When 2020 was at its peak to begin, everyone was over their heads with new year resolutions. The previous year, we had mapped out plans and goals that we will hit before the year runs out, and it was all about success. But we forgot something to add. One of the new year resolutions that should be at the top of our list, is turning away horrible, horrible Christmas presents.  Christmas presents that we should surely stay away from. 

But we can’t possibly turn down gifts, especially Christmas gifts, that is just plain dirty and rude. What we could do though, is not be the party pooper that brings terrible gifts to the table and ruin Christmas for everyone. These gifts are ones that the receivers have no idea how to feel about it or the kinds that are kept in a corner of our rooms, never to see the light of day and this Christmas we are saying a big fat no to them. 

2020 has been a tough year, we don’t need a Christmas present that will make saying ‘thank you’ difficult.  

So, in honor of a wonderful Christmas headed our way and our family and friends who deserve all the love in the world, here’s a little something to guide you on how not to suck this year by staying away from these presents this Christmas. 

Food

Food is an amazing thing to exist, I’m obsessed with it, but hear me out first. Not that ethnicity has anything to do with it, but I live in Nigeria, I come from a Nigerian home too and we celebrate Christmas the Nigerian way. And what better way to celebrate the birth of Christ than to give extra food, right?  Well, no. 

In Nigeria, our Christmas present is food. That is, there’s no Christmas without rice and chicken. But it’s quite different from your usual rice and chicken. The rice is much more suited for huge parties like wedding reception and Thanksgiving, tastier too and it comes in a large quantity. The chicken is fatter and bigger and much more delicious than everyday chicken, and you can have as many as you want. Then there’s drinks and desserts, have as much as you want too, cause no one will stop you. It’s a once in a year celebration after all.  This is just a rough sketch of a typical Nigerian way of celebrating Christmas and don’t expect anything more, because that fat chicken you kept eating came at a price and now serves as your Christmas present.  

I know bringing food can be a huge blessing and can stand as a gift, but I really don’t think having extra rice and chicken should be my Christmas present.  

Socks

You already know I will be coming for this one at some point, it just has to be the second on my list of Christmas presents you should stay away from. 

 However, I have a really simple question for socks givers, and I need a truthful answer too. Why do you give socks as a present?  I also wonder why socks are popular Christmas presents.

I might get the point that Christmas is in winter and we need something to get our feet warm. I also understand that it’s who gives the presents that matters the most and not the present itself. But I also know everyone wants a present that will make them happy and honestly, will being gifted a pair of socks as a Christmas present make you happy? The worst kind is when it comes in red and green colors. Do not try this. 

Pets

Pets are cute. Personally, I love pets, only when they are many feet away from me though, because I’m scared of almost all animals. Gifting a pet to someone  can be a very tricky thing to do, for so many reasons things could go wrong. For one, what if the person is someone like me that will be scared of them? Imagine giving someone who is scared of dogs, a dog as a Christmas present. 

Pets also come with a huge load of responsibility and they are like children to their owners. So, giving them to someone is like forcing that huge load on their soldiers. 

Scented Candles

This is a bit nice and thoughtful, but it will never leave my box and I will always wonder what to do with it. I was once given a scented candle, and it was really nice. The house smelt nicer and reminded me of church and candles but that’s all it was to it. The candle just burned, and it added no effect to the lightening of the room, only made me worry that someone might leave it all night and it will burn down the house and me along with it. Scented candles are good, but they are more like ” Hey, try this in your room”  gifts, not Christmas presents.  

Lingeries/Deodorants

Personally, I love this. I like to try out different types of deodorants and perfume, and smell as good as I want to look. For lingeries, every girl loves having a nice set of underwear but gifting them as Christmas presents? You might want to rethink that. Gifting someone personal care products like these might make them wonder if they smell really bad that someone had to give them free products to use.  And you might as well come out with a card that says, “Hey girl, you need to change how you smell, so try these” and lingeries are definitely not something you want to come out and say you got for a Christmas present. If you must give out perfumes and deodorants as presents, make sure you think about who you are giving them to and its something they have been wanting for a really long time, now that will be a nice choice of gifts.  

There’s no miracle in giving out  presents, but it’s a once in a year holiday and a lot of people’s favorites.  Christmas though, is all about giving but you have to be thoughtful in your presents. 

If you don’t want to be the one who ruins Christmas this year, and want to give out amazing presents, try answering these questions. 

  •  What are their hobbies / What do they enjoy doing with their free time? 
  •  Think of the time you have spent in the past, what have they been talking about in most conversations you have had with them? 
  • Look at the present time, what thing interests them the most that they can’t stop talking about?
  • Are they literature geeks? What genre of books excite them? 
  • Are they science geeks? What superhero comics excite them? 
  • How do they like to relax? 

Well, I hope this helps and with these simple ways, you can actually be able to find that perfect Christmas gift for anyone on your list and they won’t have to struggle to say ‘Thank you’. But most importantly, I hope this Christmas will be fun for you and your presents will be too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharon Chidra Jonah is a Nigerian writer, content creator and student, studying English Language and Literature in University,  where she can fully pursue her passions for arts and creativity. When it comes to pop culture, books and films, Chidra loves to talk about them on her blog, geekysharon.com where arts and pop culture is truly celebrated. When she’s not digging through pages of novels and poetry  or have her eyes stuck on TV, wishing to be in there, she focuses on other niches; lifestyle, mental health, business and she hopes to build a legacy in the world of arts and pop culture.