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Though we're comfortable with the idea of re-gifting, a new study says 75% of Canadians hold on to undesirable gifts they receive on Christmas.
 
The study by Canada's largest online classifieds site, Kijiji, says half of us hold on to the unwanted gifts to not feel guilty or shameful. But 55% of us, up 7% from last year, think re-gifting is acceptable once the presents are unwrapped.

Comedian and gift-giving therapist Allyson Smith says in order to avoid having people give your gifts away, take the time to really think about what that person likes.


And most commonly, we'll hold on to gifts we don't like for up to five years before finally getting rid of them. Smith says the reasoning behind that is because we tend to have an emotional attachment to objects. "Even if we don't necessarily enjoy the gift or its not the best gift for us, we just feel like "Oh that person went through so much trouble to get it for me, I should keep it." "There's so many emotions attached to the object, I think that's why we Canadians tend to be gift-giving holders."

While it may not be shocking, the study says when it comes to immediate family, in-laws tend to be the worst gift-givers.