to get me, so that was what she got me.
Child of the Stars 2 hours ago
Unless malice and thoughtlessness is specified in a given post, I can think of valid, non-malicious possibilities or thoughts behind a lot of these.
Lost Panda 6 hours ago (edited)
A few Christmases(Christmas'?) back, Mrs. Lost Panda got me bacon bits, SPAM, and a can of chili. Can't be mad though, since I do love those things. I ended up splitting it with the kids. She said she didn't know what to get me, so that was what she got me.
Child of the Stars 2 hours ago
Unless malice and thoughtlessness is specified in a given post, I can think of valid, non-malicious possibilities or thoughts behind a lot of these.
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