Rejecting unwanted gifts

[Poodleville]

This is not about saying 'can we not do gifts this year' or boundaries around excessive or inappropriate gift giving.

I was just wondering if anyone ever has an adverse reaction to random gifts from people, and can't bear to keep the gift - not because it's horrible, but largely because you are not keen on the person who gave it to you!

Especially more intimate gifts - things they made for you to eat, clothes they are giving to you because they don't fit them anymore, but also shop bought stuff.

I've been experiencing this for the first time recently, with a couple of people in my life, and so it's new to me! I politely accepted the gifts, and put them for the charity shop ASAP.

Has anyone else experienced this strong aversion to gifts based on the giver?

Yes - toxic friend - I gave the gifts to charity. tbh she did not give them to be in person. She still sent me gifts - after I told her face to face I no longer considered her a friend. You don;t have to keep them. Some gift giving can be manipluative.

Yes. I have a very difficult relationship with DM and it's only recently after a lot of therapy I've realised I don't have to be "grateful" for the things she's decided I need, and actually she's been very controlling.
Throwing them out has been liberating.

I should add, the gift givers in question are people I've experienced as passive aggressive and I think this has something to do with it. It's like I don't trust the supposed good intention behind the gifts.

Why are you spending time with people who cause this sort of reaction, let alone being on gift giving terms?

@ladyofshertonabbas
One is a colleague, and gave the gifts out of the blue. I could choose to leave my job to not spend any time with her, but I think that would have its own downsides. The other is a neighbourhood acquaintance, and we have other people in common. Chats have been casual and in passing, I didn't have the strong gift reaction until she surprised me with the gift.
There are no "gift giving terms".