Channel 4 - Entertainment

Advertising promotion

	Do they really like their present? Or are they faking it? Body language expert Judi James spills the beans... Ever wondered what it means if someone explodes into laughter after you’ve given them a gift? Remember when you gave your sister a pen for Christmas, and even to this day you're not quite sure whether she flung it in the bin behind your back? It can be such a nightmare trying to gauge someone's true reaction to a present and the credit crunch means you need to get it right on a tighter budget. So how do you know if someone's faking it? Body language expert Judi James (Big Brother, Xtra Factor) spills the beans on what those little expressions really mean and offers tips on how to get your choice of gift right next time. We wager you'll never buy your mother-in-law an apron again... Read the signs! Here’s body language expert Judi James’ take… The mirrored poses, torso-closeness and identical gift-focused body direction of both dad and son, show that this present has gone down well with both generations, creating that Xmas rarity – parent/child bonding! When your child loves their gift, their eyes will remain glued to it like a dog to a bone. A narrow smile with closed lips like this one will let you know they’re far too busy locked away in some creative world of future play to bother with the social-smiling stuff to please the person who gave it to him. Trouble only brews when there are two kids after the same prize and one pulls rank because he’s called ‘dad’! Read the signs! Here’s body language expert Judi James’ take… Women make great body language maskers, until that rubbish gift goes one step too far, like this mop! Gestures like this should let you know you’ve delivered an insult rather than a gift and attempting to explain exactly why you thought she’d like that wrinkle cream/cleaning appliance/moustache-waxing kit, will only see an increase in these signals of extreme aggressive arousal! The raised chin is part of a female power-display ritual and the next step in this ritual will be the deadly side-to-side head-wobble. The hand on the hip is a body-bulking gesture akin to a cat fluffing out its fur or a bird ruffling its feathers to make it look bigger before it gets stuck into a fight! Read the signs! Here’s body language expert Judi James’ take… A good gift should also increase your boss’s pace of movement, because being happy energises a man. If you’re at close range look for two physiological signs of present-pleasure that he won’t be able to hide: 1) Pupil dilation will be a sure sign he likes what he sees, and if his pupils remain dilated when he looks up to thank you, you’ll know you’re in for promotion in the new year (either that or he’s smitten with you!) 2) Then take a quick look at his thumbs. Erect thumbs are a male sign of genuine pleasure. If his thumbs pop up as he claps eyes on your gift you’ll know you made the right career-enhancing choice! Read the signs! Here’s body language expert Judi James’ take… No wonder she’s turned her back on you to ‘admire’ your rubbish gift – if she turned towards you you’d see this look of undisguised disgust on her face! Facial cut-offs or hide gestures like this should always make you suspicious that she doesn’t really like what she sees. So if she’s faffing about with the wrapping paper longer than is necessary or looking away and down to study your gift there’s a good chance she’s stumped at coming up with a polite and more appropriate response. That other raised hand should really set the warning bells ringing though! As you close in for your kiss of thanks a raised hand like this is a clear and emphatic barrier signal, meaning all kisses are off the menu for the foreseeable future!