If someone gives you a Yule gift that you hate, what do you do?
Do you pretend you like it?
Do you also keep it and put it where everyone will see it to really keep up the make-believe that it is treasured?
Do you swiftly but secretly take it to a charity shop on Boxing Day, or do you ask your friend or relative for the receipt so you can take it back to the place it was bought?
According to a survey, this Christmas 80 per cent of us will lie and say we love a present we actually hate. Most of us - 84 per cent - have received a gift we didn’t like, but only 9 per cent of those surveyed said they could admit it to the gifter. The survey also showed that 70 per cent of us have ‘re-gifted’ a present we didn’t want, rather than admit we didn’t like it.
Other survey findings include:
- Almost one in five of us have knowingly bought the wrong present for someone
- Half of us have forgotten a present for a loved one - 28 per cent have forgotten a friend and almost 1 in 10 admitted they forgot their partner!
- Men are most likely to forget their mum! (20 per cent)
- Less than one per cent of us have a present drawer
- Almost 40 per cent believe they easily add £10-20 to their purchase when they panic buy
One of the things I organise at my local pagan moot every January is an unwanted gift exchange, where people are invited to bring along a present or two that they were given for Yule but didn't want, for whatever reason. They can then swap it for something they prefer out of all the other unloved gifts. I usually also offer to buy a drink for whoever brings along the worst present, the one no one at all wants.Personally, my main reason for swapping gifts after Yule is that I've been given a duplicate copy of a book that I already own. I love getting new books, but I do have a rather large library. A book token, on the other hand, is always a wise choice for anyone wanting to buy me a present, but unsure about what title to pick.
The survey was compiled by Gift Wink, a company that offers a service suggesting suitable gifts by saving key dates and intelligence about the person you are buying for, so you can be notified weeks in advance with a unique selection. Within a few clicks you can sort a present and have it delivered without having to leave the Gift Wink website. You can find it here: https://www.giftwink.com/
Although I haven't seen inside the 2013 edition, the front cover is gorgeous.
As well as being a good size for entering appointments and the like, the Astro Moon Diary gives details of daily planetary movements and moon phases. It provides explanations of astrological terms and their meanings, a forecast for the year and features on things like pagan festivals. It is published by 
This includes dates for pagan festivals, information about what happened in history such as famous witch trials and the birthdays of pagan writers. 
which isn't a diary, but does include a great spell suitable for every day of the year ahead as well as information about seasonal lore and pagan festivals.
. This is published by 
made me smile. I'm not sure what they say inside, however, as it wasn't mentioned on the website.
, by David Long, is about London's 100 strangest places. I was pleased to see that Bunhill Fields cemetery, one of my favourite spots in London, is the first entry in it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book and then visiting other sites mentioned.
, by Steve Roud, is a large hardback book full of traditional stories, folklore, superstitions and legends about England's capital. I'm sure I will find lots of useful and fascination information in it.
, by Merlin Coverley. The back cover blurb mentions Dr Dee, witches, Hawksmoor, Blake, Spring-Heeled Jack, Madam Blavatsky, Ley Lines and the Highgate Vampire.
