Colleagues, cousins and uncles are the worst at buying gifts, according to a survey conducted by Unicef-New Zealand.

One thousand respondents were asked to find out who gives the worst gifts at Christmas, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Thirty-eight per cent of the respondents said colleagues are most likely to give bad gifts, while 17 per cent cited cousins and uncles as the most likely to buy bad gifts.

Apparently, it is best to give notice to some people that you would rather receive practical gifts, such as a voucher or a form of donation to charity.

One third of the respondents said they got unwanted gifts last year.

The survey of 1000 people was conducted by Unicef to give Kiwis an insight into what New Zealanders really want for Christmas.

Unicef said it wanted Kiwis to take advantage of its "Say No to Naff" and "Inspired Gift" programs so that they could give a practical gift and at the same time help charities.

Unicef's online marketing manager, Richard Boyd, said those who bought the Inspired Gift had the chance to help children and their families in developing countries.

"[It] takes the hassle out of Christmas shopping and means your present definitely won't end up unloved," he said.