This is a two way street. It happens often, because people really just haven’t had (or taken) the time to get to know each other well. You buy a gift that you think is perfect for one of your in-laws, but the look on his or her face doesn’t exactly show delight when the gift is opened. On the other hand, your in-laws may purchase something for you that they believe you will like only to find that they could not have been more wrong.
Most of us try to smile and play it off, but it’s pretty obvious when a gift is a dud. Instead of being offended, simply offer the receipt and allow the person to pick out something more suitable. Doing so should not create resentment. After all, you want people to have something they will use and enjoy.
You should also not be afraid to ask for a receipt, although most of us don’t do that. It really depends on the person who gave the gift. Some people will be more offended to find the item lying in a closet months from now than they would if you simply explained in gentle terms the reason why the gift was not suitable. Maybe you already have the same or a similar item.
Many people will not care either way, and will simply be pleased that the other person thought enough of them to offer a gift in the first place. Some will even use or display items they don’t really care for in order to avoid hurt feelings. Yet, others may react very differently.
Gift giving is often a very intimate gesture and it’s difficult to choose something personal for people that we may not be as close to as we’d like to be. This is a good reason to get to know the people in our lives better. It’s worth the effort.
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