How to avoid being the worst Christmas gift-giver of all time

They say it’s better to give than to receive, but Pat Cashman and Lisa foster, filling in for Dori, discussed some terrible presents from friends and relatives that can really put a damper on your Christmas cheer.

Lisa’s worst gift came from her ex-husband who didn’t pick up the hint that she wanted a copy of The Sound of Music soundtrack.

“I was in love with the soundtrack and I made lots of comments about how in love I was with the soundtrack of The Sound of Music,” said Lisa.

She spent all December singing ‘The Hills Are Alive’ and ‘Maria’ but on Christmas morning when she unwrapped a cassette-shaped package, it turned out to be an AC/DC album.

“He bought it for himself, not for me,” said Lisa.

Pat Cashman and his TV station co-workers were once gifted a big, beautiful turkey by a colleague. It was a lovely Christmas snack until they found out, mid-bite, that it was crawling with maggots.

“We don’t know the story, the guy was just trying to be nice,” said Pat. “Be careful, if you’re going to bring food into your company party, make sure it’s solid.”

Pat had some suggestions for Christmas procrastinators who don’t want their gifts to flop. Many late Christmas shoppers ends up re-gifting, but it can be a disaster if you don’t pay attention to who gave it to you.

“Avoid dead giveaways, in other words don’t re-gift something that has a monogram on it,” joked Pat. “And when you re-gift, re-wrap.”

Sometimes thinking about terrible gifts leaves us feeling ungrateful, since it’s really the thought behind a gift that counts. However, some gifts are so bad they come off thoughtless.

“We just think, what was disturbing these people that they saw that and said, ‘Ah-ha! That is for the Cashmans!'” said Pat.

What you’re saying on Facebook:

Brandy Crane: Wash rags from Costco/Walmart with crotchet borders. And a hideously ugly apron made out of an über flammable material…

Valerie Pruss Wilkin: Legg’s panty hose from my “new” in laws our first Christmas married! I was like…ummmm Thanks!

David H. Wilson: I received someone elses gifts one year, and yes my name was on all of them.

Zachary Morris: Nintendo when I was a kid was the best, the worst was a Michael bolten Christmas album

Kelli McDaniel: My Aunt would go thru my cousin’s closet. She also would go thru her son in law’s stuff to send to me. I don’t mind hand me downs as long as it is something I can use!

Chrissie Major Kristl: I have two: 1st: from a former boyfriend, I was hoping for something personal, romantic, etc. He gave me this random fake leather wallet/purse thing and a glass blown unicorn from a kiosk at the mall. 2nd: from another boyfriend…I spens months knitting him a sweater and finished it around 1:00 am Christmas morning. He gave me a card with 50 bucks. I am so special, right?

Crystal Mullins: The worst I got was from work. Around Christmas time we had a union vote in which the employees voted 80% in favor of the union. Rather than a bonus that year we got a diplomatically worded letter from the company in which they basically told us “screw you, here’s your Christmas present”. Classy.

Kelly West: Nothing. And by that I mean he gave me nothing. Another BF gave me a really ugly Mariners watch. It may have been for a man. Love the M’s but come on. I gave it to the Goodwill.