Holiday Shopping Guide for Grinches, Grouches, Spoilsports, Party Poopers and Generally Unpleasant People

If you have to shop this holiday season and must buy a gift for a grinch, grouch, spoilsport, or party pooper then you know how frustrating the search for an item can be. You don't want to waste much time or money on these less-than-festive individuals, and yet you may need to provide a gift to avoid upsetting a delicate balance with your in-laws, your own relatives, or co-workers.

Thus, I present this humorous holiday shopping guide for grouchy people in the hopes that this list will help you to be the shinning star at your holiday gathering, whether at work or at home. Drumroll please.

1. Give the gift of animal sponsorship. For grouches on your list who own animals, this gift just might soften them up a bit. You can choose a specific endangered animal to "adopt" as well as specify a dollar amount. Check out the Gift Center of the World Wildlife Fund to choose your gift ranging from $25 to $250.

2. Demonstrate that you truly are a shining star by naming a star after the grinch on your list. You can purchase online name-a-star packages that include an official registration form, star maps, and more starting from about $30. Make your grinch feel out-of-this-world with this gift. Check out this online retailer and choose from a variety of packages.

3. Lift the spirits of a spoilsport by presenting them with some sugary sweetness. Give them a sour candy gift basket stuffed with different tart, sour, and lip puckering candies. Maybe your gift recipient will catch the hidden meaning and lighten up for the holidays. If you want to purchase a sour candy basket ready-made then check out this basket by O'Ryans Village for about $28.

4. When a grinch is always a grinch, why not give the person a true reflection of their inner grinchy-ness? Give them a Grinch t-shirt. Check out this "I Hate Christmas" Grinch t-shirt by 80's tees for about $30. This shirt may just cause your grinch to crack a smile.

5. Un-poop a party pooper by giving them a gift to grab their interest and bring them out of the holiday blues. The idea is to get the party pooper to laugh! One idea is this Rude Rover for about $20 from Prank Place. Not only does this stuffed dog come with a festive Santa hat, but he sings and toots the Jingle Bells song. Since fart humor always seems to bring out smiles even among spoilsports, you will be the hit of your office white elephant exchange with this gift.

If that fails, then just get your party pooper a Yule Doo Christmas ornament for about $6 and call it good. Buy it online from Wonderfully Wacky.

6. One last bit of advice for gift givers this holiday season. If your gift recipient truly is a curmudgeonly person who is absolutely and utterly incapable of enjoying the season, then think about giving that person an experience as a present rather than a material item. For example, perhaps that person has always wanted to take a hot air balloon ride or see a play or watch all the Star Wars movies back-to-back and feast on never-ending tubs of popcorn. Find an activity that fits your budget and go for it!