This time of year we almost always receive a gift that is just not all that. Neither is it a bag of chips. Trust me, if it were I'd eat them. So what do you do with those less than perfect gifts? Do you just lump it, and display them proudly in your home? Or do you (da-da-da-da) regift?
Okay, fess up. Have you? There are statistics out there that say it's a rampant epidemic, which means that you and I are most likely guilty. I'll admit it. I've regifted. (I feel much better now.)
Here are some guidelines to follow if you find yourself in the what am I expected to do with this predicament.
1. Always be aware of who gave you the gift if you're going to regift it. You do not want to be caught giving the same Chia Pet to Aunt Lulu that she gave you last year. (Of course, Auntie may just assume that you loved it so much you wanted to grace her with one, too. But most people would probably catch on to what was really going down.)
2. Be aware of the situation that you regift in. This goes right along with number 1, and may be more like 1.5, but this is important enough to restress. Lets go back to the lovely Chia Pet. Will Aunt Lulu be at the Christmas party where you take this as a White Elephant gift? That may not be so good. You just cannot take a chance of getting caught at regifting. Some people are still not accepting of this increasingly popular holiday tradition.
3. It's okay to regift a gag gift. But there are guidelines to follow for this regifting guideline. First of all, everyone - including the giver - needs to know that it was a gag gift. Just because you did not appreciate the vibrating back scratcher that doubles as a nose hair tweezer does not mean that it was not given in a spirit of true loving thoughtfulness. But if you were clearly the butt of someone's joke, it's definitely in the spirit to make them the butt next year.
4. Sometimes you have to embellish. If the gift was truly horrendous, it may be in good taste to add something. Take the necklace you were given that is missing a large stone. You can clearly see where it once was, but know that your coworker got it on discount because it just wasn't all there. (Kinda like your coworker.) It's perfectly OK to add a new stone in and gift it to someone else next year. Just avoid getting a stone from your driveway.
5. Try to regift in a setting where you will most likely not receive the same gift back. Not everyone is as conscientious as you are about regifting. You gave it away once, you don't really want to have to keep finding new places to ditch this thing. If you are going to an out of state party, this would be the thing to take. Need a gift for the mailman? Most likely he won't be giving you a gift in return, but he'll definitely not be returning the lime and chartreuse striped support stockings you got last year. Who knows, he may even appreciate them as insulation in the winter under his uniform.
So there you have it, folks. If you're gonna play the game, it's always good to know the rules.
15 comments:
LOL! I regifted last year the ugliest darn candle I had ever received. Ironically, I got the same candle back as a grab bag gift this year.
Imagine my surprise while I tried not to laugh my butt off. I so want to blog about it but I can't because the people that gave me the ugly candle read my blog.
Thank you so much for the outlet here!!
I am a big re-gifter. I dont know if people just don't know my tastes, or if they just want to irritate me, LOL. I appreciate the thought, but man, I don't own a boat, so why in the world would I need a book on boat repair - etc. etc.??? I know I sound ungrateful, and I really am not, but I would prefer no gift at all, than one that I can't use and it just adds to the STUFF that is in the house.
And if you ask me what the kids want/need - take the ideas that I gave you. Someone asked me if all the kids neeed winter coats, and I said nope, they all have brand new winter coats. So why did they buy me 3 winter coats, and didn't give me a receipt, and they bought them from target, where if you dont have a receipt, you are out of luck. You cant even get store credit.
Can you tell this is a sore subject with me, LOL?
~Jennifer
I can't remember if I've ever regifted or not. I'm giving something as a gift this year that I bought for myself years ago but never used. Does that count?
Please tell me the necklace example didn't happen to you?!
Melissa, I'd totally regift that thing once again. Gift on!
Jennifer - with you moving soon, would it wrong to request boxes to pack things in? haha I mean, when I move I totally clean things out and getting MORE things to pack is just annoying.
Madame Q - thank goodness, no. I have, however, received a vintage bottle of Avon perfume that was half empty. Or half full, depending on how you look at it.
First of all, I want an Aunt Lulu because I want a dang Chia Pet!
Secondly, yes I regift. My sweet Grandma is the PERFECT person to regift to because we have just about exactly the opposite taste in everything. Anything I think is awful, she would adore. I love that woman!
It's already pretty well documented that I believe in regifting. Dozens of newborn-sized yellow ducky outfits when you have a very big newborn and have developed a hatred of ducks will do that to you. If people would give gift receipts, it wouldn't be such a problem.
BTW, I checked the mail at lunch, and YOU ARE A STINKER! Thank you so much--it's absolutely adorable. You stinker.
Cecily - I had an Aunt Sally, who gave the aforementioned Avon perfume. She was a dear and I loved her regardless. I'll give you a Chia Pet, though.
BBM - Yep. Good things come to those who wait.
Haha!! Such great advice.
I've done it, but very cautiously.
I sort of re-gifted a gift this year. It was a Starbucks gift card and coffee cup that was MY contribution to the annual family gift exchange game. My mother in law ended up the taker and she hates coffee. So I took it home and ended up giving it to my hairdresser.
I really can't remember if I've regifted. Although I know I have a lot in the basement for a garage sale!
I have regifted when I can't get a receipt. Usually it's baby items. Don't have many of those anymore!
Oh yeah I'm a re-gifter! Especially if it's just something I know I'm not going to use I don't need it to take up room in my already cluttered house! I'll regift at a gift exchange or send to someone in another state. I don't see anything wrong with regifting, if done the right way and not in bad taste, and you know the other person could really use that item, or wants something like that.
Michelle, I totally agree. Those are pretty much my regifting guidelines. But it was much easier regifting when we were in the military and not living beside family.
I have not had the chance to regift anything. Normally if I don't like it then I am scared to give it to someone else. But if in the case I am ever at the chance to regift I will keep those rules in mind!!
I have done it but only if it is a nice gift. If it is just something I don't need or already have one. I don't think I could do it if it was a really bad gift. I don't have a problem regifting. If someone gave me something I really wanted I would just be excited I got something I wanted not how they got it.
Christina
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