I figure it’s about 50-50 for me. People buy some ridiculous things as gifts, mostly out of desperation to buy something.
These come in several categories:
- WTF: the giver is clueless or even malicious
- Other people’s aspirations: gifts they think will make you a different, “better”, person
- Meh: no explanation necessary
- Hmm: seems like a good idea, just not for you
I receive very few gifts and most are from my immediate family who know exactly what I’m after (we share wishlists). So from them, it’s usually an 80% success rate.
Occasionally acquaintances gift smaller things, usually chocolate which I’ll devour, soap that I’ll probably use or a scented candle. Hand/body creams are another popular choice, I rarely use these so I pass them on to my sister or mother. Again, I’d say a success rate of 80%.
TLDR about 20% of gifts are regifted or forgotten, the rest is usually good.