Scott and SadieHoliday shopping—that magical time of year when you max out your credit card trying to please people who’ll probably just return your gifts anyway. And while some folks are easy to shop for (kids, because literally anything will excite them), others are a total pain in the ass. A recent survey has confirmed what we all already knew: some people are impossible to shop for, and frankly, it’s exhausting.
At the top of the “nightmare to buy for” list? Your partner. Yep, the very person you know too well is the one that stumps you the hardest. What do you even buy for someone who knows when you’ve been sneaking Christmas cookies at midnight? Another tie? A scented candle? Let’s face it—relationships might survive infidelity, but they barely make it through another year of disappointing gift-giving.
Next on the list are parents. Because how do you shop for the people who have everything, including zero expectations from you? Mom says, “I don’t need anything, sweetie,” which is code for “You’d better surprise me with something thoughtful or suffer passive-aggressive wrath.” And Dad? He’s got three hobbies: grilling, napping, and grumbling about gas prices. Good luck wrapping those.
Teenagers came in third. Because teens are a riddle wrapped in TikTok trends you don’t understand. By the time you buy them the “cool thing,” it’s already been deemed cringe. Enjoy watching your $100 hoodie disappear into the “never wear” pile.
Rounding out the list are bosses, coworkers, and in-laws. Why are we even buying gifts for these people? A Starbucks card isn’t going to erase the awkwardness of a year’s worth of passive-aggressive Slack messages or unsolicited parenting advice at Thanksgiving.
So, whom do YOU dread shopping for? Is it your dad with 14 “World’s Best Dad” mugs already? Your picky sibling who says they want “something practical” but scoffs at socks? Tell us your biggest holiday shopping fails in the comments below—we could all use a laugh (and maybe a little commiseration).
