In Stardew Valley, each of the villagers has a list of gifts they love, some they like, some that they are indifferent toward, and a whole host of things they dislike or even hate. Often, these gift preferences make sense. Leah carves wood sculptures so she loves Driftwood. Maru builds robots so she loves Batteries. Vincent is just a kid so he hates Triple Shot Espresso.
Sometimes, though, villagers like or dislike something that doesn’t really make much obvious sense. There might be some reason for it in some cases, but some gift preferences are puzzling. Here are some of the best examples of strange gift preferences among the residents of Pelican Town.
10 Gems - Abigail
What’s strange about Abigail’s love of Amethyst and other gems is not necessarily that she likes them, but rather that it’s implied that she eats them. When Abigail is given a “liked” gift (including Quartz and other gems), she’ll say “Hey, how’d you know I was hungry? This looks delicious!”
Since many of Abigail’s “liked” gifts are food, the quote makes sense. But, it doesn’t make sense when giving her gems. The joke has turned into a huge meme among the Stardew fan community and is a common tag for Abigail’s personality.
9 Pickles - Harvey
Harvey is Pelican Town’s resident doctor. He spends much of his time looking after the other villagers and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. Many of his stock quotes include suggestions for nutrition and advice about staying active and eating right. He’ll even say, “Are you sure this is healthy?” when gifted a disliked meal (many of which are typically bad for you).
This is why it’s so strange what Harvey loves. Some of his most beloved gifts are Coffee, Wine, Pickles, and Truffle Oil. Sure, there are studies that show light consumption of black coffee and wine can be okay for you, but for someone who preaches an endlessly healthy diet, the choices are strange. Why not make fruits and vegetables his favorite gifts?
8 Void Eggs - Krobus
Once a player unlocks the sewers, they’ll be acquainted with the shadow monster who lives in them. His name is Krobus, and despite being a monster, he’s actually very kind and peaceful to the player and can even become a roommate on your farm. He runs a small shop with a few items for sale.
One of these items is the Void Egg, which he sells for a pretty hefty sum. But, the Void Egg is one of Krobus’ loved gifts. So, why doesn’t he just keep them for himself? It’s easy to level up your friendship with Krobus by just buying a Void Egg and handing it right back to him.
7 Beer - Shane After His Recovery
Choosing to marry Shane is a tumultuous choice. This young bachelor is struggling with alcohol addiction and the player can help him work through it. After reaching his four-heart event, he’ll realize that his drinking is a problem that is affecting the people around him.
With his six-heart event, the player basically needs to talk him out of alcohol-induced suicidal tendencies. From there, Shane’s heart events will show him saying he plans to start drinking sparkling water and avoiding alcohol. So, why is Beer still one of his loved gifts after you help him work through all of this and potentially marry him? It seems like you’re just enabling and retriggering your husband’s addiction.
6 Flounder - Sebastian
This one isn’t so much nonsensical as it is just completely random. Sebastian, who makes no clear comments about a love for fish or fishing, has a “like” for Flounders, those flat fish with eyes on top of their head. Every other fish is listed as “neutral” in his preferences.
He does like to eat Sashimi, but that’s not typically made out of Flounders. There’s no clear reason why Sebastian likes this strange-looking fish so much, but he does. Perhaps it’s a reference to Sebastian and Flounder, Ariel’s two animal sidekicks in The Little Mermaid.
5 Diamonds - Willy
Speaking of fishing, Stardew Valley is home to an avid fisherman named Willy. This seafaring angler lives on the beach and runs a fishing supply store. He’ll spend much of his time teaching the player the slimy strategies for catching fish and using bait.
He loves certain fish like Catfish, Octopi, Sea Cucumbers, and Sturgeons. He also loves a good Mead, and likes several other fish and fish-based dishes. What seems to have no basis in anything obvious is Willy’s love of Diamonds. What use this gruff fisherman who lives in a seaside cabin has for Diamonds is unclear, but he does love them.
4 Poppies - Hated By Almost Everyone
Flowers are a popular item in Stardew Valley. Flowers are a “universal like,” which means they are liked by all (or almost all) of the villagers. Certain varieties, like the Sweet Pea, Sunflower, Tulip, and Fairy Roses are appreciated by almost every villager.
It’s strange then, that almost everyone hates Poppies in particular. Penny loves them, but she is the one exception to their status as a “universal hate.” It’s not clear what the problem with Poppies is, or why everyone in Pelican Town hates them.
3 Survival Burger - Emily
Emily is a nice girl who loves to sew and tailor clothes. As a result, she loves receiving gifts like Cloth, Wool, and certain gems that can be used for dyeing clothing. It’s unclear why her list of loved gifts included a Survival Burger, which stands out harshly from the rest of the list.
This cooked dish is described as “a convenient snack for the explorer.” Emily doesn’t seem to be diving into the mines or passing out at 2 a.m. in the middle of the forest like the player, so it’s not obvious why she loves this meal.
2 Fish Tacos - Caroline
There are only a few people who don’t like Mayonnaise in Stardew Valley. It’s otherwise almost a universally-liked gift, meaning you can easily use it to level up your friendship with the villagers, and many people do. Caroline, though, does not like Mayonnaise of any kind.
She has a very visceral reaction to being gifted Mayonnaise, stating simply “no, no, no…” like her parents were killed in a deadly mayonnaise factory accident or something. Why, then, does Caroline love Fish Tacos? This dish consists of Tuna, a Tortilla, Red Cabbage, and — you guessed it — Mayonnaise.
1 Prismatic Shard - Haley
The Prismatic Shard is not just a pretty item to look at, it’s also one of the rarest and most useful. It can be used to make prismatic clothing, a wedding ring, color-changing clothes, and most importantly, to get the Galaxy Sword, one of the most powerful weapons in the game.
The Prismatic Shard is so rare and valuable that it’s a universally-loved gift. The one stalwart who is firmly against them, though, is Haley. She typically likes colorful things and most of the gems, so it’s unclear why she doesn’t love the Prismatic Shard. She doesn’t even dislike it, she fully hates it. It’s perplexing.
NEXT: Stardew Valley 10 Story Mods You Should Try
