Get ready for the joyful sound of jingling bells and the sweet smell of pie filling the air with Christmas right around the corner. It is also time to start wrapping presents and placing them under beautifully decorated trees. To honor this customary practice, one should choose the right gifts by considering the recipient’s preferences and balancing visual appeal with functionality. Further, one can avoid the following gifts that are most likely to be returned:

1. Scented candles
Although scented candles are among the most popular Christmas gifts, one may end up choosing a scented candle with an extremely strong fragrance or a specific one that the recipient does not like. This makes the gift less appealing to the receiver. Here, gifting a scent diffuser could be a better move, as one can let the receiver pick fragrances to add to the diffuser.

2. Glassware and crockery
An expensive crockery or glass set has long been the go-to Christmas present, as it perfectly integrates esthetics and utility. However, having become so overwhelmingly popular gifts, glassware and crockery sets are usually either returned or regifted. Alternatively, they may end up on the recipient’s kitchen shelf for years on end without being used even once.

3. DVDs and DVD players
At one point, DVDs and DVD players were perhaps the best gifts one could find. But over the years, online streaming platforms have taken over, making DVDs redundant. So, gifting someone a DVD or DVD player today may not be the best idea.

4. Shoes
The perfect pair of shoes is an indispensable accessory to complete the look. However, knowing the recipient’s exact shoe size is crucial for ensuring that the gift is not returned or exchanged. Moreover, it is not always possible for one to know exactly what the receiver likes in terms of the design and type of shoes. So, it is best to buy shoes as a Christmas gift only if one knows the exact size, type, and brand to pick.

5. Clothes
Like shoes, gifting clothes requires one to know the recipient’s size, style, and preferences. This is why gifted clothes are often returned or exchanged. Also, one has to consider the possibility that the recipient already owns the outfit one is planning to gift them. For this reason, having a fair idea about the recipient’s wardrobe and fashion sense is crucial when buying clothes as a Christmas gift.