Artists reveal the best (and worst) Christmas presents they’ve ever received

Christmas, no matter what anyone says, is all about the presents. Bore off with all this rubbish about reconnecting with your old mates and spending wholesome time with the family. Save it for some other gullible fool. We want stockings full of expensive goodies, boxes of treats under the tree, and tickets to some proper good experiences. Give us entry to a gig, a rave, or, even better, a festival, over a pair of ugly socks or your run-of-the-mill shower gift set any day. 

Unfortunately, it’s a fact that we will all, at one point or another in our lives, be on the receiving end of a lacklustre gift. The type you’d be embarrassed to donate to a charity store, not that they’d take it anyway. Luckily, we’ll also receive, and have likely already received, some pearls through the years. Presents the likes of which you might have been given as a child, that live strongly in your memory. This all got us thinking… What do artists and musicians get given at Christmas? So, we decided to ask a few to find out. 

Leading with positive gift experiences, before ending on those that put a dampener on what should have been a magical Christmas Day, hear from our list of artists on the best and worst Christmas presents they’ve ever received.

Best Christmas Presents

Amelia Leigh (Newcastle’s favourite, genre-defying DJ)

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“I think the best present I’ve ever received has to be the full Hannah Montana CD collection. It came with a bag and a bracelet. I was actually obsessed with her when I was a kid. I remember seeing it in my mum’s bag in HMV when I wasn’t supposed to and having to try to keep my cool.”

Inafekt (Liverpool-born, hard-house/techno connoisseur)

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“It has to be the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Disk, which was released back in 2005. Here’s a picture of me opening it back in the day.”

TLØ (The Balaclava’d Prince of hardstyle)

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“My fridge.”

(Obviously, not a man of many words, struggling to contain his excitement here.)

Lily C-D (The Midlands Queen of house and techno)

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“The best gift I’ve ever received? It’s got to be the limited edition, clear vinyl release of Guy Gerber’s What to do. This track holds some HUGE memories for me. 

“It reminds me of when the Real Gang closed Ibiza Underground during my first season out there. It was their penultimate tune. It’s made even more special now that the club no longer exists. It’s one of my favourite tracks of all time, sitting in the top 5 (which is a pretty big statement from someone who listens to countless hours of new music a day).

“The worst gift (sorry in advance, mum) is an exercise ball I once got given that gamified working out. You had to roll the oddly shaped ball, which was more of a hexagonal sort of shape with exercises written across it, and whatever it landed on, that’s the exercise you had to do. I don’t think anyone should ever be forced into doing burpees, especially at Christmas. This remains firmly tucked away in a drawer, gathering dust.”

Shanika Sunrise (Transfemme menace residing in Manchester)

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“The best Christmas present I ever received was a Legolas costume. I was 6 years old, and I was utterly obsessed with the Lord of the Rings films. Legolas was my favourite character. The cloak drowned me because it was an adult costume, but I was so happy!”

Eva Selectz (Dynamic, up-and-comer on the Glasgow scene)

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"One of the best Christmas presents I can remember getting was a glitter lamp! It’s similar to a lava lamp, but instead, it has pink glitter floating around inside it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever to have in my room… until my brother threw a pillow at it and it smashed all over my floor. Cheers Cameron!"

Worst Christmas Presents

MC Pat Flynn (Viral, freestyling rap sensation from Ireland)

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“When I was about 15 years old, my mother got me what’s probably the worst Christmas present anyone has ever given me - a really long pair of socks. When I say long, they were the same length as a pair of women’s tights. They were also light green in colour, don’t ask me why. I just smiled as I opened them and got on with it.

Looking back on it now, come to think of it, they might have actually been women's tights. Thanks, mum.”

Lilwarb (Liverpool-based hard techno fanatic)

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“My nan once gifted me what she thought was a Bluetooth speaker, but it turned out to be just a rock. It was a very smooth rock to be completely fair to her, but it was in no way, shape, or form an electronic audio device of any sort. She insisted ‘the man’ in the shop said that it connected to phones. Was my nan scammed? Hands down, the worst Christmas present someone’s ever bought for me.”

We hope this helps you feel a little bit better about any naff gifts you’ve received in the past (and if this year turns out a bit low, you can always check back here on Christmas Day for a pick-me-up). We also hope it makes you feel grateful for all the good ones you’ve had. And if you’re really not happy with your haul this Christmas, you could always soothe your misery with a ticket to an event over the festive period!

If you’re interested in getting out over the new year, we’ve got tickets to some mind-blowing events in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, London, Bristol, Brighton, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Still can't find what you’re looking for? Head here. 

If you’re looking for something more immediate and Christmassy, check out our curated list of varied festive events, including Christmas market experiences, theatre productions, raves, live music, family parties, bingo events, festive film nights, roller skating, and more.

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Header image credit: Getty Images for Unsplash+ / Unsplash.com