Ok, so there's nothing you can do about all the crappy gifts you got THIS holiday season, but come Christmas 2011, you could possibly be enjoying the ultimate exchange program courtesy of mega online retailer Amazon.com.

According to CNN, the company was just awarded a patent on a "bad gift exchange program" in which users could create a wishlist for themselves, make it available to friends and family, and then convert anything else NOT on the list (but still bought on Amazon) in their name into a pre-approved exchange for your favorite books, music, toys, games, etc. The kicker is the sender never knows you exchanged the present before it arrives AND a thank-you note is sent citing the original purchase.

While it sounds a bit complicated, the idea is totally ingenious and makes for a much better Christmas present experience. Of course, the worst gifts usually come from your older, technophobic relatives, so it might not save you from getting yet another ugly polar fleece or some heinous handmade piece of jewelry you'd never be caught dead wearing…at least until they visit.