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Worst Christmas Gifts <em>Ever</em>

John Del Signore

Published Dec 26, 2007

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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John Del Signore

Published Dec 26, 2007

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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Television producer Matthew Weiner recently shared his holiday gift horror stories with the Times, relating a sad/funny discovery made by his brother while exchanging a Day-Glo orange sweater given to him by their parents; it turned out they spent $1.00 on the item. Which still doesn’t sound as bad as the gift Weiner got: “a crimson suede Nascar jacket covered with sewn-on patches with emblems of Skoal chewing tobacco and Drakkar Noir cologne. On the back was a huge Budweiser insignia.”

On Christmas Eve the Times opened up a thread for online readers to share some of the worst gifts they’ve received. A man from Massachusetts got “a tire from my then fiancé. I gave her an engagement ring as my gift. We never married. Not because of the tire per se, but you'd have to say it was a bad omen. I hated that tire.” Michael from Brooklyn got “rehab - from my parents.” Some of the other standouts:

“A dozen No. 2 pencils and a cup.”
“I received a Bob Marley shirt two years back. I HATED, and still HATE it to this day. Just thinking about it irks me. I wondered what I could have done this person to give me such a shirt.”
“My sister and brother-in-law gave my husband and I eatable body paints at a family gathering.She said it was because I was an artist.”
“A garage door opener from my new fiancé on our first Christmas together. I gave him The Joy of Sex.”
“A toilet seat! No lie..It had pink country style designs on it, but still!!”
“A bag of pennies.”
“Every present my mother has ever given me.”

What’s the most disappointing present you pretended to be grateful for this Christmas?

Tagged

Bob Marley

brooklyn

christmas

christmas eve

Massachusetts

regifting

sex

television

the joy

John Del Signore

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Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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