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Regifting
By Daphne | November 2, 2007
Have you ever decided to pass along a gift to someone who would be able to use the item better?
The topic of regifting or giving a gift to someone that was given to you is touchy. If the gift was handmade you probably wouldn’t pass it along but what if it is an item that you can’t return. I don’t think there is a problem with regifting something that is new. Otherwise you should just be up front when you are passing the item along. “You know I have something that so & so gave me that I think you would really like. I’m going to bring it to you.”
You can just wrap something up and give it to a person but if you are regifting… rewrap the item and don’t give it to the same person. No, not everyone gives gift receipts, and some things just aren’t returnable. And no, you can’t just give it back. We all have had something that people think we would like and it didn’t just quite suit us.
When you receive a gift you do not like or cannot use there are only three options: regift, toss or donate.
Tossing an item out only will work for something perishable. If you receive an edible gift and you don’t really like it, take it to work or church or some gathering. People will always eat food.
If the item is something that definitely not useful to anyone you know… donate it to a thrift store someone could use it.
If you choose to regift an item, it could be part of the gift or the whole gift. If you get freebies or promotional items from work or a contest you could give the item to someone.
There are supposedly rules about regifting, (see Regiftable) but jut as with your money, only you know what the people on your Christmas/Hanukkah/Birthday list would like.
You are not being dishonest if you give someone a gift that they would really like. If you bought an item at a greatly reduced price because of savvy shopping would you tell the person? Even if the person took it back to the store for a refund the recipient would find out how much you paid or didn’t pay. It’s the thought that counts - even though you don’t know what the giver was thinking when you opened the gift.
Topics: November 2007 |