Bad Gift Giver Guide: 7 Ways to Give Better Gifts

Are the presents you give regularly met with polite enthusiasm or stiff smiles? Despite your best efforts, do carefully-curated gifts get allocated to a junk drawer or hall closet? Don't despair! There's likely a very simple reason why. Read on to learn the most common types of bad gifts and how to avoid missing the mark this gift-giving season.

Yes, everyone needs new socks now and then. But do they really want them as a gift? Practical presents such as basic clothing, personal hygiene products or utility items like ironing boards and toasters aren't necessarily bad (you did pay attention to your loved one's needs, after all), but they definitely won't be talked about for years to come.

Give your practical present a boost by pairing it with something your loved one really wants, but wouldn't normally buy for him or herself. For example, if the reason they need new socks is because they're an avid runner, wrap up the socks with a pair of new running shoes.

Do you often spend a lot of money on luxurious gifts only to get less-than-mediocre responses from your loved ones? It's possible you're a 'showstopper' gift giver. In other words, you buy the most expensive version of a gift because you imagine it will elicit an enthusiastic response. But in doing so, you lose sight of what the recipient actually wants or needs. Think about it this way: would a new mother appreciate a $200 handmade crystal baby rattle or a $20 toy her child can actually play with?