I'm right there with you on the presents thing. I'm not exactly without means, you know? If there's something I want, I'll go buy it myself. Therefore, anything you give me will either be something I already have, or something I don't even want. I don't particularly care for things I can't use, so if it's a gift that will just take up space, keep it to yourself.
That's not the worst part. The worst part is trying to fake excitement in a present I really don't care for. When I was a teenager, I wanted a keyboard really bad. I was specific, though: I don't want this crappy keyboard with 496 crappy tones. I'd rather have a nice one with 8 nice instruments. Guess which one I got?
I'd rather get nothing than a bad present. I'm such a bad liar, everyone can tell when I don't like it. And then the giver is resentful, like it's *my* fault that they have crappy taste.
My mother is getting pretty good though. She'll find things I don't know I want. One year she gave me a really nice desk chair, when I had been using a cheap CostCo chair. It didn't occur to me that a nice chair would matter all that much to me.
Even then, though, I'd prefer not to get it on a special occasion. You want to get me a present? Fine, but don't wait for Christmas or my birthday or whatever. What message does waiting send? "I like you enough to get you this, but the holiday is more important." The whole thing is ridiculous.