A guide to bad luck gifts

I have been purposely avoiding writing any sort of gift guide. Actually, I have been too busy shopping for my own gifts to do so. But now that we are in the final stretch of the holiday season, I guess I should start writing something related to the art of gift shopping.

That said, here are some gifts that you shouldn't buy for your friends and family. This is purely based on some odd urban legends/superstitious rumors that I have heard. Whether they are true or not - I have no idea. But I just avoid these because I am kind of superstitious....

For superstitious folks, watches may not be the best gift to give. (AP Photo/Ebel)

Watches: I heard that when you give this as a gift to someone, it shows distantce between the two of you. I also heard that it's a symbol of time running out. It's a reminder to the person wearing it that they only have a limited amount of time to live. Wow. That's depressing.

Shoes: You give these to someone and it's supposed to mean the giftee is going to walk all over you. But I also heard that if you ask for the giftee to give you money in small change before you give them the gift, it neutralizes this threat. Really? Who made this stuff up?

Knives, swords and any other sharp object: Besides being a safety hazard, isn't this one obvious? This is supposed to symbolize the severing of a relationship. Oh damn. I really wanted a swanky letter opener for Christmas. Apparently, you can use the "give small change" technique used for the shoes to neutralize this threat as well.

Red roses: The long stemmed and thorned variety of this rose can symbolize suffering in a relationship. Other shades without thorns would suffice.

Empty wallet or purse: Do not, I repeat DO NOT give an empty purse or wallet to someone as a gift. ALWAYS incude money. I think it supposed to grant them wealth or something. If you don't include anything, they'll be poor. This is actually a superstition I don't mind.

Handkerchiefs: People use handkerchiefs to wipe away tears, sweat and blow their nose. Hence, if you give a handkerchief, you are suggesting that the giftee will be crying, sweating or blowing their nose a lot in the near future.

Re-gifting: If you re-gift, it symbolizes that you are giving away the relationship of the person who initially gave the gift you are re-gifting. Make sense? Good. I am so busted me on this one.

Are there any superstitious gifts I am missing? What gift giving rituals and superstitions do you have?