Gift-giving is a time-honored tradition during the holiday season. Some people are great at picking out the perfect presents for everyone on their list, but others… Well, some people just suck at giving gifts, and that’s as true in the fiction world as it is in real life. For this month’s edition of Paranormal Romance Authors Discuss, my friends and I thought we’d hand it over to our characters and let them answer December’s question.
Question for the characters: What’s the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
Hey. I’m Rafe Maccon Alpha Werewolf of the Macconwood Pack. Don’t tell my wife, but the worst Christmas Gift I ever got was this super strong man soap she had special ordered for me. Stuff is made with like a lethal dose of tea tree oil which with my sensitive senses makes me sneeze like a sonovabitch. I use the damn soap daily cause she thinks I love it and I heard her mention she was going to try another scent for my birthday. You gotta help me! Someone tell Charley is much rather have socks or underwear! You know, guy stuff! Seriously, I would do anything for my mate. Even smell like a koala bear’s asshole. Thanks. ~Rafe Maccon from Charley’s Christmas Wolf by C.D. Gorri
A Sephora gift card. Love you mom, but really? Of course, you didn’t know it back then, but I asked for cash so I could get my first tattoo. You did your best to help me feel comfortable in my own skin, though, and that’s what matters most. Turns out, all I needed for that was a frustratingly persistent yet irresistibly charming man with a British accent instead of lip gloss. Speaking of Leo, Kathleen has inherited her father’s charm in spades. Willa, on the other hand, is all me. Was I really that disgruntled as a child? Don’t answer that. I bet she could use a gift card to Sephora from Grandma this year. It’ll be the best worst Christmas present ever. ~Liz Johnson from The Business of Love by Kerri Keberly
The absolute worst Christmas present I ever got was when I was twelve years old and my grandma “gifted” me with cotillion classes. Imagine being in junior high and being told you have to attend etiquette classes and that was the only present you were getting! I feigned appreciation, all the while hoping she’d say she was kidding and give me a skateboard instead. Nope. I got to learn how to “behave like a lady” and “show some manners”. Of course, if I’d paid more attention in class, maybe I wouldn’t be in the pickle I’m in with the supernatural government of Louisiana right now. Oh, well. Grannie tried her best! ~Jane Anderson from License to Bite by Carrie Pulkinen.
I was born and raised in the town of Mystic, but as an adult I ventured out looking for my mate. The town itself was small enough that I realized that there was no one for me within its limits. Taking a job in a town nearby was a means to an end. I didn’t need the money, but it gave me a chance to meet nearly everyone in town. That’s where I received the best and worst gift of my life. I met ‘her.’ A little boy had become separated from his mother and I took him in hand and offered to help him find his mother. It didn’t take more than a minute or two. I could hear her clear across the store, searching. When she saw her son she broke down in tears and hugged him within an inch of his life. I felt the same as her son. My lungs locked up, my heart thundered in my chest, trying to beat its way out. It took everything I had in me not to take the both of them and run straight back to Mystic. I saw the ring on her finger. I saw the truth of my situation in that moment. My mate was someone else’s wife. She had two cubs of her own. I had lost her before I had found her. I had my gift… but I couldn’t claim her… not for years and years. ~Aaron Winter from Winter by Reina Torres
My mother remarried a few years ago – to a centaur, by the way, and if you know anything at all about those half-horse’s asses, you know what I mean when I follow this statement with a giant eye roll. Anyway, her new hubby Chiro thought we should all get together for Christmas, even though Mom and I are witches and don’t celebrate, plus, do centaurs even care about Santa Claus?
At any rate, yes, I went to this dysfunctional family gathering, mostly because Mom is the awesomest gift-giver ever, and I had been dropping major hints about those super sexy high-heeled boots I’ve had my eye on since boot season started.
Turns out, I should have declined the invite. Why? Because Mom wasn’t in charge of giving gifts this year. And Chiro decided that what I really needed for Christmas was to be cut off from my trust fund, because he decided I wasn’t doing enough with my life, and I needed to start working for a living.
