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Five Awesome Gifts for People Who Suck #Giveaway

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*Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.*

We all have at least one of them on our list this year. You know – normal, everyday people who are just really hard to shop for, because they’re either too fabulous or too frustrating. Clearly, they suck. It’d be nice to pretend they don’t exist, but often, we’re related to them, or have known them for so long we forget how much they suck until it’s time to buy them a gift. It’s an interesting dilemma.

The good news? There’s a gift for Miss Perfect Pants and Sir I Hate Everything. And today, not only will you receive some awesome gift ideas – you’ll have the chance to win the whole kit and kaboodle. Read on, gift givers!

Mr. Vintages

He tilts his glass of wine and then sniffs deeply before he takes a sip. But it’s no ordinary sip – the wine is gently swished in his mouth (complete with pensive look on his face) before he deems it appropriate to swallow. He is Mr. Vintages – your resident wine expert.

You know him well! He brings a $13.95 bottle of wine to your house and raves on and on that he sampled it in Turkey and the 2009 tastes so much better than the 2011 because he doesn’t like the way the new owners manipulate the oak. After about 5 minutes of his spiel, your grip around your own wine glass tightens… and you wonder for the 78th time, “Why are we friends again?”

Awesome Gift Idea: PC Black Label Vidal Ice Syrup. Harvested and pressed from frozen Vidal grapes, this divinely rich syrup is bursting with flavour nuances of apricot and plum, along with the balanced acidity of citrus. Use the versatile ice syrup in a myriad of both savoury and sweet culinary creations.

I received this item as part of PC’s Holiday Insider’s Report (translation: the best press drop of the year) and I’ve since enjoyed it drizzled over vanilla ice cream and strawberries, with creme caramel, and I’ve even tried it with a good old fashioned Belgium waffle. Next up: incorporating it in a roast beef au jus.

(It’s not very swishable but it’s VERY brag-worthy.)

Miss Perfect Pants

The trouble with Miss Perfect Pants is that not only is she perfect, but she also looks fabulous in her lululemons. This can be attributed to the fact that she actually works out in them instead of treating them like upscale jogging pants. But her perfectly tight derriere is often overlooked thanks to her her perfectionist ways – she’s constantly pulling out pictures of the orphans she saved from a burning building – but only after she reminds you about the soup kitchen she volunteers in. And before she leaves, she’ll whip out a reusable bag and ask if she can take some non-perishable items off your hands.

Awesome Gift Idea: She may have a gold star, but does she have a goat? I’m serious. This Christmas, purchase a goat on her behalf. Plan Canada Gifts of Hope are gifts that support real projects that change real lives in developing countries. A $75 goat provides milk for a family: protein, nourishment and health. Just imagine what a herd of 12 can do for a community! This gift provides the possibility of a livelihood, an income and the ability to make choices about the future. Pair the gift card with luxurious goat’s milk soap and cream for Miss Perfect Pants, or for the foodie on your list, a cheese board and cheese knives.

The Buffet King

He’s big, and so is his appetite. In fact, slap a beard and red suit on him, and the next thing you know, little children are sitting on his knee asking for presents. He’s got a cholesterol problem, a weight problem and a listening problem – because every time you tell him to put down the beer and nachos and take care of himself, it falls on deaf ears. He is enjoying life without apologies, because as Drake said, YOLO (you only live once).

Awesome Gift Idea: Consider this an investment in his future care: The Heart & Stroke Calendar Lottery. At only $25, the calendar makes a perfect gift for The Buffet King. There is a chance to win 3 daily cash prizes, every day of the year – all while helping an important cause. Every 4 minutes someone in Ontario visits a hospital because of heart disease and stroke and 1 in 5 Ontarians have high blood pressure, the number one risk factor for stroke. Net proceeds from the Calendar Lottery support important lifesaving research.

Sir I Hate Everything

He’s lean, mean and he’s a tween. And, he hates everything. He hates the sweater you bought him last year, and he already hates the iPhone 4S you gifted him just four months ago. (If only he had a revolving birthday to coincide with the launch of new iPhones, you’d be set.) He thinks Obama is cool and Justin Bieber is a total loser – even though his hairstyle is eerily similar to the pop star’s. He is Sir I Hate Everything, and you’ve got him on your holiday shopping list this year.

