Americans Trash $16 Billion Worth of Unwanted Christmas Gifts

Americans may be in the spirit of giving during the holiday season, but it turns out that about $16 billion of gifts are unwanted.

A recent survey conducted by Pureprofile looked at 2,000 adults in America and found that 1 in 2 people, or about 130 million Americans, dislike at least one gift that Santa brought them on Christmas. The survey also found that the average cost of an unwanted gift is $49.95, meaning that about $16 billion worth of unwanted gifts will be given this holiday season.

Among the most unwanted gifts are forms of clothing and accessories, with 45.35 percent of people surveyed reporting that they’ve received unwanted clothing as a present. Another 18.19 percent of people reported that they don’t like receiving household items, while 13.61 percent are hoping not to receive fragrances.

The survey also found out where these unwanted gifts end up. Most people choose to politely keep their unwanted gifts, while 3.69 percent of people admitted to throwing them away. Other people, 31.48 percent, turned a bad thing into something good by selling or exchanging their gifts.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of an unwanted gift, you aren’t out of options. You can make a profit by selling the gift, or you can even re-gift it to someone who may enjoy it more. If you’re hoping not to bestow someone with an unwanted gift, simply ask them what’s on their wish list or go for the fool-proof method of giving them a gift card.