# MEAN Christmas presents **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 19, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779 "2011-12-19T23:03:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/61 "2011-12-20T23:42:38Z")
Yeah, if there was a miscarriage, that would be even more cruel. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/62 "2011-12-20T23:46:41Z")
worse, my birthday some foul substance in a jar, from a nice lady at work, a green joke gone too far? then I laughed it off… what would i do now?.. At another work environment, Dennis the very nice gay supervisor got an empty bottle of Dom Perignon from some nice lady…again we were all 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/63 "2011-12-21T00:56:39Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > For the past few years, my mother, who is devoutly Catholic, has been giving my brother-in-law (an atheist) books on religion. Usually the “here’s a story of someone who was atheist and then saw the error of his ways!” sort of thing. The first time, he shrugged it off as her being quirky, but after the third or fourth such gift, he got fairly well pissed off about it. > > We were all going to separately buy Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens books to give to her at this year’s family Christmas party, but for unrelated reasons, the family Christmas party isn’t happening this year. Probably just as well, considering. My sister in law used to give my atheist children (who were toddlers, so they weren’t self identified atheists yet, and my son did turn out to be a “don’t care agnostic” - however, their father had strong opinions on their non-indoctrination - which his sister knew about) Veggie Tales videos. After several of these, we just stopped exchanging gift with her. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/64 "2011-12-21T01:05:48Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > My sister once sent me a box full of birthday presents. It was a box that was originally for a boom box. She at least had the sense to write “That’s not what’s in here” on the box. You were lucky. When my wife and I were first living together, we had basically nothing. We had bought an old tv at Salvation Army, but we didn’t have an antenna or vcr so it was useless. (This would have been Xmas 2001). Well, Xmas morning and we open our gift from my parents. It’s a vcr! Yay! We can finally watch our tv! We open the box, and stuffed inside a set of sheets and a thin acrylic blanket. One of the few things we DIDN’T need. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/65 "2011-12-21T01:16:23Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Yep. > > But I randomly read some of the comments with that video. Someone recalled that the poster of that video commented that the kid actually DID get his Xbox. But I think the kid was too young and they let it go on for way too long for a “you didn’t get it…wait, you DID get it!” kinda joke. A bit older and a few seconds? Not so bad. That age and for a few minutes? Way past funny. Then again, maybe they really were pricks and didn’t get him the Xbox (though all the other gifts visible in the video and the presence of the Xbox box itself make me think he got it). If I recall correctly (and there is absolutely no guarantee of that), the family didn’t get the kid an XBox, but the XBox company heard about this video and gave him one. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/66 "2011-12-21T01:25:54Z")
That fake lotterty ticket… A colleague who was struggling to put her twin daughters through college absolutely screamed primal when her “lottery” ticket was for 10k. She called her friend who gave it to her, she was on the verge of tears she was so happy. Then the friend told her it was a gag gift. I felt so bad for her… this isn’t the Season for that. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/67 "2011-12-21T01:36:20Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > That fake lotterty ticket… > > A colleague who was struggling to put her twin daughters through college absolutely screamed primal when her “lottery” ticket was for 10k. She called her friend who gave it to her, she was on the verge of tears she was so happy. Then the friend told her it was a gag gift. > > I felt so bad for her… this isn’t the Season for that. I had something similar on a much smaller scale happen to me decades ago - I was broke as broke can be, and I thought I found $20 lying on the ground. It turned out to be an ad for some company, made to look like a folded twenty. Then I was broke AND disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/68 "2011-12-21T03:46:24Z")
I am a bit nonplussed at all of the latent hostility displayed in some of these "gag’ gifts. Luckily, I have had minimum exposure to some of the practices here - never have been in a Yankee gift exchange etc. That said, what goes through some folks minds? Why do people think it is cute to humiliate another - especially in this season of “Good Will”. Colour me old, old-fashioned and just downright weird. Is there really some pleasure in seeing someone open a tasteless gift? Surely some of the Ick-factor reflects back on the gifter. While I am on my soap box, in regards to the OP, what kind of office is it that toilet paper is counted? How can you be sure that said lady is purloining the TP?. OK, rant over. Just wanted to touch on a couple of points to vent my lack of understanding of these strange things. Have at it to wise me up. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/69 "2011-12-21T03:58:15Z")
Hate the sooooooo limited edit window. To add, I understand the guffaw- type present. We all know _that_ person. I am wondering about the deliberate digs at another - especially family. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/70 "2011-12-21T04:12:11Z")
The meanest present I got wasn’t for Christmas. My aunt presented me with a big soft package at my baby shower. I was sure it was diapers. I was close. It was Depends. She said after I pushed that 10 pounder out I’d need them for the rest of my life. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/71 "2011-12-21T04:28:17Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If I recall correctly (and there is absolutely no guarantee of that), the family didn’t get the kid an XBox, but the XBox company heard about this video and gave him one. Hmmm, kinda a good news / bad news sorta thing. Good news is the kid got the Xbox. Bad news, kid actually is being raised by assholes. Lets hope their assholishness only extends to their concept of gift giving. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/72 "2011-12-21T04:52:22Z")
