With Christmas rapidly approaching, you may well be busy putting together what you think is a killer gift lift. Pants for Uncle Pete? Smellies for Aunt Sally? How about an expensive Anti-Aging cream for Carol from the office? However, before you forge full steam ahead, you may want to read on. As we’re just about to share with you, these choices of gifts may well be about as yearned for as a lump of coal.
1. Clothes - Just don’t.
Whether down to the difficulty in judging another person’s size or style preferences, each and every year a staggering 62% of Christmas clothes end up back where they came from (Market Tools).
2. Gift vouchers – An alternative to clothing?
With the statistic above, you might think about the obvious alternative – a gift card. Yet it seems that even these are swiftly forgotten about and never spent. In fact, so many of us pop them away somewhere, that an astounding £300 million pounds worth of vouchers go wasted each and every year (Gov.uk)
3. Electricals – A potentially expensive mistake to make for the lady in your life
Think that you’re sure to impress with the latest must have gadget or electrical time? Then you may need to think again. 17% of all electricals purchased as gifts for women end up being returned (this includes laptops, iPads, and hair styling equipment [Daily Mail]).
4. Underwear, jumpers and socks – worthy of a special mention
It’s a classic Christmas joke – the annual purchase of underwear, socks and jumpers. Whilst these fall into the clothing category we feel that they’re worthy of a special mention simply because of the universal disappointment that’s felt by gift receivers everywhere.
What’s more, unlike women, 42% of men say that they’d prefer a gadget or electrical item as opposed to the number one unwanted gift that is underwear (Into the Blue)).
5. Anti-Aging products – What are you really saying?
The anti-aging market is big business, accounting for an industry destined to soon be worth $191.7 billion (NASDAQ). You may then think that the perfect present for the woman who takes care of herself is the latest (and rather expensive) anti-ageing cream.
But, let’s face it, who truly wants to be told that they look old?
6. Smellies – Thought that the annual smelly gift set was a sure bet?
13% of us have returned unwanted bathroom products (Mental Floss) – which isn’t so surprising given that many people have particular brands that they prefer (moral of the story? Resist the urge to plump for that seemingly amazing three for two toiletry deal).
So, with those six festive favourites out the window and off of your gift list, you may well wonder what, exactly, you should buy this year. Well, with research showing staggering growth for going completely personal (YouGov), you could consider giving a gift that’s truly tailored to the receiver.
Which is pretty handy, as that’s exactly what we’re all about – come on in, take a look around, and see what we’ve got lined up for this year’s most wanted Christmas gifts.
