Regifting: Do’s & Don’ts

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here was a time not so long ago that the thought of regifting a previously received item to another person was blasphemous. Well, not any more. These days, more and more people are using the term “regifting” and also doing the action. That being said, regifting should not be done as a method of ridding oneself of an unwanted or unliked gift. It should always be an item that you are sure the other person will enjoy.

However, be careful — regifting has its rules. The most obvious is that you cannot regift a used item. Any slight sign of wear and tear and it’s considered a no-no. It really should be new and in its original packaging.

Regifiting means you have to keep track of who gave you the gift in the first place. If you have a large circle of friends this can pose a problem. There’s that chance you may give the item to someone who is also a close friend of the person who gave you the gift in the first place. Even worse would be giving it back as a gift to the original gifter. How do you explain that? Friendships could be lost over this kind of faux pas.

Sometimes there are special messages or cards associated with a gift. Make absolutely sure all remnants are removed. (If it’s a book, make sure there are no wishes or dedications written on the inside.)

Once you decide to regift an item, try to make the gift look extra special by using some fancy wrapping paper and ribbon. How many times have you heard people admiring the package itself before even opening it?

Nowadays, the ugly Christmas sweater is actually a product being sold and making some people a lot of money, but years ago this was a present given from the heart (usually by a relative who had spent time making the sweater for that special person). You cannot give this or any other personalized gift to another person. This is another no-no. When people take the trouble to knit or sew (with love) a scarf or sweater, you must live with it and wear it for them to see — even if it’s only for a few hours once a year.

Here are a few more things to consider. If your company gives away various promotional products with their logo or slogan, don’t give these as gifts. Your receiver will automatically know you never bought these items and (worse) you could be thought of as a cheapskate.

When we receive a gift we usually think that the person thought of us and went to some trouble getting it for us. Nothing could be more disappointing than discovering that the gift came from a store that is no longer in existence. Where did this gift then come from? How new is it?

And finally, after reading this you might say “Is there any good way of ridding oneself of good but impractical, duplicated or just plain ugly gifts received at Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, etc?” Goodwill or any of other types of charities out there would be happy to receive any of these items. This is a win-win situation. You’ll feel good that this item is gone forever (but not thrown out) and the charities will eventually convert it to cash for their good works. Just make sure none of your circle of friends shops there! We suggest you donate to a charity located far away. Just in case.