Clearance shopping, gift stockpiling, gift exchange question

[sk!mom]

I've been reading the Bath and Body threads and it got me thinking- Am I the only one who doesn't like to get or give year old gifts?

It was a bit different when I had young children and I might buy an expensive lego set or something else that I knew they would love to save for a birthday. But I wouldn't give a year old gift and would be a bit bothered if someone gave me a gift that I recognized as "old." I'm not even a person who puts a lot of meaning on gifts and for the most part prefer not to exchange. I would be afraid that someone who does love receiving gifts would be more than bothered and actually offended.

Honestly, this is the main reason that I stopped participating in Secret Santa at work. It seemed that people gave things that they got a good deal on with little regard to whether or not they were something that the recipient would really enjoy. It got to the point that after the 3 weeks of Secret Santa, I was left with a lot of useless clutter.

 

[TheRatPack]

How would you know a B&BW gift was old though? I've looked all over the little bottles I've gotten over the years (personal use) and never could find an expiration. I buy a bunch of the little bottles for my purse or car when they are on sale and just keep them in a basket in the bathroom. When I need a new one I just grab one....and again never could find an expiration. I realize that some stuff would be inappropriate to give if it were a year old (food gifts, perishable stuff, dated things for the previous year...etc) but how on earth would you know something was older if it wasn't one of those items?

On the note of buying and stockpiling things. I buy things when I see them on clearance and KNOW that it matches someone in my family...etc. I don't just buy a bunch of clearance stuff and then gift it to whomever I don't have a gift for LOL I like to put a lot of thought in to the gifts I buy people....so I don't have a huge stockpile of random gifts.

 

[pigletto]

If it wasn't food or something that spoiled over time I don't know that it would matter all that much.
TBH though, I have seen so many great deals and sales since Christmas and walked right by all of them. I am probably shooting myself in the foot as far as next years budget, but I spent sooooooo much time shopping this year I just don't have it in me to start it all over again. It's just too much.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Wouldn't bother me in the least. In fact, I'd feel better knowing that the gift giver got a great deal instead of paying highly inflated prices.