Regifting.

[jlima]

Let's discuss!

I believe some re-gifting is OK. For instance, one of the gifts DS9 received for his birthday was a boxed set of Captain Underpants books, and we already have every one of these books. I was going to return the set for store credit when we received a birthday party invitation; and when I asked the birthday child's mom for gift suggestions, she said, "Books, Legos, almost anything". So we re-gifted the Captain Underpants set, instead of buying something different. We never even took the shrink wrap off the set, so no chance of a greeting card stuck inside a book. I wrapped it in nice paper, with a nice card. It was an age-appropriate gift; and I felt like my time would be wasted returning the set for store credit & then purchasing something similar.

However, when I hear the tacky stories of torn wrapping paper left on a gift, cards left in a gift with someone else's name, name on a gift bag scratched out & new name written in, etc. . . . if you're going to re-gift something, don't make it so obvious!

 

[C.Ann]

Done tastefully, I see no problem with it at all..

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I have occasionally gotten presents and immediately thought "OMG! This would make Auntie Snarling such a perfect present!" If I was over enthusiastic with my thanking the person, it was only because their present made me so happy! They'd dumped the thing that makes me the happiest - a good present for someone else - right into my lap!

In those cases, it would be almost dis-tasteful NOT to regift the present on to a person who will truly enjoy and appreciate it.


Then too, there are those carefully chosen "generically neutral" gifts that you give people so you can make it through the holidays. I have no problems regifting those and I have no problems with the recipients of my "generically neutral" gifts regifting my gifts.

And if it's something I picked hoping I'd select something they liked and I missed? I'd rather they got rid of it and passed it on to someone who would enjoy it than have it cluttering up their house!

 

[Vacation Lover]

I don't have a problem with regifting, but this thread is timely since I just heard a funny story about it. A friend told me that his sister gave him a camera for Christmas and he was so excited about it until he opened the box and it was bright pink! She had to fess up at the regift and they all had a good laugh over it. (Some people might not think it's so funny though!)

 

[NYCDiane]

The books still in the shrink wrap would be fine to re-gift since it's brand new, age appropriate, and a great gift (per the other mom's list).

What I find horrible about re-gifting is when it's some crappy item that you can tell has been sitting in someone's closet for a year and they just tossed it in a bag and give it to you.

My daughter had a b'day party a couple of years ago. We had 2 're-gifting' issues... The first was from a family who has money. They gave her a shirt that stunk like "damp" (like it was sitting in a closet or basement) and a craft kit that had been opened, looked at and shoved back in the box. Both items went right to the thrift shop. The other family gave us a USED sweater. Granted, it was a nice sweater, but it was USED.

I would never do that to someone. I don't have a lot of money, but when I'm invited to a party, I buy a gift that I know the recipient will use and enjoy. I put thought into gifts because it's obviously a special occassion and, rather than mess it up for someone by giving them something I want to get rid of, I'd rather give them something they will love. I think the only time I would re-gift would be in the scenario the OP described.

 

[SnowWhite2]

I have a good story for you.

My good friend gave me a Christmas gift this year...the same exact gift I gave her two years ago down to the matching gift bag and the little something extra (homemade soap) thown in that I thought she would like. Guess she didn't like it so much....

Now I'll be second guessing what to get her this year.

 

[surfergirl602]

I have a good story for you.

My good friend gave me a Christmas gift this year...the same exact gift I gave her two years ago down to the matching gift bag and the little something extra (homemade soap) thown in that I thought she would like. Guess she didn't like it so much....

Now I'll be second guessing what to get her this year.

OUCH.

The evil part of me would ask her, "hey, remember that (blank) I got your for Christmas a few years ago? I am doing (blank) and I was wondering if I could borrow it?

And when she replies that she doesn't know where it is, or it broke, or so and so has it right now, I would smile, and show her it, and say gotcha!

That's what the evil part of me would do, but the sensible part would growl under my breath and take ip up the you know what.

 

[Nicsnick]

I have a good story for you.

My good friend gave me a Christmas gift this year...the same exact gift I gave her two years ago down to the matching gift bag and the little something extra (homemade soap) thown in that I thought she would like. Guess she didn't like it so much....

Now I'll be second guessing what to get her this year.

Wait a couple of years and give it back to her!!!!

 

[jlima]

Wait a couple of years and give it back to her!!!!

 

[NYCDiane]

Wait a couple of years and give it back to her!!!!

That's a great idea!!! It can be a kind of joke after that because her friend could give it back to her and then she back to the friend, etc....

I sort of thought like the other poster, though. The evil part of me would have been like "wow, you must have really enjoyed this so much that you went out and got me one, too!" When the friend said "huh", I would have said "don't you remember? I got you this exact item for Christmas 2 years ago, right down to the handmade soap and matching gift bag! How cool!"

 

[QVCshopper]

Think of it as "going green"--buying less is good for the environment, and it's good for your wallet. I see no reason why I should keep something that I don't have a use for, when maybe someone else will.