> [@King\_Bobo](#): > > Luckily, I have had minimum exposure to some of the practices here - never have been in a Yankee gift exchange etc. “Yankee gift exchanges” don’t have to be mean spirited. My group of friends has always had fun with them. But you need to go in with your big-girl panties on, know that someone will get a pretty good gift, but you will probably get something lame, and keep telling yourself that if you really need whatever the good gift is, you can probably afford to go out and plunk down the ten bucks to buy it for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/73 "2011-12-21T05:00:54Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Condoms to a person who just broke up with their SO. No, the really mean way to go about giving condoms is to give them to someone who either is about to have a baby or is trying to conceive. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/74 "2011-12-21T05:05:30Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > “Yankee gift exchanges” don’t have to be mean spirited. My group of friends has always had fun with them. But you need to go in with your big-girl panties on, know that someone will get a pretty good gift, but you will probably get something lame, and keep telling yourself that if you really need whatever the good gift is, you can probably afford to go out and plunk down the ten bucks to buy it for yourself. Indeed. In fact, the lamest way to do them is for no one to “steal” someone else’s gift. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/75 "2011-12-21T05:27:32Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > Anyone whose expectations of workplace gifts is above zero gets what he deserves. Not if you play your cards right. I finally got fed up with the bullshit workplace gifts and decided that this year I was going to do something about it. So I took the ‘secret’ out of Santa and directly asked my hat pick what he wanted. My exact words were “let’s be pragmatic here. You want alcohol? I’ll get you alcohol.” He took the cue and went and told the person who drew my name what I wanted—an Amazon gift card. Everybody went home happy last night. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/76 "2011-12-21T08:38:07Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > The meanest present I got wasn’t for Christmas. My aunt presented me with a big soft package at my baby shower. I was sure it was diapers. I was close. > > It was Depends. > > She said after I pushed that 10 pounder out I’d need them for the rest of my life. Please tell me you gave them back to her for her birthday! (and tore her a new one, so she’d need them…) The meanest thing I received wasn’t intended meanly - my mother was a war baby, and still grudges that my grandmother would only have one (thoughtful, well chosen and appropriate) present for her to open each Christmas. So my mother goes overboard making sure we have lots and lots of packages to open. Sadly they’re just wrapped up pieces of second hand tat or reduced crap that she’s stumbled across in the local charity shops, or worse, scavenged out of the bags of stuff I’ve put aside to donate TO the charity shops. So one year, when I had gone up from a UK size 10 to nearly a 14 she gave me a size 20 trouser suit. Her logic was that it was pretty fabric that I’d like! Well yes, lovely red material, but I just about cried and told her “I know you think I’m fat, but I’m really not that big!” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/77 "2011-12-21T09:39:16Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Not if you play your cards right. I finally got fed up with the bullshit workplace gifts and decided that this year I was going to do something about it. So I took the ‘secret’ out of Santa and directly asked my hat pick what he wanted. My exact words were “let’s be pragmatic here. You want alcohol? I’ll get you alcohol.” He took the cue and went and told the person who drew my name what I wanted—an Amazon gift card. Everybody went home happy last night. I agree, I think the “surprise” gift is overrated. I’d much rather get something I really need than pretend to like something I have no use for. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/78 "2011-12-21T09:52:12Z")
My kid is getting an iPod–his third in three years. (One went through the wash and was never the same, next one lost.) It’s in a giant Macy’s box, taped to the lid. He is mystified by the package, because he’s looking for a small one. Is that mean? I was going to send him on a scavenger hunt (that isn’t quite right, I mean going from clue to clue) so it would look like he had lots of presents, but that didn’t seem fair. Also: What is the difference between a Yankee swap and a white elephant exchange? I’ve done something called white elephant–you bring something you already had that you want to get rid of, the more horrible the better, wrap it up, and then go around the room. Each participant can either open a new present or steal one from someone who’s previously opened one. A thing can only be stolen three times–it ends up with the third person who “steals” it. I have never gotten anything good here, but I’ve unloaded some doozies, and they were actually popular. (The WeaselBall. My cats were not impressed.) A Yankee swap sounds like the same thing, what’s the dif? ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/79 "2011-12-21T10:13:37Z")
With no global definition it is hard to say but in my experience white elephant didn’t have the stealing part. Back on topic, a friend of mine received Clearasil from her brother on Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779/80 "2011-12-21T12:49:13Z")
The White Elephants I’ve been to were what you described, bring something you want to get rid of wrapped up so it’s unidentifiable. The difference was that people would bid on the unopened packages. It was done as a small yield fundraiser. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mean-christmas-presents/606779.md?page=5)