Holiday Gifting Blunders to Avoid
By Sarah Fielding

It's been drummed into us since an early age that when it comes to gifts, 'It's the thought that counts'. Wrong! Sometimes the only thing you can think when presented with a weird (or weirdly inappropriate) gift, is "What the heck were they thinking?"

Here's a look at some all-too-common holiday gift giving blunders and what your sweetie really thought of your selection despite that strained smile on his/her face.

You Gave Her: Kitchen Gadgets

Where you went wrong : Sure you might have heard your girlfriend complain a million times about needing this thingy or that doodad in the kitchen, but guys, this was not your cue to whip out to a housewares store and buy her a new-fangled silicon oven mitt or any other kind of kitchen gadget. "I love anything to do with cooking, but it's the last thing I want to get as a gift from a lover. How dull," says Tessa. Buying her something she needs , especially of a domestic nature, is tantamount to telling her to get back in the kitchen and bake you a pie.

You Gave Him: A Subtle Hint

Where you went wrong : Girls, all guys want is for you to love and appreciate them -- as they are. Why, then, would you go and ruin Christmas with a gift that shouts 'I want to change you!' Yes, he was speechless when you handed him that voucher for a full back wax -- but the look wasn't gratitude, it was horror. "My girlfriend once gave me a gift voucher for a facial. Yeah, I went along and yeah, I kind of enjoyed it. But what was I supposed to tell my friends? It was pretty embarrassing," admits Adrian.

You Gave Her: Health or Fitness Products

Where you went wrong : There was only one thought running through your lady's head as she unwrapped this stealth bomb on Christmas morning -- and it wasn't 'My, what a thoughtful gift.' Guys, no matter how 'into' health or well-being your loved one is, a giving a fitness DVD, workout gear or anything at all to do with weight loss is gift-giving kiss of death. "An ex once gave me a meditation CD saying that he thought it might help. Might help what?" says Carla.

You Gave Him: Underwear

Where you went wrong : If you gave your man a six-pack of tube socks and some boxers this Christmas, you've basically ensured he will never find you sexually attractive ever again. Why? Because for him, socks and underwear are eternally associated with Mom. And now, at least in his mind, that's what you've become. "Socks and undies are probably the most unoriginal present ever. But hey, at least then I don't have to buy them myself," says Alex.

You Gave Her: Lingerie

Where you went wrong : Unless your partner explicitly pointed out/tried on and loved a particular lingerie ensemble, whatever you selected was wrong, wrong, wrong. Wrong size? She felt like you didn't know her at all. Wrong style? She wondered whether you thought she was too trampy. Or not trampy enough. "My boyfriend always misses the mark when he buys me underwear. I just tell him it didn't fit properly, then swap it for something I really like," says Lisa. Next time, if you must buy lingerie, give her a gift certificate to an expensive underwear store and offer to go shopping with her. That way you both win.

You Gave Him: Fancy Clothes

Where you went wrong : Upgrading your man's wardrobe under the guise of giving him a gift sends him into a spiral of self-doubt. He wasn't thinking "What a stylish piece," when he unwrapped the Burberry shirt you gave him. He was thinking, 'I don't earn enough.' "This one girl I dated was always buying me T-shirts with logos plastered across them. I hate wearing labels -- I guess she didn't really know me that well," says Warren.

If you spotted yourself --- or your sweetie -- on this list, console yourself with this notion: there's always next year.

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