unwanted gifts: regift, exchange, sell or throw away?

shinypenny · 01-01-2008, 08:33 PM

What does everyone else do with unwanted presents?

Sometimes I'll regift if I think it would be a good gift anyway. most of the time the stuff gets piled up in the storage closet. I've never bothered selling unwanted presents. If the giver was thoughtful enough to include a gift receipt then I'll go try to exchange the gift. Usually though there is no gift receipt with unwanted gifts... which makes me think they were probably regifts!

Joanne · 01-01-2008, 08:51 PM

If we really have no use for it, we'll either regift it or donate it to the Humane Society Thrift Shop so they can resell it.

We do try and find a use for it first though. Sometimes we use it for something that it wasn't intended for.

arcadian · 01-01-2008, 08:56 PM

a thrift shop is a wonderful idea. you don't have to feel guilty because you know the shop's profits goes to charity and the people who buy the items will get more use out of it than you would. think of it as paying it forward (without telling your friend).

Sophie · 01-01-2008, 08:58 PM

I wish I had the problem of unwanted gifts - no pressies for me this year

GOTO Fashion · 03-12-2008, 12:02 AM

Return if possible or save for regifting (half of these look like they were regifted to us anyway). Stores are getting more restrictive on returns without receipts, though, so it's becoming more cost-effective to regift. Otherwise, we just hang on to it and perhaps eventually donate it.

Luckily, most of the gifts we have received have been something we absolutely needed or would have picked out ourselves. It's nice when people take the time to pick out an appropriate gift for the receiver, although we always appreciate the thought behind any gift.

purplefdu · 03-12-2008, 07:42 AM

We normally go with regift or donate. We seem to get more and more checks and gift cards these days though so its not always something we have to worry about. But we normally try to find somewhere it can be used or donate it quickly. We don't have much storage space so hanging onto a bad gift isn't likely to happen more than a month.

Megan · 03-12-2008, 08:41 AM

I often regift, but telling the person who gets it what I'm doing. So I'll get something for Christmas that isn't my style but that my sister likes, so I just give it to her. Or one year, I got the same movie from two people, and I knew a friend would like it, so I told her that I had received two and would she like the extra?

mcnerd · 03-12-2008, 08:56 AM

For years I put them in a special spot in the closet and when my community organization needed a door or raffle prize.....guess where I got it!

yourbeginnings · 03-12-2008, 09:22 AM

I don't mind re-gifting as long as it is not truly obvious that it is a re-gift. As an example last year I received a Christmas ornament at a ornament exchange, and on the bottom of the box it said To: Sarah From: Mel. My name is not Sarah, however the person giving me the gift was Sarah.

rstlne · 03-12-2008, 09:24 AM

I regift it if it is a good item. I just bring it to the next Secret Santa gift exchange and someone else will get it at random.

01-01-2008, 08:33 PM	#1
shinypenny Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 16 Reputation: (19)	unwanted gifts: regift, exchange, sell or throw away? What does everyone else do with unwanted presents? Sometimes I'll regift if I think it would be a good gift anyway. most of the time the stuff gets piled up in the storage closet. I've never bothered selling unwanted presents. If the giver was thoughtful enough to include a gift receipt then I'll go try to exchange the gift. Usually though there is no gift receipt with unwanted gifts... which makes me think they were probably regifts! __________________ always smilin' -penny

03-12-2008, 12:02 AM	#5
GOTO Fashion Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: L.A. Posts: 80 Reputation: (11)	Return if possible or save for regifting (half of these look like they were regifted to us anyway). Stores are getting more restrictive on returns without receipts, though, so it's becoming more cost-effective to regift. Otherwise, we just hang on to it and perhaps eventually donate it. Luckily, most of the gifts we have received have been something we absolutely needed or would have picked out ourselves. It's nice when people take the time to pick out an appropriate gift for the receiver, although we always appreciate the thought behind any gift. __________________ GOTO Fashion/Haus CecilyBee Family Maven Frugal Style&Beauty CoolSavings LinkShare

03-12-2008, 07:42 AM	#6
purplefdu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Eliot, ME USA Posts: 538 Reputation: (27)	We normally go with regift or donate. We seem to get more and more checks and gift cards these days though so its not always something we have to worry about. But we normally try to find somewhere it can be used or donate it quickly. We don't have much storage space so hanging onto a bad gift isn't likely to happen more than a month. __________________ Homeward Bound Puppy Blog&Personal Blog best general coupon site & organic grocery coupon help

03-12-2008, 08:41 AM	#7
Megan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 308 Reputation: (63)	I often regift, but telling the person who gets it what I'm doing. So I'll get something for Christmas that isn't my style but that my sister likes, so I just give it to her. Or one year, I got the same movie from two people, and I knew a friend would like it, so I told her that I had received two and would she like the extra? __________________ Counting My Pennies

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01-01-2008, 08:51 PM	#2
Joanne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Originally from New York City, now in Florida since 2002. Posts: 131 Reputation: (43)	If we really have no use for it, we'll either regift it or donate it to the Humane Society Thrift Shop so they can resell it. We do try and find a use for it first though. Sometimes we use it for something that it wasn't intended for.

01-01-2008, 08:56 PM	#3
arcadian Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 34 Reputation: (10)	a thrift shop is a wonderful idea. you don't have to feel guilty because you know the shop's profits goes to charity and the people who buy the items will get more use out of it than you would. think of it as paying it forward (without telling your friend).

01-01-2008, 08:58 PM	#4
Sophie Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sydney, Oz Posts: 19 Reputation: (10)	I wish I had the problem of unwanted gifts - no pressies for me this year

03-12-2008, 08:56 AM	#8
mcnerd Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 72 Reputation: (12)	For years I put them in a special spot in the closet and when my community organization needed a door or raffle prize.....guess where I got it!

03-12-2008, 09:22 AM	#9
yourbeginnings Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 121 Reputation: (41)	I don't mind re-gifting as long as it is not truly obvious that it is a re-gift. As an example last year I received a Christmas ornament at a ornament exchange, and on the bottom of the box it said To: Sarah From: Mel. My name is not Sarah, however the person giving me the gift was Sarah.

03-12-2008, 09:24 AM	#10
rstlne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 364 Reputation: (115)	I regift it if it is a good item. I just bring it to the next Secret Santa gift exchange and someone else will get it at random.