# How should I tell people that I don't want any presents?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-tell-people-that-i-dont-want-any-presents/429663>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 11, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-tell-people-that-i-dont-want-any-presents/429663 "2007-12-11T22:06:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-tell-people-that-i-dont-want-any-presents/429663/1 "2007-12-11T22:06:10Z")

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Okay, my friend/boyfriend is coming to stay with me on Christmas Eve, he lives about 40 miles away and we see each other a few times a month.

Anyway, this is our first Christmas and he knows that I’m not a holiday type person, but we have not discussed it at length. I don’t buy Christmas presents for people and I just know he’ll show up with something for me and I’ll feel bad because I don’t have anything for him.

Would it be rude of me to casually mention that I don’t want a christmas present and also won’t be giving any in return? or should i just suck it up and buy him something he doesn’t really want or need?

Eric

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-tell-people-that-i-dont-want-any-presents/429663/2 "2007-12-11T22:10:11Z")

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Here’s a wacky idea – maybe you could discuss it with him instead of deciding it by yourself. “I’m really not into Christmas – how do you feel about it? Would you like to go out for a nice dinner instead of exchanging presents?”