That’s right. And you know how I’m going to get him back? I’m going to date a freaking demon. That’ll show him. ~Clarissa Andrews from The Demon You Love by Tami Lund
</br
The worst Christmas present I’ve ever gotten came from my mother, believe it or not. I’m an artsy person, I mean, I’m a professional photographer! In her never-ending attempts to keep me from connecting with nature, she bought me a series of books on computer coding when I was a senior in high school. I know how to use a computer, but nothing deeper, and I’m honestly completely alright with that. I tried reading them to make her happy, desperate for the approval that never came, but it wasn’t too long before I got so bored I couldn’t take it anymore and donated them to a local shelter. All those letters made my eyes cross. Now knowing what I do about both of my parents, I think I made the right choice sticking with art and nature! ~Clarissa (Clari) Wakanda from Entering Wildwood by Ellie Winter
For my 348th Christmas, Father Grégoire gave me a puppy. A tiny living thing. For me—the freakin’ monster. Merde!
What was he thinking? Since Valerian find solace in his black Lab Sasha, maybe F.G. thought I’d be the same. That my heart would melt for a cute pet. But I’m not the same, dammit. I don’t have a soul. Nothing like the St-Amand brothers. I’m cursed. I don’t feel things like they do. And if do, well, it’s none of anyone’s business. I’m happy like this. Truly! Still got my 18 years old bod, got the Montreal nightlife at my feet. No place for anything else in my life.
So I named the tiny Cokapoo Marianne— after my long departed mother, god bless her soul. Then gave the thing to the old Madame Ioshta. She’s a witch, always need a familiar around. And no, I don’t miss the tiny animal one bit. Not really, I swear. ~Emmeline Dubois from A Vampire’s Spell by Marie-Claude Bourque
A junior doctor in North Wales, UK, I was exhausted by the Christmas holidays, but I battled heavy snow to spend Christmas with my best friend Marc and his family at the Guardians’ Trust. A bottle of Budweiser and a good chat with friends seemed a promising start to the festive season, but then the back door banged open letting the bitter wind and Maddox in. My Christmas present? The news that I was a Double, one of a pair of identical women born to swap places. According to Maddox, I was destined to cross the gateway through a freezing waterfall and marry a stranger in a jungle realm at war! Needless to say, I was not amused and I felt sure the family I’d adopted as my own were, in fact, a cult with Maddox as its head! There was no way I was buying into their weird religion! But, snowed in, I stayed and I heard the truth of the gateway’s stones. I made my Exchange. In the end my worst Christmas present turned out to be my best: I married Cadell, a man I had a serious case of lust for, we fell in love and after some serious peril (!) we were both gifted the ability to shift into wolves. ~Dr Meri Stevens from The Guardians’ Trust: Meri (book 3) by Beth Linton
So now it’s your turn! What is the worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Secret Circle member commenting before Dec 10th get the bonus of being entered for my Bane’s Choice paperback Giveaway!
MARIE-CLAUDE BOURQUE 
Congratulation Secret Circle Winners: Mlyss and Janet.
My random number generator came out with Commenter #7 and Commenter #8 (counted backward in time) as the winner of an Alyssa Day paperback. I will be in touch with you shortly with information about how to claim your prize!
LikeLike
I think one of the worst Christmas ‘gifts’ I got was like the year I graduated high school was when folks started sending cards only. I mean I understand what’s it’s like to have a tight budget but like between starting /graduating college and trying to find a job for ten years. It was a time we could have used something even small at least. Especially when my folks only get SSI once a month now.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh wow, yeah that’s hard. Little something here and there do help.
LikeLike
Yeah, I mean it’s like I don’t get why some folks seem to just Idk think oh their whatever age now they don’t need anything special or something? I mean the only ones that really even say write to me etc. Anything substantial is two of my aunts. One works in educational aide services and the other’s looking for a job. But at least they like to try and stay connected.
LikeLike
The worst Christmas gift I ever received was a very large toilet paper holder in the shape and look of the ugliest Santa I have ever seen. I collect Santa stuff but I would happily get rid of this one and did ASAP. All the in-laws got one as well and to tell you we were not amused or excited was an understatement, it was so ugly it was scary.
