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Emperor Palpatine
Guest
Monday December 27, 2010
Not every present is a joy to receive
By ISABELLE LAI
[email protected]
PETALING JAYA: Christmas is a season for giving and Boxing Day is usually the time to open the presents but unfortunately, not every gift giver gets it right.
In fact, some gifts have been known to be so weird, pointless or just plain unfortunate that one can’t help but wonder: “What on earth possessed him or her to get me that?”
One such unlucky recipient of Christmas presents gone wrong was exercise science student Chong U-Waye, 22.
Not-e what I wanted: Koh showing the Christmas present she received in 2005 – a cheap, ugly notebook.
“Dog food. I got dog food as a present from my secret Santa this Christmas,” he exclaimed in disbelief.
Chong, as it turned out, is the proud owner of a cat named Peanut.
Nurse Koh Eng Leng, 22, had her fair share of presents that she wished she could return.
“The worst ever present I’ve gotten was a RM2.30 notebook.
It was ugly, cheap, and the price tag was still attached on it.
Five years later, it’s still hiding in some dark, dusty corner of my bookshelf,” she said.
Business planner John Emmanuel, 23, said the weirdest present he had ever received was a condom.
“I can’t believe my friends gave me a condom – a single condom – last Christmas.
“I guess it was their twisted idea of a hilarious joke,” he said as he shook his head.
However, the winner of the “best ‘worst’ gift” award would have to be 20-year-old Simon Kong, a student of psychology, who was rendered speechless upon opening his present.
“Unbelievably, I received a leaf as a secret Santa present. Yes, a tree leaf.
I was literally dumbstruck!” he said, adding that he had given chocolates as a gift this year.
Ah, Christmas presents. A headache to get and a joy to receive – well, if you’re lucky, that is.
