--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Have you ever known anyone who bought a…" description: "\"Have you ever known anyone who bought a fruitcake for himself? Of course not. They are purchased as Christmas gifts, mostly for people you don't partic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/phyllis-diller-1622_christmas-gift_have-you-ever-known-anyone-who-bought-a_866163.jpg" --- # Have you ever known anyone who bought a fruitcake for… ![“Have you ever known anyone who bought a fruitcake for himself? Of course not. They are purchased as Christmas gifts, mostly for people you don't particularly like.” quote by Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/phyllis-diller-1622_christmas-gift_have-you-ever-known-anyone-who-bought-a_866163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/phyllis-diller-1622_christmas-gift_have-you-ever-known-anyone-who-bought-a_866163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/phyllis-diller-1622_christmas-gift_have-you-ever-known-anyone-who-bought-a_866163.jpg) > “Have you ever known anyone who bought a fruitcake for himself? Of course not. They are purchased as Christmas gifts, mostly for people you don't particularly like.” [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often give undesirable gifts to avoid personal use, revealing social convenience over sincerity. **In simple terms:** Bad gifts hide true feelings. Key Takeaway Beware hidden motives in gifting. Themes social etiquette gift giving authenticity Mood sarcastic wry Type humorous observational When to use this quote - family gatherings - office parties - holiday shopping - friend birthdays Key Concepts psychology of reciprocity social signaling Questions to Reflect On - Why do we give gifts we know will be disliked? - How can we express appreciation without insincerity? A Different Perspective Not all gifts are sincere; some are strategic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-gift/) [Christmas Gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-gifts/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Fruitcake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruitcake/) [Modern life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Persimmons are pretty present in a lot of Asian cultures, as gifts that you give to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/persimmons-are-pretty-present-in-a-lot-of-asian-cultures-as-gifts/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [Part of your mission in life then must be to share your gifts with as many people as possible. That means being willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/part-of-your-mission-in-life-then-must-be-to-share-your-gifts-with-as/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [Now that we have a bit of money, it is nice to get gifts for people. Before I was getting and not really giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayn-malik/now-that-we-have-a-bit-of-money-it-is-nice-to-get-gifts-for-people/) [Zayn Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayn-malik/) > [I learnt the hard way that crafting folk aren't all patchwork, pot pourri and politeness and that when it comes to the cut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/i-learnt-the-hard-way-that-crafting-folk-aren-t-all-patchwork-pot/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [I do give books as gifts sometimes, when people would rather have one than a new Ferrari.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-do-give-books-as-gifts-sometimes-when-people-would-rather-have-one/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Part of my joy as a singer is to give gifts to people, and one way I try to connect to them is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/part-of-my-joy-as-a-singer-is-to-give-gifts-to-people-and-one-way-i/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [But we're going to smile and pretend we're fine with the dorky birthmas gifts because people do not get that they can't mush a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-we-re-going-to-smile-and-pretend-we-re-fine-with-the-dorky/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the great gifts that you can give people is to cook for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-garten/one-of-the-great-gifts-that-you-can-give-people-is-to-cook-for-them/) [Ina Garten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-garten/) > [How generous was it to offer gifts to people one knew would never accept them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/how-generous-was-it-to-offer-gifts-to-people-one-knew-would-never/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I love buying gifts for people who I am close to as I know their likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-love-buying-gifts-for-people-who-i-am-close-to-as-i-know-their/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [God is still in the process of dispensing gifts, and He uses ordinary individuals like us to develop those gifts in other people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/god-is-still-in-the-process-of-dispensing-gifts-and-he-uses-ordinary/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The simple act of recognizing diversity in corporate life helps us to connect the great variety of gifts that people bring to the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-de-pree/the-simple-act-of-recognizing-diversity-in-corporate-life-helps-us-to/) [Max De Pree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-de-pree/) > [The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-majority-of-people-will-go-on-observing-forms-that-cannot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've got more than 600 pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses, from 1950s originals to newer models. I have them on the wall like opticians do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-ve-got-more-than-600-pairs-of-ray-ban-sunglasses-from-1950s/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-undset/and-when-we-give-each-other-christmas-gifts-in-his-name-let-us/) [Sigrid Undset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-undset/) ## More by Phyllis Diller > [My mother-in-law must be the probation officer I got for the crime I committed of marrying my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-mother-in-law-must-be-the-probation-officer-i-got-for-the-crime-i/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If