Awesome Gift Idea: Thankfully, this one’s a no-brainer – because if there’s one thing tween boys love, it’s hamburgers. Thick, juicy hamburgers with the most delicious sides and shakes. This Christmas, drop a couple of South Street Burger gift certificates in his stocking. You’ll be empowering him to do what tweens do best – hang out at a burger joint with a friend. And with their new menu options – including grilled hot dogs and gluten-free burger buns, his tummy will thank you too.

Mrs. Amuse Bouche

Martha Stewart has nothing on Mrs. Amuse Bouche. She speaks with a slight sneer as she recounts the latest Michelin star restaurant she has reviewed for her food blog (which receives 45,000 unique visitors per month, didn’t you know?). She laughs off suggestions that she is a pretentious foodie, patiently explaining the difference between Hollandaise and Bernaise sauces… to your 3-year-old. Mrs. Bouche eyes the holiday spread you have put together warily, wondering if she can indeed eat prosciutto that hasn’t been purchased from Antonio’s – or would that be cheating? “Where did you buy your prosciutto? Was it from Antonio’s?”

And, when you tell her that the olives have not been imported from Spain, she dies a little inside.

Awesome Gift Idea: PC Black Label Truffled Coffee Beans. Quite possibly the most luxurious snack ever; premium coffee beans are roasted just enough to bring out their complex flavours. Then, they’re “enrobed” (pretentious foodie word!) in rich dark chocolate and dusted in fine cocoa powder, creating a silky texture. A sumptuous coffee  flavour lingers on the palate after the deliciously dark chocolate has melted away.

WIN IT!!!

One lucky reader will win a gift pack, including a $50 President’s Choice Gift Card, a Heart & Stroke Calendar and $20 in South Street Burger gift certificates – plus a surprise or two! (Value $100+). To enter, simply fill out the following form with your qualifying entries. Good luck!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I have always wanted to try the fancy “black label” PC products, but they never go on sale ;) If I win, I am keeping the PC product for me! :)

  2. well … the worst person to shop for would be me lol …
    but if forced to pick someone else i’d say my mother!!!!
    impossible to please, never sure if she’s going to love it or fake smile :P

  4. the worst person to shop for is my husband. He is too picky, and since I am a stay at home mom who doesn’t work, it seems silly to buy him a surprise with his pay cheque :) LOL!

  6. Im not a fan of shopping for myself but even more so for my bff! I she is always so stylish and finds unique things that I never do! This prize pack would be terrific for her!

  7. My dad is the worst, because he always buys anything he wants right away, and doesn’t wait for anyone to buy it for him.

  8. The worse person to shop for is my sister…she is very hard to please, and that sucks…but If I win I KNOW she’ll love this !

  10. My brother is the worst person shop for. Because he has everything. When I ask him what he would like for Christmas or birthdays or any special occasion he doesn’t get back to me because he doesn’t want anything. He sucks but I still love them!

  11. Hmmm, perhaps the worst person to shop for is my sister cause I guess I care the most what she thinks so I want to get it right!

    Thanks, Lisa

  12. My dad is the hardest to shop for!!! He is picky and although he’d appreciate any gift it does pose as a challenge!

  13. My hubby loves the black label PC products (well…he certainly appreciates the samples they’ve had in store), so they’ll definitely go to him!

  18. it’s tough to shop for all the adults in my family…they never tell me what their wish list is.

  19. What a fantastic article!! I have this problem every year with my mom – whenever I ask her what she wants for Christmas, she just says, “oh, you don’t need to get me anything, dear.” We all know what that means!

    Those PC Black Label Truffled Coffee Beans look divine. Great list, keep up the awesome work! Fingers crossed, really hope I win!

  22. My husband because he has all the tools he need and I can’t afford the toys he’d like. Fourwheeler anyone?
    This list made me laugh.

  23. My bro and sis in law are the worst because they both work, have no kids, already own everything they want….! Its really hard to find something theyd use that they havent already bought for themselves!

  25. My husband – he has no hobbies. Anything he wants he just buys for himself before I get the chance.

  26. My friends and I have bought the Heart & Stroke Calendar for 2 years as gifts, none of the recipients have yet won…will do it again this year, as they say 3 times lucky.

