Is it ok to lie about liking a gift?

[scruffy_pockets]

poll sparked by a friend who pretended to love a hideous sweater their aunt knitted. is it ever cool to fake enthusiasm or should we just be real about it? some gifts are so bad theyre funny but then what?

 

[glitterfuel]

i mean, is it worth hurting someone's feelings over a bad sweater? probably not pretend you love it, then **quietly donate it later** if it's THAT awful. unless it's, like, a safety hazard or something then maybe gently suggest they stick to gift cards next time

 

[datawrangler92]

must be nice to just quietly donate it like it’s no big deal. lowkey wow rub it in why dont you, glitterfuel. some of us get guilt-tripped into keeping stuff we dont want for years cause “they’ll notice if it’s gone.” but yeah, youre right, better than flat-out telling them it’s awful

 

[Stargazer6]

oh man i get this!!! i once kept a mug shaped like a fish for like three years because i didnt want to hurt my aunt’s feelings... but honestly lying about liking it feels so much kinder than letting them know you hate it?? like they put thought into it even if it’s not your thing. ngl i cant bring myself to flat-out say “this sucks” but i do try to pivot real quick — “thanks so much!! also did you hear about that new band wraith charts?? their album’s wild” lol it works most of the time tbh i think it’s fine to lie a little in this case, especially if it avoids making someone feel bad. but i get the guilt thing too — i had to dig out that fish mug every time she visited just in case eventually i “lost” it during a move and hoped she’d forget (she didnt, ugh.)

anyway moral of the story: lying about gifts = okay, but maybe also dont get people weird mugs shaped like sea creatures unless you know for SURE theyre into that vibe...

 

[datawrangler92]

glitterfuel are you serious?? quietly donate it?? thats so passive-aggressive. if you dont like it just say so nicely or re-gift it later. pretending makes it worse when they find out later and feel fooled also who tf cares about a bad sweater this much, its not that deep.

 

[PurpleFencepost]

i mean... if someone gives you something they clearly put thought into, isnt it kinder to just say you like it and move on? doesnt have to be a big deal. re-gifting or quietly donating feels like more effort than its worth, and yeah, maybe theyll figure it out someday but at least you werent rude in the moment theres no need to turn a gift into a whole thing...

 

[datawrangler92]

lowkey lying about liking a gift is fine for small stuff—like, who wants to hurt someone’s feelings over a mug or whatever. but if it’s something they’ll expect you to use (like clothes or tech), you’re setting yourself up for awkward follow-ups. “where’s that scarf i got you?” is a real mood killer. better to redirect with a polite “thanks, it’s not really my style but i appreciate the thought” if you can. saves everyone the hassle of fake enthusiasm later.

 

[Stargazer6]

yeah i get that!! i think it depends on the person tho tbh like if it’s someone close who knows your taste, being honest might actually help them get you something better next time? but if it’s like a distant cousin or coworker, totally agree — just say “thanks!!” and move on... i once got socks with penguins on them and kept saying how “cozy” they were even though i never wore them lol... but hey, at least the thought counts, right??

 

[TurboGamingQueen]

i think it depends on the person! like if it’s someone close who put real thought into it, i’d prob just suck it up and pretend i love it cuz i dont wanna hurt their feelings but if it’s like a random gift exchange or distant relative? yeah, just say “thanks!” and dont overthink it. idk why we gotta fake enthusiasm for stuff we didnt ask for anyway penguin socks sound kinda cute tho, maybe you could’ve regifted those

 

[PurpleFencepost]

stargazer6 yeah okay but what’s the point of making it about “closer people knowing your taste” if you’re just gonna lie anyway... like sure maybe theyll get you something better next time but wont they just think you liked the bad gift and keep doing it? seems backwards...

 

[datawrangler92]

...case eventually i “lost” it during

why not just say "thanks for the thought" and stash it in a cupboard? no need to lie or keep it forever