There are some easy ways to tell if someone is less than pleased with their Christmas present.

The fear of someone not liking the gift I bought them is paralyzing to me. Seriously. I'm not the best gift giver. I never spend the right amount, I go lavish when I should have gone practical and vice versa, I gift simply out of guilt, or I don't gift when clearly I should have. This is why I stress about Christmas. My excuse is usually, "Well, I made the drive to spend quality time with you..."

It doesn't always work.

So, I guess you could say that I have become an expert in determining whether or nor someone likes the gift you got them. There are a few telling traits you can pick up on (these can also be a caution of what not to do when you receive a less than stellar gift).

5. They repeat the name of the gift - Ok, we're not dumb, Susan. We can all tell that's a light-up sweater displaying a large space cat in the center that is completely too big for you. When you don't have anything nice to say, but you have to fill that space, repeating the name of the item is a dead giveaway.

4. No eye contact - We still believe in manners in the south so not looking someone in the eye when saying thank you for a gift is just rude. If you don't make eye contact than you don't have to lie right? If someone truly loves a gift, they will look directly at you as if to ask, "Is this real life?"

3. You never see it again - Months go by and you never see them in the scarf you purchased in what you thought was their favorite color. Or maybe right after they open you gift, they put it back every so carefully into its packaging, almost as if they don't want to disrupt its awfulness. A loved gift is proudly displayed.

2. They auction it off - This can come in many forms. Maybe you bought them clothing and they proceed to see how the clothing looks on someone else, thus planning who will get this gift next. Or maybe they start to show off the gift to everyone in the room as if to get a majority vote on how terrible it is. In-laws in the south can be notorious for this, especially if you are on their territory.

1. They say "Bless Your Heart" - Unless you just sneezed and your grandmother is in the room, this is the kiss of death. "Bless your heart, you shouldn't have"? Allow me to translate. "Next time just save your money and use it on a book called 'Gift Giving for Idiots.'"

Of course, Christmas is not about presents. In my opinion, presents are just another way to show someone how much you care for them, but this can easily be done through quality time, acts of service and even words of affirmation. I believe the best present is presence and the birth of our Lord and Savior is what Christmas is truly about.

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