I don't like the expectations around gifts in my culture, I don't like surprises, i despise consumerism, I am a minimalist, and I don't like gifts being wrapped. My friends know this.

Usually my response when someone hands me a wrapped gift is to frown and ask what it is and why they got it for me. The feeling is usually "damn it. How many wage slaves suffered for this thing?" And "ugh, now I have something else that I have to lug around and figure out how to find it a new home where it won't end up in a landfill"

If they want to give me something nice (eg cook me dinner or hand me a flower), its appreciated. But not on some strange cultural expectation or wrapped in a dead tree or uncompostable plastic single use trash.