The holiday season is approaching, meaning it will soon be time to gather around the Christmas tree and open gifts from our loved ones. As beautiful as that may sound, some presents can be a hit or miss.

Some gift-givers will wrap absolutely anything to have something under the Christmas tree. Many people have been victims of shockingly thoughtless presents, and here are ten of the worst Christmas gifts people have received.

1. An Engagement ring

An engagement ring might seem expensive and nice, but only if it was intentionally bought for you. A Reddit user revealed that an ex-girlfriend gave him an engagement ring for Christmas to send a message.

The boyfriend explained that specific instructions accompanied the ring on how and when the proposal should occur. Besides their rocky relationship, which ended right after the holidays, the Redditor said, “Who the hell buys a ring for someone to give back to them? It’s just bad gifting.”

2. A Rock

Gift-giving can be expensive, and some people are great at creating free yet thoughtful gifts. However, this Reddit poster did not feel that her aunt put any care into her Christmas gift. The Redditor said her aunt had gifted her two older cousins with scarves and left her to open her gift last.

As everyone patiently waited for her to unwrap her present, the Redditor found a rock and said nothing, waiting for someone to laugh off the joke. Instead, the aunt said, “Isn’t it wonderful??. She also added that she dug it out of the garden and knew the Reddior would love it.

3. A used Cookbook

A mix of excitement and curiosity often accompanies the anticipation of receiving gifts during the holiday season. In this scenario, a Reddit user found herself in an unexpected situation when she received a present that contrasted sharply with the extravagant present bestowed upon her little sister.

Hand-me-down gifts can be unique, but this Redditor did not expect to be gifted a used cookbook after her little sister had received a complete snowboarding set.

4. Expired Cookie Mix

In a peculiar twist of holiday gifting, this Reddit user received a present that deviated significantly from the typical festive offerings. The user humorously recounts their experience of unwrapping a gift that held a surprise while falling under the category of a common pantry item.

The poster candidly shared, “I kid you not…you. I got an expired cookie mix. One packet of oatmeal.” This quirky revelation adds a touch of irony to the holiday season, as the traditionally joyous act of exchanging gifts took an amusing turn.

5. Yarn

In a well-intentioned attempt to assist their mother in finding the perfect Christmas gift for their 13-year-old sister, a Reddit user inadvertently sparked an unexpected chain of events. When asked about their sister’s interests, the user shared that she enjoyed sewing.

Little did they anticipate that this innocent suggestion would result in a collective family decision to shower the young seamstress with an abundance of yarn. There was so much of it that they still had yarn two years later!

6. A Label From a Gift Card

One Reddit shared a memorable experience from their 18th Christmas, offering a glimpse into the unexpected nature of their grandmother’s present.

As they eagerly unwrapped the gift, they discovered a label from a gift card, cleverly affixed to a toilet paper roll and meticulously wrapped as if it were a conventional present. The sadder part was that the rest of the siblings had received actual gift cards.

7. A Packet of Plastic Rainbow Bendy Straws

A mother was angry that the father of her children brought back the kids three days later than they had agreed from his holiday with them. So she took out her frustrations on the kids and bought them each a packet of plastic rainbow bendy straws for Christmas.

One of her children made flutes from the straws, making a mess. The child was convinced that the mother lived to regret buying those straws, even though she did not say anything about it.

8. An Unwrapped Suitcase

When they were ten, the Redditor recounted that their grandparents had given them an unwrapped suitcase. While the gift was not a bad idea, what happened next differed from what they had expected.

Notably, the practicality of the gift became apparent when they observed that the very same suitcase had been repurposed to contain the wrapped gifts for their other siblings.

9. Motel Shampoo and An Adult Men’s Shirt

As a nine-year-old girl, this Redditor shared the tale of a unique gift bestowed upon them by their father. The Redditor had received a motel shampoo and an adult t-shirt from her father for Christmas.

The contrast between the innocence of a young child and the practicality of motel amenities and adult clothing adds a layer of complexity to this holiday story. One can’t help but wonder about the father’s thought process behind this unusual pairing.

10. Used MMA Magazine and a Used Forrest Gump DVD

Another Redditor explained the story behind her horrible gift. She said she and her boyfriend had just started dating, so there were no high expectations of what they could gift each other.

Her boyfriend traveled a lot, and this was before there were smartphones with built-in GPS, so she thought of getting him a practical gift and splurged on a Garmin watch. Since the boyfriend traveled a lot, the couple could not see each other on Christmas and only exchanged gifts a few days later.

The girlfriend was so excited to see him that she forgot the gift at home on the day they met and apologized for it. Her boyfriend did not make a fuss and brought out her gifts. She recalled:

“He goes into the other room and comes back with two wrapped gifts. I noticed some of the paper was messed up like it had been rewrapped […] I carefully unwrapped the first package.”

She found a used MMA magazine and a used Forrest Gump DVD. The man went on to say that he got bored and watched the DVD. She was shocked and disappointed, so the next day, she returned the Garmin watch for a full refund, and they broke up.

These stories shed light on the often unpredictable nature of holiday gift-giving, where good intentions can sometimes result in surprising and occasionally comical outcomes. It reminds us that the thought behind a gift can be just as impactful as the gift itself.

While some stories evoke laughter, others underscore the importance of communication and understanding in exchanging presents during the holiday season. Some holiday seasons sometimes go differently than planned. Click here to read about people’s Christmas disaster stories.