You wake up Christmas morning, anticipation in the air. You dream of everything you could possibly desire and picture it under the tree. You throw your covers off and run down the stairs—all you see is an abundance of presents, perfectly wrapped. But once you open them…it is utter disappointment. Nope, not at all what you wanted. Now you’re left with a random gift, broken dreams and sadness. So we asked, what’s the worst gift you’ve ever received?

We heard an array of gifts that made us think, “What were these people thinking?” The most popular unwanted gifts were socks, ugly sweaters, scarves and books.  But these were just some run-of-the-mill responses; there were certainly some wild cards.

• Issac Escobar (Grade 12)

Clown doll

• Ms. Nerreau (Art/Drama Teacher)

A shower cap

“My mother-in-law gave me a shower cap in a decorative box.  I said, ‘Oh a shower cap, it’s what I’ve always wanted.’”

• Ms. Loaiza (Spanish Teacher)

“My sister-in-law gave me a cutting board and a salad bowl. I don’t even cook.”

• Tori Cuscuna ( Grade 11)

Toothpicks in her stocking

• Ms. Van (Cooking/Fashion Teacher)

Drawer liners

• Jose Lopez (Grade 12)

A Bible

• Mike Rosinsky (Grade 11)

Clothes that didn’t fit

• Rocio Venegas (Grade 11)

Over-sized pajamas

• Andres Oyola (Grade 11)

His pre-owned clothes

“A friend gave me a shirt of mine that he had borrowed from me.”

• Lisa Martin (Grade 10)

Fish tank

“I got a fish tank last year, but didn’t have any fish, and never got any.”

• Adonis Haughty (Grade 10)

A toothbrush

• Darryl Henley (Grade 12)

”A little brother.“

• Anonymous

Condoms

“My aunt said I was getting older, so she gave me a box of condoms.”

• Anonymous

A pack of condoms from her boyfriend’s father

Now, Christmas is not all about the presents, it’s about family, friends and love.  No matter what you get, it’s the thought that counts. Embrace the Christmas spirit of giving, and maybe you can give some payback for those awful gifts.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!