There are 17.7 million people who hold $210.5 million in unredeemed gift cards from Borders, which closed the last of their stores in 2011. A judge recently rule that Borders owes nothing to those people, effectively making those gift cards worthless. Which reminds me of this question: Is giving someone a bad gift better than giving someone a gift card? It's the thought that counts.

As an adult, when people ask me what I want for Christmas, I say: "Nothing".

10. Gift bag full of candy from the drugstore

We surprised our parents. They bought us dinner.

• Large, black Hermes golf accessory bag including set of lock and key, and extra strap in bottom compartment, presented in cream colored drawstring bag. Est. Value - $7,750.00 From: His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, and Mrs. Carla BruniSarkozy, First Lady of the French Republic

In the latest Freakonomics podcast for Marketplace, Kai Ryssdal and Stephen Dubner talk to a bunch of economists about the best way to give gifts, and then Dubner gives Ryssdal some gifts.

“I know you won’t tell anybody what I bought for Christmas,” he told reporters.

PRESENTS.

Finding gifts for people when you're unsure of what to give them can be terribly stressful.