It is almost unheard of for a person to say they have never received at least one present at Christmas they didn’t really like. While the sentiment will usually be there, buying gifts for others is not always such an easy task.

When going to the shops to return gifts you don’t really like, you need to think carefully about whether you want to risk a situation where the giver ends up finding out.

Research by Harris Interactive for US firm CouponCabin has revealed that one in five Americans get caught out by those who sent the present in the first place. In most cases this is because the item is not displayed in their home, or where clothing is involved, never seen to be worn by the recipient.