Luckily I don't remember getting any really bad presents as a child, though I did make the mistake of telling my mum's very odd cousin that I liked watches (may even have said I collected them - I had 2!!!) which meant every present I got from her thereafter were cheap watches in a style far too old (and too big) for a child. Doubt I ever wore any of them.
Her brother used to buy great presents. He travelled, so I got a toy tea set from China, aNative American medicine bag with earrings in (ok, my ears weren't pierced, but still...!) and other similar gifts.
Had worse luck as an adult - clothes from my mother which are just not my style, likewise a baby pink, fluffy cardigan from a friend (I hate pink and never wear it).
There was the time I received a 'very grown up' present from my sister - I was about 22, so I would hope she wouldn't get me a toy 
. It was a obviously a book, so I was hoping for an illustrated Kama Sutra at the very least, after the build-up she gave it. It was a bog-standard cookery book. Don't get me wrong, I love cooking so it wasn't unwelcome, it was just the way she'd gone on and on about it being 'so grown up'. Was very strange!
Then there was the almost-but-not-quite present. Instead of the smart, easy to use version my sister insisted on making me one out of purple blanket. It looked cheap, was harder to use and really didn't do the job as well as a proper one would have. I felt compelled to use it as otherwise it would have upset her. I'd totally forgotten about it til this thread but will buy myself the proper version for Christmas as I can (and stuff my sister's feelings!).