Could Your Next Gift End Your Relationship?

Buying a gift for your partner or a family member? It could make or break your relationship.

A study into the gift-giving habits of 2,000 Americans conducted by TheGrommet.com found nearly half (47 percent) have been given a gift by a partner that made them think the giver showed no effort or understanding of things they actually like.

Just over 40 percent of Americans admit that their partner can be a terrible gift giver, with 55 percent revealing that they have recently received at least one present from their spouse or partner that they actively disliked.

It's a common phrase but it really is the thought that counts -- one in eight relationships have been cast into doubt because a poorly-chosen gift made someone seriously doubt that the giver knew them well at all.

Interestingly, results show that men actually tend to read more into gifts than women and are quicker to doubt the relationship if they receive a gift that suggests their partner doesn't know them well (17 percent of men versus 10 percent of women).

And it's no surprise that bad gifts cast doubts. One woman was given a cat by her boyfriend of over two years -- he forgot she had a severe allergy to them.

Another woman was less than enthused by the gift of a lint roller, denture tablets and a styptic pen -- complete with receipt showing they were purchased on Christmas morning.

While one man struggled to open up on his true feelings after his girlfriend gave him a personalized umbrella - with his name misspelled.

Perhaps that's why a third of Americans have gone to friends or family to complain about a bad gift given to them by their other half.

Upon receiving a terrible gift, one in four admits they still said thank you, while one in 10 even offered the bold-faced lie of 'I love it!'

It's men though that are the bigger fakers -- proving more than three times as likely as women to gush that they 'love' a gift when, in fact, they hate it.

"Everybody has had that experience of being given a bad gift," says Jules Pieri, the Co-founder & CEO of TheGrommet.com, which launches innovative consumer products.

"And for some, it can be telling to the giftee that maybe the giver is not paying close enough attention to what is important to them. It can be damaging to a relationship."

Americans think the worst type of gift is something the receiver has no use for, such as a motorcycle helmet for someone who doesn't own a motorcycle, but re-gifted, cheap or items with no thought put into them are close behind.

Considering personality was voted to be the most important thing to consider when it comes to selecting a gift, but hobbies and sentimentality are also big factors.

As for shopping for the perfect gift, respondents say that it should take at least six days to find it.

While there are plenty of bad gifts to give out there, gift cards are apparently not one of them, as only one in 10 Americans would qualify them as a 'bad' gift.

Be wary of the limit though, as $35 is considered the average minimum that is appropriate for a gift.

Pieri continued, "For many, gift giving can be one of the most stressful and deadline-driven parts of relationships and modern life. Unless you are a hermit who lives off the grid, no one escapes this pressure of proving their ability to be generous, creative, thoughtful, and organized-all at once. Birthdays, graduations, holidays, and life events just keep rolling at us like a steamroller and the best defense is a good offense. Keep your antennae up both for needs and desires expressed by loved ones, but also for sources and companies that aren't mainstream and obvious."