Aren't people weird when it comes to presents?

[Bedsidedrawer]

I had a special birthday recently. It struck me that some people can buy thoughtful gifts and others either don't give a toss or don't have a clue.
I get that I'm a grown up and most birthdays I don't bother or notice but this time I did.
I actually find it interesting, the psychology of it. For example I bought one person in my life a special piece of jewellery and extras for a special birthday. They handed me something for significantly less money (they are not short of money) which is obviously poor quality and a bit naff. I'm genuinely perplexed how people aren't embarrassed. More the lack of thought than anything.
Perhaps I'll get flamed for being an ungrateful cow but I'm not sobbing into my pillow. I'm genuinely grateful for the nice gifts and the good people in my life. I'm more curious rather than hurt. I genuinely don't understand why some people are like this with gifts.
Would make a good essay topic

I know exactly what you mean - My mother being the classic. Really enjoys "naice" gifts, however when it comes to giving has absolutely no awareness so it seems on who she is buying for or the value of the gift that is appropriate. One of the classics being a wooden duck (from a garden centre) for my then 27 year old BIL (he didn't have a garden, and doesn't like ducks), and me many many times, examples being a £6 Hippopotamus shaped money box when I was 44, a owl shaped xmas decoration when I was 48 for my Birthday.. Whilst you can laugh about it, it was often deeply hurtful and she would buy us rubbish but strangers nice gifts as she worried too much about "what they thought of her". It wasn't an age thing, rather a "couldn't care less" thing.

I too find it interesting from an etiquette point of view. There are quite clear rules in Japan for gift giving, and in a way I think there are clear rules here too. Not too expensive, not too cheap. When this rule is broken there is something a little offensive about it.

rollingdowntheslides under these circumstances what you can do is get gifts that are nice even for the price and retain the moral high ground. She spends £3.00 on something bad, you spend £6.00 on a branded soft toy or a really nice book. If you do this every time you can relax and no longer give it any head space or worry. You do the basic gift duty as and when appropriate but you do it in the easiest way possible.

I love buying presents for people when I see something I think they will love. Hate the pressure to buy a perfect present at a set time. So I now just buy random gifts for people I love when I find something.

This really resonates with me. My SIL in particular consistently buys me something from Cath Kidson. I can't stand anything fussy or ditsy, my house is modern and minimal, as are my clothes. I don't mind - I can usually find someone who really likes them, I just find it so odd, given that (to me at least) it couldn't be further from my taste