it weren't for baseball, many kids wouldn't know what a millionaire looked like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-it-weren-t-for-baseball-many-kids-wouldn-t-know-what-a-millionaire/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm the only woman who can walk in Central Park at night... and reduce the crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-m-the-only-woman-who-can-walk-in-central-park-at-night-and-reduce/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I was the world's ugliest baby. When I was born, the doctor slapped everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-was-the-world-s-ugliest-baby-when-i-was-born-the-doctor-slapped/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [For Fang, getting out of bed in the morning is a career move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/for-fang-getting-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-is-a-career-move/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and a three-dollar pantyhose that won't run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/women-want-men-careers-money-children-friends-luxury-comfort/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-admit-i-have-a-tremendous-sex-drive-my-boyfriend-lives-forty-miles/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/the-reason-women-don-t-play-football-is-because-11-of-them-would/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-you-don-t-have-wrinkles-you-haven-t-laughed-enough/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [“A smile is a curve that sets things right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-smile-is-a-curve-that-sets-things-right/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Every time I go near the stove, the dog howls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/every-time-i-go-near-the-stove-the-dog-howls/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Some wives have model husbands, I got one that needed remodeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/some-wives-have-model-husbands-i-got-one-that-needed-remodeling/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-idea-of-exercise-is-a-good-brisk-sit/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) [Explore all 222 Phyllis Diller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## More Christmas gift quotes > [And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-undset/and-when-we-give-each-other-christmas-gifts-in-his-name-let-us/) [Sigrid Undset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-undset/) > [I've got more than 600 pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses, from 1950s originals to newer models. I have them on the wall like opticians do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-ve-got-more-than-600-pairs-of-ray-ban-sunglasses-from-1950s/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [“The desire and the effort to give to the Lord, born of the surrender of man to the plan of salvation, stamp every Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/the-desire-and-the-effort-to-give-to-the-lord-born-of-the-surrender/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-thomas-ellis/blessed-is-the-season-which-engages-the-whole-world-in-a-conspiracy/) William Thomas Ellis > [Congress may be going home for the holidays soon. How can you beat a Christmas gift like that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/congress-may-be-going-home-for-the-holidays-soon-how-can-you-beat-a/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-majority-of-people-will-go-on-observing-forms-that-cannot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donald Trump is a big Christmas gift wrapped under the tree for Hillary Clinton. She desperately hopes she runs against Donald Trump. I, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/donald-trump-is-a-big-christmas-gift-wrapped-under-the-tree-for/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-rice/you-can-never-truly-enjoy-christmas-until-you-can-look-up-into-the/) [John R. Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-rice/) > [I was in a department store and I saw a weird-looking gadget. I asked the young saleslady what it was. She answered, "It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/i-was-in-a-department-store-and-i-saw-a-weird-looking-gadget-i-asked/) [Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/) > [Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/christmas-is-a-time-when-everybody-wants-his-past-forgotten-and-his/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I had two cups of coffee, put Eric's jeans in the washer, read a romance for awhile, and studied my brand-new Word of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-had-two-cups-of-coffee-put-eric-s-jeans-in-the-washer-read-a/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [Buying me a Christmas gift on Cyber Monday is a great way to ensure I'll have sex with you until Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buying-me-a-christmas-gift-on-cyber-monday-is-a-great-way-to-ensure-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not listening is probably the commonest unkindness of married life, and one that creates - more devastatingly than an eternity of forgotten birthdays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/not-listening-is-probably-the-commonest-unkindness-of-married-life/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [Joel Waldfogel is one of the smartest and funniest economists on the planet. I think of him every time I start to unwrap a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ayres/joel-waldfogel-is-one-of-the-smartest-and-funniest-economists-on-the/) Ian Ayres > [“A Lake Charles-based artist, Sally was a progressive Democrat who in 2016 primary favored Bernie Sanders. Sally's very dear friend and worl-traveling flight attendant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/a-lake-charles-based-artist-sally-was-a-progressive-democrat-who-in/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) [Browse all 76 Christmas gift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-gift/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Have you ever known anyone who bought a fruitcake for himself? Of course not. 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