Wednesday, November 26, 2008

How to Handle Ugly Gifts

Christmas is coming. I'm sure there will be lots of x-mas presents coming. But how would you handle the situation when you got an ugly presents or a present that don't match up with your type from either your in-laws, or friends? Excerpt from Nellis article in about.com about how to handle some ugly gifts, below are some of the few suggestions in dealing with clothing and accessories that don't match your taste:

* Thank the giver for the gift, whether you love it or not. The real gift is the that the giver spent time and money thinking about you (however bad their taste).

* If the ugly gift is clothing, you can always say it doesn't fit just right (which isn't a lie, almost nothing fits perfectly without alterations). It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a receipt to exchange the clothing for something else based on fit.

* Who is the gift from? If children or grandparents give you something that doesn't exactly fit your style, the sentimental value of the gift alone makes it worth keeping. It won't kill you to don that teddy bear sweatshirt once in a while to keep your kids happy.

* If you receive a gift you hate from someone who doesn't live nearby, you can always ask them "Wow, where did you get this purple patchwork sweater?" If they tell you the name of the store and it's nearby, you can try to exchange it for something you like since it's unlikely they'll ever see you wear it.

* Don't regift the ugly item. That just makes things worse because you are giving something you don't like to someone you do. If you want to redistribute the ugly gift, give it to charity.

* Remember that no matter how you ask to return or exchange the ugly gift (even if you use a valid excuse like fit) you'll shake the gift-giver's confidence. The person who bought the gift thought he or she made a good choice, only to discover it wasn't right. Is it really worth the trouble and hurt feelings just because hot pink isn't your best color?

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