Christmas Presents

A friend of mine over at Wife, Mom, Knitter posted the other day about some of the worst Christmas presents she has ever received.  I know I have a list too.  The most random is probably the southwestern pink lamp that my uncle gave me, I used it for quite awhile but I never understood why I got it.

My current (as in this has occurred for quite a few years now) gift receiving frustration is from a family member who starts asking what we want for Christmas each year in August and even though we always give a list, Bob and I end up with a gift card to a nationwide chain restaurant which is named after a meat-based dish even though the giver is someone who knows I am a vegetarian and has been told many times that we go to very few chain restaurants.

And in all honesty since I know the giver would like such a gift, we normally hold on to the gift card and give it back the following year, normally with a little something extra.  This normally creates quite a bit of laughter since everyone else knows that the giver is receiving the EXACT same gift card.

So I'm sure that I have given some unwanted gifts before.  We all do it.  But I also try to be simple with my gifts, though I do splurge some on the kids in my life.  The group of friends that get together on New Years (though I haven't been there the last 2 years) normally receive an ornament and some homemade treat.  Bob's parents' normally get a gag gift of some form.  The last few years I have given my mom uglier and uglier Christmas decorations (and yes mom if you read this you are more than likely getting one again this year).

For me I like gifts to be a way that people know that I care about them, so often they are handmade. Sometimes the items aren't what was on their wish list or not useful but I try to make it about them personally. But occasionally there is something that I find that I know will be perfect for the receiver and so I splurge or will go above and beyond in making something.

So how about you?  What is your gift-giving goal?  And what are some bad gifts you have given or received?