LikeLike
Wow that is a very strange gift! What is going on with all these weird Christmas theme household things. Some is super cute but this one sounds right scary!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was absolutely scary and what my father in law was thinking at the time I don’t know but it wasn’t fun or cute. I have received underwear and socks before and thought they were the worst until that gift. I have also received toilet paper and household items which I questioned at the time but would be happy to get now.
LikeLike
the worst gift i ever got was underware when i was a kid
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh undies! Yep that’s hard!
LikeLike
The worst Christmas gift I have gotten was socks and underwear from my ex mother in law. I am by no means an ungrateful person but that particular year she got her son some power tools and our son an Xbox, so yeah…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah I get you. A little unbalanced, right?
LikeLike
The worst Christmas present I ever received was from my brother-in-law. Bless his heart, he was trying to get me something I might like, but a handful of fantasy novels haphazardly grabbed from the clearance racks of the local book store did not hit any of my “love it” buttons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I had that before, yikes! We book people can be picky 🙂
LikeLike
Hah, Secret Santa at work gave me a bottle of Gatorade! I know, some people like Gatorade, but me, no. Gave it away, 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aha! My kids might be happy with that! But yes, not much effort here for Secret Santa.
LikeLike
The worst was 5 years ago I got a light up Christmas picture with music not my thing !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow. I don’t think I ever seen anything like that! Yikes.
LikeLike
In November 1972, I was 4 and 3/4 and my mum died in a car crash… that was the worst christmas present. Years later my son bought me a dressing gown. He bought a mans one because he was too embarrassed to go to the womens section!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Janet, I am so sorry for your loss. What a tragedy at such a young age.
I totally see one of my sons doing what yours did though. I hope the robe was roomy and cozy.
LikeLike
Mine would be clothing. My m-i-l thought I needed more color in my wardrobe and bought me tops in shades of pink and purple. Not my colors and they still hang in my closet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no! I had that a lot as a teen. My grand and aunts would always give me pink and I only wore black. Oh well… Clothes are hard.
LikeLike
I received some horrible candy in a weird box!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no! But same. I got hard solid stale chocolate, once.
LikeLike
The worst Christmas present I ever got was a bottle of bath oil. It looked great and was from my, then boyfriend. But, I ended up allergic to some of the ingredients. I have no idea what, all I know is that after using it once I itched non stop. I had to get ointment from the doctor and allergy meds. I gave the bath oil away to a friend who absolutely loved it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yikes! That is rough. I’m so sorry. Your boyfriend must have felt bad.
LikeLike
I would have to say getting clothes that were not my style
LikeLiked by 1 person
yeah Tina, same. Also I am probably guilty of the same to my guy and my sons LOL
LikeLike
Not a thing get it every year
LikeLiked by 1 person
My worst Christmas gift was ‘The Care Bear That Ruined Christmas’!
When I was about 6 or 7, I really wanted a care bear – they were *the* thing, and a lot of my friends had them already. I loved them to bits, especially Wish Bear (I have always loved stars!).
We get to Christmas morning and our presents, and there’s one last small one from Santa – a 3” plastic Grumpy Bear, “because I’m so grumpy I’m the mornings!”. Needless to say, I did NOT see the funny side of this and stormed off crying! My parents had really thought that I’d like it (and that it was funny) – but spent the next day in the Boxing Day sales looking for a bigger care bear for me to make up for it. I got a cuddly 8” Bedtime Bear (which lasted til I was 10, and my brother gave it to our puppy, who ate it) who was the best one left.
I was a right ungrateful brat, but it was a mean trick too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh that is actually rough on a 6 years old. I mean, at that age, you want something so bad and you still believe in Santa, right? Glad you got the big one eventually 🙂
LikeLike
The worst gift I ever got was a box of clothing from my mother. First, it was a box of her hand-me-downs, and second, it was all too big or too small for me ( my mother was 5’6″ and size 12, I was 5’9″ and size 4). She only sent it because her sister had mentioned sending my family Christmas gifts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes, that is not really a present, isn’t it. I am so sorry 😦
LikeLike