Ask the Readers: Do You Regift?
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We've all received at least one gift that we can only respond with, "Um...thanks?" One way to deal with such a gift is to pass it along to someone who will actually appreciate it. But regifting comes with a whole host of dos and don'ts, especially if you're worried about hurt feelings.
Do you regift? What personal rules do you follow when it comes to regifting? If you don't regift, what do you do with gifts that you don't want?
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Yes, I have regifted when I thought the gift was better suited for someone else.
I have regifted, but rule of thumb is that it is a household item that I can regift as shower gift. I do not regift clothing, even if I don't like the time. Rather, I will ask the person who gave it to me if I could exchange or return for a different size or style.
I definitely re-gift. But usually I only re-gift acquaintance/office/in-law gifts, you know the kind, from someone who doesn't really know you very well and just bought something like a bath set more out of social obligation than the intention of pleasing you.
In turn I re-gift it to someone I don't know well enough to give a great gift to.
Oh, yes! (I have a friend who gets what THEY would like for the recipient, rather than what the recipient would enjoy.) Regifting has definitely happened; last year in fact! LOL
Of course we regift! It's the right thing to do! You don't like/need/want it but know someone who will-do the right thing-pass it on!
I absolutely regift! The trick is to make sure that the person you regift does not know the person who originally gifted the item to you. Don't pawn off gifts that suck, make sure you think the person you're giving it to would really like/want/need the item.
Yes, I regift. I store things that I know I am never going to use in several drawers.
I've regifted before, but usually it's only if I thought the gift more appropriate for another person. I've also had to do it in a pinch when I forgot someone.
I regift if I know that someone can use the gift more than I do
Totally! I so regift! I collect so much during the year I have to purchase very few things come Christmas!
I will regift IF (and only if) I received something brand new, never used it/never will, and the other person would love it. This happens a lot with wine - I won't ever drink some of the heavy reds given to me as gifts. Others would love them.
I don't ever regift because I don't want to buy something for a person, I've been lazy, or I just want to get rid of something. To get rid of an unwanted gift, I'll give it to a charitable organization if nothing else works. They will then either sell it or use it.
Not really. If I've received something I don't want or use, I do offer it up to someone who wants or could use it, but I never wrap it and call it a gift.
I do as long as either party does not find out. Rather give a gift that I don't want/like to a person that wants it. Just make sure they want it
I regift, but only certain kinds of things. I've regifted gift cards for restaurants several times.
I regift anything I won't or no longer use. I don't like clutter so if it's collecting dust I rehome the item so it will get more use.
Of course regift! If someone else will get more use out of something than why not?
No, I don't regift. It's because a lot of the people who give me gifts checks up on me if I'm using it or if it's still with me but I make a point to them that (usually after using/tinkering with it first) I do not want it but I will keep it because of our relationship. I try to find a place in the house where to put the unwanted stuff or go on an adventure by using the gift (ie skydiving)
I never have, but I'm not opposed to it.
Sure, I regift. It's just another way of being a good steward of the environment. If I have a perfectly good gift on hand that I don't need and it's suitable for someone else, why should I buy another gift?
Yes, absolutely! And if I'm being honest...if I win the $20 gift card, it will be re-gifted :-)
Generally not, mainly because I don't exchange gifts with so many people that I end up with a lot of generic gifts I don't care for. If I do get something I don't want, I will generally offer it to someone I think might want it, but not as a gift. If no one wants it, I donate the item.
I do if it is a nice gift, and if I think the person will actually like it. :)
I definitely re-gift. First, I prefer to share the appropriate items with people who appreciate/need them if I don't. Second, in my cash-strapped life a re-gift is sometimes a necessity for gift cards, etc. that can be used for acquaintances.
I do regift on occasion, mostly when I think someone else would enjoy the item more than I would
I regift only if the gift fits the person!
I regift as long as the person who gave me the gift wouldn't find out
No way! It's happened to me too many times before. The worst was when my Grandmother regifted me all the same things I gave to her the very next year.
It kind of depends on the gift. There have been a few things that I've regifted over the years: books, movies, CD's, hats/gloves/scarves, etc. Anything I've ever "won" at a White Elephant gift exchange is usually fair game (not this year though - chocolate!).
Not typically. Usually if I don't want an item I don't know anyone else who will.
I do regift-I just make sure that the receiver has no connection with the person that gave me the gift! :)
I only regift on a rare occasion.
Yes I do if I find it not useful
Yes - I definitely regift. I'm kinda embarrassed to say it, but I think most people also do.
I re-gift, but only if the person that I am giving it to will really like it and if the person that I got it from isn't likely to find out about it. Otherwise I will just donate it to a thrift store.
I wouldn't say I've ever regifted exactly. There's been a time or two when I've received something I didn't have a use for and knew somebody who did. And I've offered them that item. I guess that's kind of regifting, but I've always been very upfront about it to the person receiving, and just offered the item, if they want it.
No. I haven't regifted. I would be too nervous the person would find out.
Yes, but let's keep it under wraps!
If I regift, it's usually to Goodwill.
I regift something if another person would enjoy it more than I would, and I don't regift anything from close friends and family.
I regift often. The older I get, the more simplified in my life I aim to be. My family has increasingly gifted each other by purchasing or providing a needed service throughout the year. It does save us stress and headaches during the "Christmas rush." Recently, I offered my sister-in-law a full service detail, with claying and wax included for her vehicle. She loved it and it saved her a lot of hassle as well. When Christmas rolls around, the family gathers together for a nice meal with a minimum of stress and less financial burden.
yes i have regifted when i thought the gift was better for someone else than me.
Oh yes I re gift... Very often but I make sure the recipient will enjoy it more than me. I do not want a clutter of things that I will never use so re gifting is one of the solutions besides donating and it saves me money and time.
I do not usually regift
Yes, but I'm careful about it. I find books are best for re-gifting because my friends/relatives have similar tastes. So if my BFF gives me a fabulous (and often obscure) novel I'll enjoy it and then pass it along to my daughter at Christmas because I know she'll love it, too.
My problem is that the gifts that I don't like/need are rarely things I'd want to give anyone else. But if the gift is something I think another person would want, I'd happily regift. All that matters about regifting is that you honestly think the (new) recipient will like it. And that it isn't the person who gave it to you. That's a biggie.
No I haven't......If I receive something I don't want or use, I offer it to someone who can use it.
I regift if I know it's something the other person would like. I am opposed to keeping things just because it was given to me, so I won't keep things that I don't want or like. This applies to my stuff in general, not just gifts, and it really keeps down the clutter.
I regift ALL the time. One time I accidentally forgot and mentioned to someone that I had something just like that at home, only to remember I had given it to that person!
I've definitely done it. But I won't do it if the gift is so terrible ... Unless it's for a white elephant gift exchange! :-)
Yes, but only if it's something that I think another person may actually want.
I very rarely regift - unless I know it wasn't given to us by the recipient and if I think they'll really enjoy it
I usually don't regift be have done so in the past when the item couldn't be used by myself or my children
Thank-you and re-gifting is never a problem for me.