Regifting.

[carj]

I have found a fun way to "regift" and hopefully not get caught! We have a large extended family and we do stocking stuffer gifts for the adults. Usually these are small items, less than $5 for the adults. The kids still get a ton of toys, many that they will never use.

For the things that my husband and I get that we will never use, I put them into a box and then I take them to school and share with some of my other teacher friends. Often, some other people will do the same. Then we get to pass along the gifts without fear of the giver finding out!

By the way, I have NO problem with used gifts. My mom frequently gives us things that she finds in garage sales. They are always in great condition, often new items. I guess it might seem weird if it came from someone that I didn't know well.

As for greeting cards...we have several family members and friends who work in the greeting card, wrapping paper industry. I still re-use gift bags though. To me, that is more eco-friendly and not as wasteful. I hardly ever have to buy cards, bags or paper unless it is something unusual.

I buy my nieces clothes that I find on clearance all the time. Sometimes, they are out of season or too large when I give them to them. I do always get them a "real" present too. I give them the clothes right away because I am afraid that I might forget to give them to them when they actually fit.

 

[maggiew]

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.

Maybe get her something that YOU would like!!

Maggie

 

[ceecee]

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

I agree! That being said, I have gotten gift sets with expired food and once a piece was even missing!

 

[C.Ann]

I agree! That being said, I have gotten gift sets with expired food and once a piece was even missing!

That would be a definite "no-no" - along with "used" gifts - unless it was an antique or something of very sentimental value that someone in your immediate family has been wanting forever..

 

[Boston Tea Party]

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.

There's "going green" and then there is "forcing green."

If you think someone might use something, then give it to them at that time. Don't use a gift giving occasion as an excuse to downsize.

 

[kaytieeldr]

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.

Easy. Just give her something YOU want. Odds are, she'll regift it to you sooner or later .

 

[Jsme]

I can not help but tell a story of re-gifting.

I use to work for this lady. She had everything. Very nice and never expected anything as a gift. Well, her old employee gave her a gift the first year I worked for her. It was one of those Hickory Farms sets. Well she opened it to find out a crock of the cheese had been opened and used already. I still think of this when I am tempted to re-gift something.

I do not see anything wrong with re-gifting. I just think it should not be something already used. New is fine. I also agree that you need to make sure there are not cards included from the previous giver in the box or package.

I reuse gift bags all the time. My mom saves her Christmas cards and uses them as gift tags the next Christmas. She always wraps a beauitful gift and it has the top of a Christmas Card she received the year before and she writes To: and From: on it. It is always tasteful.

 

[Ava]

I think re-gifting is fine as long as the item is new and appropriate for the person you're giving it to.

That said, my old boss used to re-gift food baskets she received from vendors she did business with. We were supposed to just share them with the office, since legally we weren't allowed to accept personal gifts from vendors, but she would keep any with alcohol in them for herself and take the others home to give to her doorman, cleaning lady, etc. I'm sure she gave these people cash gifts as well, but it always just seemed tacky to me.

 

[brooklynheights]

My DN went to her cousins babyshower later her cousin came to her babyshower and gave her a bouncy seat and other gifts she had got at her shower the bouncy seat was nothing like the one she wanted so I will be regifting it the third time to a coworker who has it on their list.I did buy a new bouncy seat for my niece that she wanted ,but to give all the gifts you didn't want to someone who was at your shower tacky! A funny not regifting story a kid who was working with us last summer told us his rich aunt and uncle gave him a bag of snack candy bars for high school graduation and his parents gave him a 20oz soda and a bag of chips parents were not bad off ,we felt kind of bad for the kid but he just kind of went with the flow (maybe they had no gifts to regift)

 

[NYCDiane]

If you think someone might use something, then give it to them at that time. Don't use a gift giving occasion as an excuse to downsize.

I agree and that's what I would do, too. If I got a gift I know I won't use or just don't want, I would pass it along to someone right away rather than let it sit in my closet collecting dust.

 

[Kim68]

I have re-gifted many times. My 2 sons receive way too many toys for birthdays and Christms and often they receive duplicate items. I stash those away in a closet for future presents. I have also re-gifted some generic items - candles, frames, etc.

I feel it's completely fine, but make sure you pay attention to what you are giving (make sure it is new, that the receiver was not the one who gave it to you in the first place, etc).

 

[luvmy3]

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.

I agree with the bolded. I wouldn't re-gift just to get rid of something I didn't like or wouldn't use and maybe Aunt Shirley might. If I knew she would love it then I would give it to her, if not then it would go to Goodwill.
In cases like the OP I don't see anything wrong with it though. Between my 3kids we have been to a ton of birthday parties and some we knew the kid very well and others we didn't. If I (or my kids, really) had recieved something that they had a duplicate of I see no problem giving it to another kid in the same age group who might be interested in it.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I agree! That being said, I have gotten gift sets with expired food and once a piece was even missing!

One word.... GROSS!

Not a regifting story, but...
We have a family tradition on my side of the family. My mom/dad give everyone cash for Cmas but mom likes to have something for everyone to open. So the tradition is everyone gets a white elephant gift from mom/dad. It doesn't have to be used, but it must be previously owned. She finds some of the coolest things for us at yard sales, flea markets, etc...
My DH says that's one of his fav things on my side. We have such a fun time w/ it. Sometimes she'll get a great gag gift for somebody in the family. The other year, when Mom was battling cancer, she skipped doing this and everybody was so disappointed. but we understood why. She started it back up Cmas of '08 and has already done quite a bit of her shopping for Cmas '09.

 

[krcit]

I have the best regifting story. I can laugh about it now but at the time....actually I was laughing at the time too!


When I was pg with my oldest dd 15 years ago, my friends threw me a nice shower. I received 2 diaper 'genies'. I was going to return it but my SIL convinced me to regift it at another friends shower 2 weeks later. I felt kind of funny about it but I did it. Well, we're at the shower and my friend 'Carol' opens the diaper genie and is so excited and proceeds to open the box. A card flutters out and I yell "OMG, I can explain...yada, yada yada" She is laughing and then opens the card and it is addressed to Yolanda, love from Mary and Diana. My name is Karen. We just about wet our pants laughing. It was a double regift!!!

 

[QVCshopper]

I have re-gifted many times. My 2 sons receive way too many toys for birthdays and Christms and often they receive duplicate items. I stash those away in a closet for future presents. I have also re-gifted some generic items - candles, frames, etc.

I feel it's completely fine, but make sure you pay attention to what you are giving (make sure it is new, that the receiver was not the one who gave it to you in the first place, etc).

That's exactly what I do... Here are my recent regifts. My son got a Batman car for XMas. He's not into that--didn't even open it, so I saved it for a cousin's b-day gift in Feb. The little boy was playing with the car as soon as he opened it. He really likes superheroes and I knew that.

Another recent case, my DD got clothes were too small to fit her & she doesn't like jeans anyway. I regifted those to a friend's DD for her b-day--it was just the right size for her. I've seen the girl in the outfit quite a bit since.

I don't see the point to giving it away right away when I can save myself money later on. But I wouldn't regift used items, expired food, etc. I always give to Goodwill, Purple Heart, and FreeCycle.