gift horse with rotting teeth, bad breath

what do you do when a loved one gives you something like this:

It's what we used to call a 'Mother Hubbard' sweater back in college. You know ribbed, buttons down the front and looking like my cat had bad fish last night. The biggest problem though is that it was given to me by my brother. Probably the one person who knows me the most. Which explains why I am so upset.

Does my brother know me so little to think I would willingly submit to be seen in something like that. Its a scary and life altering thought. And like with all good intentioned but out of place gifts, I have only one choice. I grin and carry wear it to the bus stop every morning, take it off there and put it back on the walk home from the bus stop.

Why do people give bad gifts? What makes an aunt believe that you will actually wear the light green salwar she has given you for your birthday when light green is the absolute last colour that goes with an Indian skin tone? Or what is the rationale behind bum chums gifting you a top 3 sizes too small because its 'sexy' and are then aghast that you don't fit into it. Or well meaning colleagues who gift you a purse made out of what feels like 'Original Lion Fur from the African Saharas' which you are forced to carry while your vegetarian-animal loving soul dies a thousand deaths....

No I'm not a material girl. I'll love you if you give me a 5 buck Cadbury's chocolate for Valentines Day and I'll love you even better if you don't give me anything. After all, its the thought, that matters. And with most people, I wish the gifting instinct stayed at that...

So existentialist question. Is there some kind of larger force at play that makes it necessary for all bad gifts to be gifted to me? Or do you have a better story?