6 Gifts Not to Buy This Holiday

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At first glance, you might think these are the perfect holiday presents. But don't be fooled — they come with some hidden drawbacks.

Flowers

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Whoever said a fresh flower bouquet is right for any occasion clearly never took into account the fact that many people are traveling, on vacation, or out of the office this time of year. Translation: by the time everyone's settled back at home after the holidays, the arrangement you sent will be droopy and dead.

What to buy instead: A mix tape 2.0. iTunes lets you buy songs then email them directly to a friend, along with a personal message.

Photo Courtesy of Murray’s Cheese Shop

Cheese of the Month Club

Enrolling a friend in these food clubs sets you back close to 50 bucks a month. So even if you opt for just half a year, you're dropping serious cash. And since most of that cost is going towards the packaging, presentation, and shipping costs, don't expect gourmet goodies.

What to buy instead: For a foodie friend, put together your own gorgeous gift basket of preserves, spices, bread, and cured meats. It looks super luxe and can be done for $50, what you'd spend on just one shipment of cheese.

The DVD of His New Favorite Movie

Just because he raved about it in the theater doesn't mean he wants to watch the movie on DVD over and over again. Plus, when movies are first released (especially those that come out right before Christmas), the price-tag tends to be pretty steep.

What to buy instead: For the same cost as a DVD, you can sign him up for four months of unlimited movies. Netflix just added the option of a streaming-only package, which allows you to instantly watch thousands of movies from your computer (or on your TV via Wii or PS3) for $7.99 a month.

Photo: Kevin Sweeney/ Studio D

A Pretty Top from a Boutique

Unique clothing is a great gift...as long as you know exactly what to get. But if you're not quite sure, steer clear of apparel from small stores. Because if the recipient wants to return it, chances are she'll get a store credit for the post-Christmas discounted price, i.e. way less than you were generous enough to spend.

What to buy instead: Stick with chains and department stores–and include a gift receipt. The item has all the benefits of a gift card (exchangeable for anything) without the impersonal feel. Plus, how awesome is it when you can turn one returned sweater into three because of markdowns?!

Apple iTunes Gift Card

Credit Card Gift Cards

Did you know there's often an activation fee associated with these plastic presents? Seriously.

What to buy instead: Stick with a plain old gift card, but make sure it's place or website they'll go to in the next year–iTunes is a safe bet— because certain ones start to lose value after 12 months.

$50 to Some Super Pricey Store

Now that is just mean! Forcing someone to spend three figures in order to use your gift card will only annoy them.

What to buy instead: Impress a luxe-loving friend with a designer label item that you picked up for cheap at a discount store, where you can find high-end accessories marked waaay down. Cut off the discount pricetag, leave on the original tag (but black out the price), and she'll never know it was a bargain.

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