  27. Everyone? Unless someone tells me exactly what they want, I’m clueless. My oldest (5) was dead set on getting dragon wings for Christmas this year. Boom! Done! Everyone else doesn’t know, isn’t old enough to know, is too picky, or I don’t understand what “Woof woof. Woof woof woof!” means! :)

  28. My dad is the worse to shop for. He always goes out and buys the stuff for himself. I ask what he wants and a week later I see that he’s went out and bought it. Its frustrating.

  29. I have a hard time shopping for my brothers. I never know what to get them and end up giving the same sort of gift every year!

  31. Ultimately the hardest person to buy for my BFF Elaine. She has peanut allergies, a gluten free diet, vegetarian and a girl that is on a DIET during this Christmas Season. That is why is sucks ? Takes forever to find a sentimental gift that is special. Looks like a gift card this year !!!!!

  35. My mother-in-law is the hardest person to shop for because she always wants something that is nearly impossible to find!

  36. My Hubby is the hardest as he never really has anything he wants or needs so whatever i get him usually ends up sitting in a closet.

  37. Easily my dad, he has everything, he does ski but always buys his own and does not like us making a fuss.

  38. my brother – it is really tricky. he doesn’t live close-by, so i have no idea what he owns or what he needs.

  40. Used to be just my dad as he had everything and he could afford to get nicer things than I could get lol but now my mom is just as bad as now that they are older they really just dont need anything, we do alot of gift cards for meals out for them etc

  41. I find my Husband sometimes hard to buy for. As we don’t always do gifts for each other we worry about the kids.

    silverneon2000 at yahoo dot com

  42. My husband’s grandmother because she is in her 80s so she comes from an era where you didn’t buy things that weren’t necessities. She doesn’t like anyone wasting money and she considers almost everything “wasting money”.

  44. my brother who love hunting, and I hate sporting goods stores, always get lost in them, so I think he gets a gift card this year.

  51. My mom because she doesn’t give me any ideas. When I asked, she always said “you don’t have to get me anything”

  54. The worst person to buy for is my close friend M. He’s done well for himself and seems to have everything he needs, can get anything he wants, and prefers the highest quality he can get. These are some great gift ideas!

  56. My mom is the worst person to shop for because she is very picky and so I will keep the receipt for whatever I buy because I know she will just want to return it.

  63. I find my husband is the worst person to shop for. He literally has everything so I never know what to buy him. He has like 5 of every tool ever made so tools are never an option. I wish he was an easier person to buy for. Plus he will never gives me hints, instead tells me that he is too old for gifts :( which helps in no way! lol

  64. My sisters-in-law! They already have everything it seems. Love the idea of the goat with goat milk soap though. Hmmm… can you get 1 milk and split it between 2 or 3 people?

  65. My sister and my mom — they’re cut from the same cloth. Their answer to what they want is always “nothing”.

  66. I wouldn’t say the worst, but the most difficult person to shop for is my older brother because he always seems to buy whatever I’ve gotten him because I get a chance to gift it!

  67. My husband is very difficult to buy gifts for, so often I pick up lingerie and its a gift for both!

  74. my dad
    every year he comes up with a few things he’d like…he talks about it briefly…and then goes and buy it from himself!!!
    so its socks beer andunderwear…again!

  75. My DH is the hardest to shop/buy a gift for…he’s a bit picky and just likes to pick out his present out
    himself, before I can!
    Thanks for the chance to win.

  79. My daughter is the hardest to shop for. She buy wants she wants and when it comes to clothes she is fussy

  83. My nan is the hardest person to shop for because at 95 years old,what else is there left to get? She already has everything,, and dont want anything else only chocolate..lol..

  84. My dad is hard to shop for! He always says he doesn’t need anything, so i can never figure out what he wants!

  86. my father-in-law or my husband are the hardest to shop for since anything that they really want they go and buy themselves!!

  88. Everyone – I want to get the perfect gift for all and sometimes worry what I buy is not what they want.

  94. On your sleepless in the suburbs post…I am so guilty of this…I can’t say no they are only little lol

  97. My husband – he claims he doesn’t need anything. Ever. Whatever you get him isn’t anything you think he really ever wants. #hesgettingapursethisyearthen

  98. My Mom, only because she is in a senior’s apartment and doesn’t have space for ‘stuff’. Gifts have to be very useful for her and not something that can stay in the home.

