Would you ever tell someone that you didn't like something they gave you as a gift, or didn't like food that they prepared for you,or anything like that?

No, I’d never do that. When this happens, I’m grateful for the thought and effort, and I find something nice to say. What’s the percentage in a cruel response to a kind gesture?

Recently, someone gave me a batch of chocolate-chip cookies. I don’t eat chocolate, but there was no need to mention this. I gave profuse thanks and passed the cookies along to Paul. It turns out that they were burned, hard as bricks, and nasty; I never said anything.

“Those were some cookies! ”

I would not. The fact that someone cooked for you or gave you the present is worth at least half of the actual experience. Often the experience itself is worth much more than the object.
I would accept the gift and/or eat the meal with a smile.

^^ Yep!
I gave a wedding gift to a young lady. It was a pretty cut glass serving bowl with a silver band around the top. Her displeasure was plain on her face. She didn’t like it, it wasn’t her style. She set it aside and didn’t even say thank you.

I once gave back a gift, to a very close friend. It was a very expensive box of Hickory farms sausage combination, and I don’t eat that kind of food (processed). I thanked her very much, but explained I can’t eat that kind of food, and I’m on a limited salt diet.

How did she respond?

She was understanding, and said her boys will love it. She was a very good friend. I miss her a lot.

There are only 2 circumstances I can think of when the risk must be run of hurting someone’s feelings. The first is if I believe there’s a good chance that the incident will be repeated, and the second is when the generosity involved clearly exceeds the donor’s means.

If someone brings me a gift, whatever it is, I graciously accept it and say thank you. If it’s from my mom or husband and I won’t use it, I’d tell them I want to exchange it, but I would not say that to just anyone. On rare occasion I might drop a hint about something I would prefer so they don’t gift me the same thing again, but not in the moment of receiving the gift. It depends on who gave me the gift.

If I’m at the table and someone prepared a meal and I really hate an item that was prepared, I would pass on eating it. I’m sure there isn’t just one item offered, so I’m sure there is something I can eat. I don’t drink wine when it’s offered. I don’t eat the cheese and crackers put out for the appetizer. I don’t want ranch or blue cheese dressing on my salad, I’ll eat it no dressing if necessary. I’m not choking any of that down. Well, maybe a plain cracker. I’m also not eating mayo soaked potato salad or mayo cole slaw. If someone cooks me something very bad for my health, I’m only taking a sliver, and only if I like it. I don’t take a drag off a cigarette if offered, and I don’t eat fatty, greasy, cholesterol ridden food if I don’t at least like it. If I’m going to clog my arteries it’s at least with foods I like.

I don’t want someone to waste time and money giving me something I won’t ever use or eat. If there is a chance they are going to do the exact same thing again in the future I’d possibly do something to try to prevent that from happening. It depends. If it’s something I can easily regift I’d probably refrain from saying anything and just say Thank you.

With my husband, we would each say if something bought didn’t suit our style or fit right and exchange it with no hard feelings. With others not so intimate, of course not.

Depends on if they ask, in which case I’d be honest in a kind way.

My late ex mother in law was going to Vegas ( to gamble) and asked if I would like a dark brown shirt, and I told her ” no thank you anyways but its not my color or style,but when Christmas rolled around that year I opened the gift that she gave me and there it was, the same one that I had stated that I did not want.!
My husband at the time tore it up and told me to use it as a rag to clean windows with.
After 11 years of her game playing and interference ( even on our wedding day) I divorced not only my husband but that dysfunctional family. It was 11 years of the excessive interfering mother in law.

My dad’s wife, who never had children and who is only 8 years older than me, once sent my 12 year old daughter a book for her birthday. Being the kind of Mom I am I started reading it to double check the contents.
I was horrified.
The book was about some girl in high school who was fucking her science teacher, and yes, the book was rife with the word “fuck”, and used literally.
There were pornographic, detailed descriptions of the student with her teacher, 3 somes with other staff and students….

I came unglued. I called her and angrily asked her what she was thinking!
She smugly explained to me that “That’s the real world. That’s how things really are, and she needs to be ready for it.” One of those people who never had kids but was an expert in parenting you know.
I told her she was out of her mind and almost hung up on her.
My daughter never received the book, and we were able to move on from that, but yeah. That was insane. I did not politely thank her for the book.

No, but I wouldn’t hesitate to regift an item to another friend, with the full knowelege to them that it was being regifted, and to explain to the new recipient why they need to keep mum about it so as not to hurt the feelings of the original gift giver.

I have been given gifts of alcoholic beverages (I don’t drink) and gift certificates to restaurants that are not vegetarian friendly, and tcotchkes that have no significance to me, and items that have clearly been regifted to me. I accept them all with a smile, and a sincere thank you, then send those items on their way.

I regift too.

I mean, if I don’t like the food prepared for me then that’s a firing offence on general principle alone.