We all know that feeling when the thrill of unwrapping a present gives way to disappointment when we see what it is.
But most of us are tactful enough to find a few words of thanks to hide our true emotions.
Now a survey has revealed what we really mean when we say, ‘That’s so thoughtful,’ after receiving yet another pair of socks.
According to the research, ‘It’s just what I always wanted’ is the biggest indicator that someone is unhappy about a present – and actually means, ‘If I’d wanted that, I would have bought it myself’.
According to the research, ‘It’s just what I always wanted’ is the biggest indicator that someone is unhappy about a present
The clearest sign that someone genuinely likes their gift is if they to say, ‘I have been saving for one of those for ages.’
But if the recipient asks if you still have the receipt so they can get the same present ‘in another colour or size’, this is a sure-fire indication they will exchange it for something entirely different.
Of those quizzed, 38 per cent said they give unwanted gifts to the charity shop, 26 per cent sell them on online auction sites, and 18 per cent ‘re-gift’ them to someone else.
The poll of 1,500 people by Voucher Codes found as many as 86 per cent of us have faked a reaction when opening a Christmas gift.
We are most likely to try to fool our partners with our mock delight as they give the worst presents, according to the survey.
Six in ten people say they pretend to like dreadful gifts as they wouldn’t want to offend the giver.
But 13 per cent say they secretly return anything they don’t like and swap it for something ‘decent’.
Of those polled, 71 per cent said they have unopened and unused presents cluttering up their home with the average adult on the receiving end of £708 worth of unwanted gifts over the years.
If a recipient asks if you still have the receipt so they can get the same present ‘in another colour or size’, this is a sure-fire indication they will exchange it for something entirely different
Paul Lewis, a senior marketing director at Voucher Codes, said: ‘When it comes to buying a great Christmas gift, it’s important to try and listen out for subtle hints from the person you’re buying for in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
‘A shopping trip together before Christmas ‘for other people’ can act as a great way to find out what type of gifts they might personally be after this year.’
The survey showed that 31 per cent of adults have either hated a present or been insulted by it, with 22 per cent confronting the person who gave it to them straight away.
To this day, 29 per cent of us hold a grudge against someone who gave us a terrible Christmas present years ago.
Six in ten said they believe that receiving a bad present from someone means that person doesn’t know or understand them at all.
The poll showed that 22 per cent of respondents have been left red-faced by their child’s reaction to a present.
More than one in ten (11 per cent) parents said their children threw a huge tantrum when receiving a gift they did not like, and 15 per cent preferred to play with the box it came in.