  99. The worst person to shop for is my hubby. He always says he has everything he needs & only gives me a few ideas.

  100. My 10 year old daughter is the hardest person I have to buy for. She has almost everything already. And what she doesn’t have are things I’m unwilling to give her (no you may not have a tv in your bedroom).

  102. The hardest person to shop for by far is my father-in-law. To top it all off, his birthday and Christmas are 5 days apart from each other, which makes it doubly challenging.

  103. My hubby because he always wants techie stuff – I mean really techie stuff no one understand and I can’t buy for him so end up NEVER having surprize and so he sucks

  104. hmmm. I think I’m the one that sucks! I never have ideas when people ask what to get me. Anything I really could use, I’d rather get myself so no one messes it up…. :S

  105. My hubby – he buys everything he loves as soon as it comes out – anything Rush, iPad etc and there’s never anything left for me to buy. :(

  106. My husband, no matter what I buy he gets a look of what’s this on his face, hopefully he loses the look now that we have a child lol

  107. My Nanna is the hardest, she has everything she needs and is basic and simple. ask her what she wants she will tell you she does not need anything and dont get her anything so i make her freezer meals and baked goods she can enjoy as she lives on her own that makes it more special for her

  113. My husband is the hardest. I don’t have a clue what he wants and if I ask him, he says he doesn’t want anything.

  116. My mom. She’s so picky & doesn’t appreciate the effort anyone makes to get her the perfect present. Because of that, I now just give her money.

  118. I would have to say sister in law. She lets you know she doesn’t like the gifts you have sent in past.

  119. Id have to say….. my mom. She doesn’t need or want anything .. but then she needs and wants everything! Whatever we get, isn’t good or she doesn’t want. Experiences and food from now on!

  121. My mother and my in-laws. They don’t give any hints at all and they always say that they don’t need anything. Grrrrrrr!

  124. Can’t wait to find put who the winner is. I have never one anything in my life so far. It would be awesome if I won. If not that’s ok too. I’m sure one day I will win something :)

  128. My lil sis. She has the complete opposite style of me and as a result ends up with books every year!!!

  129. My husband is the hardest to shop for because he ALWAYS says he wants nothing. Drives me crazy, he knows we’re going to get him something! He could at least help with a few ideas!! Grrr. :)

  130. Sadly the suckiest person to buy for is my hubby.
    -power tools are out because he has them all
    -electronics are forbidden territory because his discriminating taste would mean I’d better get the make/model of his choosing or else
    -clothing is off-limits because it seems to maternal to him
    So that leaves me with booze, experiences and books

  139. It’s hard to buy something for my husband because he has very particular tastes. He likes to shop for himself and sometimes I end up buying something he won’t use or wear.

  141. Gifting for my entire family is difficult – I never know what to buy for them, they are all so picky.

  145. Sadly none of these work for my Mum. Ms. I don’t really want anything and I don’t have room to store anything and I’m trying not to eat sweets but still expect a gift of some sort.

  148. brothers in law are always hard! bc they usully have everything anyway! but gift cards or PLAN gifts are great!

  149. My Dad is the hardest person for me to shop for because he hates anyone spending money on him and never wants anything.

  150. Shopping for my sister in law is the most difficult because she is very trendy and my style is so laid back. I can never pick the right gift.

  155. My grandma because she has everything and if she doesn’t have it she doesn’t need it. Plus she bakes and knits so that leaves sweaters, slippers, cookies out of the mix.

  156. My husband is seriously THE hardest person to shop for. He has great taste but is uber picky and I’ve never managed to get it right :(

  159. I have no one that’s really hard to shop for this year but that prize pack would help out my budget…:)

  160. I have a couple of people in my life that are really hard to buy for…mainly because they seem to have everything, and they both like the oddest things

  163. my best friend is very hard to shop for she is very picky and does not like what I get her for gifts

  164. the worst person I have to buy for is my 81 year old father. He is always so good to us and we try to reciprocate with movie passes, Swiss Chalet gift cards..Two weeks ago he told me he HATES Swiss Chalet but everyone else loves it. He is a cool guy who would like to go to a nice Italian restaurant, have wine and eat fine dining. But I’m 2 hours away.. so now no Swiss gift cards..now what??

  165. My best friend is the most difficult to buy for – she seems to have everything she wants. Despite being difficult to shop for, she is one of the most generous and appreciative people I know. Love her.