It’s always awkward getting a gift you hate, especially if it’s from your partner. You don’t want to hurt their feelings or cause a fight so you smile and tell them it’s great while sounding sincere enough to make them believe it. You also want to avoid this happening again next Christmas and need to gently hint that better a different present would have been better which is something that needs to be done carefully.
The first thing you need to do is react the right way so things don’t escalate into a fight. Tell them you love it and use or wear it right away if possible to show them you mean it. After you do this move on to them opening their gift or whatever you were planning on doing after exchanging gifts. Don’t tell them over and over that the gift is great because this will make them doubt your sincerity because it sounds like you’re forcing the issue.
You might doubt how well your partner knows you if the gift is something you truly hate so you need to figure out why they bought it for you. Sound happy as you ask them “What made you think to get this for you?” If you do this in the right tone of voice they’ll think they got the perfect gift for you and proudly tell you why they bought it. There’s probably a good reason they thought you’d like it and this can help you spend the next year gently suggesting things you would like as a gift. Later on when you’re shopping together you can say “I wish I could buy that.” or “That would be a great gift.” to draw their attention to it.
When the excitement of gift giving has passed you could suggest having a more laid back Christmas next year. Make it sound like a positive thing by saying that it would take the stress out of the holidays if you each picked your own gift for yourselves instead of giving surprise gifts to each other. Tell your partner that it would make Christmas shopping easier and quicker because you don’t have to waste time trying to find the right gift. If they agree to it then next year tell them what you want so they know what to get you and buy what they ask you for.
You need to remember that it’s just a gift and it isn’t a big deal that you don’t like it. Things like this happen and making a big deal out of it will cause problems between you and your partner. Keep the gift for awhile and when you think they won’t notice it missing get rid of it by donating it to a charity shop. This way someone who can appreciate it will buy it and you don’t have to see it everyday. Never tell your partner you did this and if they bring it up just say you can’t remember where you put it.
When you get a gift that you hate for Christmas the best thing to do is show a smiley face and act like you love it because you don’t want to upset your partner. Keep it for awhile then discreetly get rid of it and try to find out why they bought it so you can understand their reasoning better. Next year you can always try picking out your own gift if your partner is agreeable to it or hope that next year you’ll get a present that will show a happy face.
Currently She works as dating writer for different adult blogs, and She coaches men and women on sex and relationship.
- 9 Things divorced singles know for sure when dating - November 20, 2018
- 10 conversation starters at the gym, even when you feel very shy talking to women - November 13, 2018
- 8 Reasons why women flake on dates (and how to stop it) - October 30, 2018