Holiday Blog

By Mike

December 19, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this

Yes. Recycle the gift.

By Dee

December 19, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

It’s just pure tasteless. If someone can’t afford a gift- The should give a compliment or a smile.

By HB

December 19, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

Free tote/prmotional item — no. But I see nothing wrong with regifting a new item that you genuinely think someone will enjoy. Example: I received a brand new nice chrome toaster a few years ago that I didn’t have counter space for. Rather than exchange it for something I could use, I regifted it for a friend’s housewarming and she loved it. I think the test is, is it something you would buy for the person if it wasn’t already in your house?

By bellenk

December 19, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this

Not only do I re-gift if I think the recipient will enjoy the item, but I recycle gift wrap, ribbon and boxes whenever possible. Why replace good old stuff with new stuff when recycling can cut down on waste and unnecessary spending at the same time?

By Paul

December 19, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

I only regift to people that have done it to me in the past. Example: my aunt is a notorious regifter. She is a teacher and will give me the crap that her students give her for Christmas on the last day of school. You all know what kind of crap that is given to teachers. This year she is getting a Hershey kiss fondue pot that I have been holding onto since last year. It even has the date printed on the box. I can’t wait to see her face when she opens a 2007 25th anniversary Hershey kiss fondue pot. Priceless.

By thoughful one

December 19, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

I personally see nothing wrong with regifting. If someone gave me something that I absolutely couldn’t use why not give it to someone who could. Example; I received a very nice garden tool set as a gift. I do not work in my yard/garden, but my neighbor works in her garden often. Why not give her that nice set? I’m sure she could really use it especially the knee pad as I have never seen her with one. Regifting becomes unacceptable when one doesn’t put thought into what and to whom they are regifting. I once had someone regift to me a fancy cigar pipe. Number one I do not smoke at all. Number two I am a woman. I don’t believe I have ever seen a woman with a cigar pipe.

By Clyde

December 19, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this

Should I receive a gift that I could not use I would have no qualms about passing it on to someone who could use it,but with an explanation as to why I was doing this.I would never wrap it and present it as a gift to anyone.That is really tacky.

By Why Not?

December 19, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

If I don’t like/can’t use … why not give it to someone who would love it/needs it? It’s the thought that counts. Doesn’t mean I have to keep it forever.

By the way, what’s a cigar pipe? I’m a woman, and I do smoke a small cigar a couple times a year.

By MICHELLE

December 19, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

Be very careful the gift is not engraved on in inside or bottom, like on a vase or mug. That’s a dead giveaway.

By Mike D

December 19, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

The key to the perfect regift is to give it back to the original gifter.

By lovelyliz

December 19, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

I am a big time regifter.

I have an aunt, living in a land far, far away (Pittsburgh, PA) who, bless her heart, thinks if you are a large person, that a size large should fit you. Explaining to her that a large for a woman is about a size 8 or 10 didn’t work, so when I got a sweater a couple of years ago, I gave it to a 90 year old friend of who still wears it.

I don’t have a lot of excess storage space in my home, so I always regift those chotzkey office/dirty Santa gifts that I have little use and even less taste for. My sister and I will borrow from each other’s stash to next year to give out as office/dirty Santa gifts. Kind of like the fruit cake that gets passed around and never dies.

My general rules for regifting are:

By Alicia

December 19, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

I won a portable dvd player at my company’s Christmas party in some sort of raffle. I had no need for the thing, so I “regifted” it to a niece who could use it on long car trips, and she got a gift that was worth way more than I would have spent on her otherwise. I think that regifting is appropriate when you know that the recipient will enjoy the gift. The rule should be that if you would not buy it new for the recipient, then don’t regift it. And the other biggie is that the item should NEVER be used. If you would buy it for them at the store and it’s in perfect shape, it’s just saving time you would spend returning it and buying something new.

I do disagree about donating the item to charity, though. Something may not be your taste, but someone else may like it. If the only problem with the item is that you think it’s tacky, go ahead and donate the item. That hideous sweater may be just what someone needs to complete their outfit for a costume party!

By Becky

December 19, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

Yes, I regift..I’m with others, if it’s something that I think someone will use & I know that I won’t use it, what’s the big deal? We do stockings here at work & we will swap gifts with each other without any problems..I’ll even give gifts to my sisters & tell them that it was given to me & it wasn’t quiet right for me…Some people need to learn to be more practical instead of worrying about a silly image..

By Mrs. Warren

December 19, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

I think its tasteless and tacky. If you don’t want the item and cannot return it, donate it to a charity. If you are tight on money for gifts, try making a batch of Russian tea and tying bags with a simple red ribbon or bake some cookies!! My grandmother-in-law regifted something to us that my sister-in-law had given to them for their 50th anniversary, right in front of my sister-in-law… I recognized the gift right away and just politely said thanks and then asked my sister if she wanted it back. She didn’t. I donated it to charity. So un-classy.