Of course, for sentamental reasons, I have kept some things. And I agree about not being tacky about regifting.

 

[sissypie]

Wait a couple of years and give it back to her!!!!

I think that is a great idea. I agree that re-gifting is appropriate when you think someone will enjoy it more and you have the item or can't use it; but, of course, it has to be new and never used. It would be a shame to just let anything sit in a closet or drawer never to be used in this day and age when economics are so tight.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

if YOU buy a wedding gift at a department store and it's something that comes in the box and the box opens........PLEASE before you give it to someone, open the box and take everything out. Make sure there's not a wedding card inside and it's been returned to the store with the card in there.

Several gifts we got had cards inside the boxes -- and the cards were not to us!

 

[NYCDiane]

Think of it as "going green"--buying less is good for the environment, and it's good for your wallet. I see no reason why I should keep something that I don't have a use for, when maybe someone else will.

Of course, for sentamental reasons, I have kept some things. And I agree about not being tacky about regifting.

The problem is the "maybe" part. When I am getting a gift for someone, it has to be for THAT person and not just a generic item that I think they might like.

I've received gifts that I didn't care for and, as stated above, my daughter received some re-gifted stuff. I will take these items and either donate them directly to the thrift shop or I will Freecycle them.

I've never re-gifted in my life but, if I did, it would have to be a brand new/sealed item that I KNOW the recipient will love. Other than that, no way.

 

[yooperfamily]

At my bridal shower (over 10 years ago) my great aunt had given me a USED 9x13 dish that goes inside of this thing that either keeps things cold or hot. By used, I mean the box was very old and there was FOOD stuck on the dish, LOLOLOL.... my hubby, mom, sister, etc all had a good laugh! Now that she's gone, it's still something I giggle about and think of her every time I use it. And it's one of the most used items I got for my wedding, lol - I love it! Even if it was used

 

[QVCshopper]

The problem is the "maybe" part. When I am getting a gift for someone, it has to be for THAT person and not just a generic item that I think they might like.

I've received gifts that I didn't care for and, as stated above, my daughter received some re-gifted stuff. I will take these items and either donate them directly to the thrift shop or I will Freecycle them.

I've never re-gifted in my life but, if I did, it would have to be a brand new/sealed item that I KNOW the recipient will love. Other than that, no way.

To each his own. I feel that our society consumes too much and I'm trying to change. Overall people seem to like what I regift, but no, I didn’t intend it just for them. I usually have a stock pile of regifts, but it's empty now. And I buy items when I find them on sale, and stockpile them--maybe that's why your shirt smelled (it was a stock pile gift and not a regift?).

When I buy gifts, I do put a lot of thought into them, especially for family members close to me.

And talk about tacky: I don't buy cards very often--I usually take ones I've received and rip off the fronts, backs, etc. and write my message on that. No one seems to care, and I've been doing it for a year.

Really, do these things matter? Coming from someone who broke her elbow and had knee surgery all while raising a 1 and 2 year old . . . not so much.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

My thoughts on regifting- ok if done tastefully, as OP said about the Captain Underpants books (which is a great series BTW ).

BUT, I get so annoyed because every year around christmas time I cringe over having to buy fiance's cousins gifts. And I know it sounds mean b/c they are only kids and it is not their fault, but EVERY YEAR his aunt gives DD a regifted item and how do I know? His cousin is 2 years older than DD and is a little overweight for her age (again, not saying it to be rude or harsh). So this christmas my DD got a High School Musical Zip-up hoodie in a size 14...my daughter is only 4 and wears a size 4/5. Last year she got a ton of clothing in sizes 10/12. Fiance and I don't have much money, I am still in college, we are trying to save up for a house and a wedding, and they are established and my DD gets something that she won't wear til she's 12 and by then no one will know what HS Musical is. Just annoys me.

Anyway I could end the christmas exchange w/o being rude and a Scrooge?

 

[dreamin_disney]

I have a good story for you.

My good friend gave me a Christmas gift this year...the same exact gift I gave her two years ago down to the matching gift bag and the little something extra (homemade soap) thown in that I thought she would like. Guess she didn't like it so much....

Now I'll be second guessing what to get her this year.

uuh regift it back to her-lol! JK

 

[mmouse1239]

My daughter's father and stepmother are king and queen of the "regiftgers". For Christmas they gave my daughter a used George Foreman grill....knew it was used because there was grease in the grease catching cup...yuk. And they gave her a pair of tights/stretchy pants (the kind used for exercising) that had holes in them and were worn through in the thighs....How gross! I have no problem with giving things again that are new and can't be used...that's just being smart. However, when you give something that is used and dirty, well that's just nasty.

 

[wall*e2008]

If the gift is still unused, unopened and is something the person would enjoy then I think it is fine but if it was used as an after thought, like the toaster oven I just read about, then it is wrong.