Gift ideas. Already.

Whether you like it or not, holiday mode has arrived. (Are you reading, Dawn?)

Starbucks is serving its Christmas concoctions. Some holiday lights are up. Facebook statuses allude to wish lists.

With that comes a surprisingly early onset of "worst gift my boyfriend gave me" blog posts, like this one from TresSugar.

There are some exceptions, but the "bad" gifts generally include gifts that are practical and mildly necessary -- but not exactly romantic. Example: a compass.

Perhaps the posts' early arrival is designed as a cautionary tale, or a way to brace yourself for deflated expectations.

Weigh in: What makes a gift bad?