As December kicks into full swing, one woman isn’t quite feeling the festive spirit.
Janaina Prazeres has put together a list for Christmas… of gifts she won’t accept.
To ensure that she doesn’t open an unwanted present on 25 December, the influencer, who has nearly 700,000 followers online, is black listing certain items.
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The 35-year-old even goes so far as to say that she will return the gift to the giver.
“I have a black list of presents that no one should give at Christmas,” she told Need To Know.
“Gifts with hidden messages don’t make it onto my list, like self-help books.
“Gifting an anti-wrinkle cream to a friend or your mom is basically telling them they need it.
“[I also don’t want] household utensils and lingerie.
“A good gift is one that makes people happy, not [leaving them feeling] insecure.”
The list is inspired by a shocking experience when, last year, Janaina received a bathroom scale from someone.
She said: “I felt uncomfortable.
“Imagine, someone wished me Merry Christmas and then suggested I step on the bathroom scale.
“It’s the kind of gift that leaves you without words.
“They probably thought they were being helpful, but it’s the kind of thing you put away and never use.
“Someone else gave me a pressure cooker.
“Sure, it can be useful, but not as a Christmas gift.
“I couldn’t understand what the person was trying to say.
“Once, I also received a fish in an aquarium.
“I found it very strange for someone to give a gift that you have to feed, especially because I’m completely against keeping animals in any kind of captivity.”
However, Janaina admits she has once used Christmas as a way to send secret messages herself.
She said: “I once gave a skincare kit to a friend because I knew she didn’t take care of her skin.
“Later, I thought: did she think I was hinting at something?
“Since then, I prefer to give more neutral gifts.”
Aside from gifts that could be misconstrued, the model also recommends avoiding basic or practical goods, likes ties and socks, which are a “classic mistake”.
Thankfully, to help people prevent a gift faux pas this year, Janaina has shared some “safe” options that you can always turn to.
She said: “Scented candles or artisanal chocolates are always a safe choice.
“[As is] a good book or an experience, like a special dinner or tickets to a show, are much better options.
“[Personally, I would] definitely [love] a trip.
“It doesn’t have to be expensive, even a weekend at a cosy inn would be great.
“A good gift is one that makes someone feel loved, not judged.”
“A gift shows how much you know and care about the person.
“If it’s something generic or thoughtless, it’s clear no effort was made.”
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