DEAR ERIC: For the past two years, dear friends have sent me and my spouse a gourmet food gift for Christmas. It is something they enjoy, and while we enjoy it, too, it is in such a large quantity that we find it impossible to eat it all in a reasonable amount of time.

It is something that keeps well if refrigerated or frozen, but it takes up space. We prefer not to receive this particular gift again this year (we still have some left from last year) but fear it would be rude to mention it because 1) we don’t want to appear ungrateful and 2) it assumes that they will be giving us a gift this year, which seems presumptuous.

Do we say nothing and accept the gift graciously, or is there a way to address this in such a way that won’t prove embarrassing to either the givers or the recipients?

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