By Stacey

December 19, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

I am a shameless regifter. Sometimes the recipient will know that it’s being regifted and why (i.e., someone gave me a bottle if wine but I don’t drink) but often I pass it along and never say a word. I make sure to check the box to make sure there is not a card inside (I found one inside the box of a wedding gift) and tape a note to the box saying who the gift was from. I am careful not to regift in the same circles (coworker gifts go to neighbors and family and vice versa).

A lot of stores require a receipt for returns and not everyone gives gift receipts as gifts. Instead of dealing with the hassle of trying to return the duplicate toasters and punch bowls I received as wedding and housewarming gifts, I gave them as gifts to other people.

I have even given a “gift with purchase” to someone before. Several years a family member brought an unexpected guest to my house Christmas dinner because she was new in town and was going to spend Christmas alone. I didn’t want to have a gift for everyone except for her so I in ran to my bedroom and wrapped the free gift that came with perfume I had bought someone else. It was a set with a miniature bottle of perfume, lotion and powder that I had actually planned to keep for myself. Although to was a nice set and popular perfume, I figured she would know it was a freebie so I fessed up when I gave it to her. She said she LOVES perfume (I later found out that it’s true) and was sincerely grateful to get anything.

By demwit

December 19, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Re-gifting Chinese junk mindlessly bought for a pagan ceremony of present trading?? Nooo….

By Jucee

December 19, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this

Re-Gifter? why yes I am We did the Secret Santa thing in my office this week and I re-gifted a gift i got from someone else. Reason being I already have those gifts so I decided to share them with my friends. You really have to be careful not to use the same wrapping paper to re-gift something to someone and they used your gift with the same wrapping paper

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS EVERYONE - PLEASE LET’S ALL REMEMBER “JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

By Whiskey Jack

December 19, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

After I drink all the contents, I take empty Jack Daniels bottles and Jameson’s Irish Whiskey bottles and refill them with cheap generic whiskey ($4 a bottle), carefully put the caps back on and seal them with a tiny bit of glue so it appears they’ve never been opened. Then I give them to my wife’s co-workers at her company Christmas party - I’m a hero for a few minutes and then I never see those people again.

By Andrew

December 19, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

Why not return the gift and get something you like. I return everything. BTW Whiskey Jack is my hero!

By SCROOGE

December 19, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

I cannot think of anything I wouldn’t have been embarrassed to pass on. Nobody wants the hideous gifts my family buys! Therefore I am a founding member of SCROOGE : Society to Curtail Ridiculous Outrageous & Ostentatious Gift Exchanges

Holiday Wishes to All: Merry Christmas to those to whom it applies. Happy Hannaukah to those to whom it applies. Bah Humbug to those to whom it applies.

By Melinda

December 19, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

I got tired of getting “re-gifts” so I told all my “Tacky In-laws” to just forget the gift giving, period. The money we would have spent on their gifts now goes to us. What a concept……….

By Denise

December 19, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this

I regift but not for an occasion. If I have received a gift I can’t use, for whatever reason, I will give it to a friend who might. I don’t wrap it up and present it as if I’d made some grand effort to pick and gift. I just hand it over saying “I got this xxx from whoever and I can’t use it. Do you want it?” If they say yes, then they can take it home. If they say no, then I will keep it until somebody says yes. That may be tacky but my friends all do that with whatever we have to give. “Hey I can’t fit these pants and they’re your size. See if you want them.” No big whoop!

By Denise

December 19, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this

Oh, and we generally brag about what someone else has given us. “Girl, do you see these pants xxx gave me!” LOL!

By Thad Charris

December 19, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this

I regifted a fruit cake once. But before I did, I slipped a file and a handgun in it. Then I pretented to be Santa over at the county jail. THe warden thought I was being charitable and kind so he let me in. I managed to distract the guards long enough during my act to give the elaborately wrapped fruitcake to my wheel man who had to give himself up during our last heist. He didn’t rat us out, and took the 5 to 10 like a man. He deserved a break. But things went wrong shortly afterward. Real wrong, real fast. I wish I had never heard of fruitcake now, at xmas 2008. The warden just let us all exchange gifts. I think I’ll open mine now. FRUITCAKE!!

By BlondeHoney

December 19, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this

I am regifting a gift to my new daughter-in-law this Christmas. And before everyone gets in an uproar, I am regifting a brand new BEAUTIFUL Dooney & Burke leather handbag I got from my sister that is just not my style. As long as the regifting is done with the recipient in mind and it’s done with taste and class, it’s perfectly fine and i’m ok with it as a reciever too.

By ang

December 19, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this

for those who think its tacky………how do YOU know whether or not the gift YOU receive is a “regift”?

I would rather have a thoughtful regift than tacky, thoughtless gift.

I regift if I know someone else would like the gift. I don’t do it just to get rid of it.

By a singing fish receiver

December 19, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this

Better for the environment to re-gift than throw directly into the dumpster. Everybody knows some douche-nozzle who deserves the crappy gift, or sneak it into a gift swap party. I have even given them right back to the gifter a few years later. I wish I could re-gift all the old prunes on here who are so against it.

By Matt

December 22, 2008 7:28 AM | Link to this

I did a less than 24 hours regift this weekend. My daughter who is 13 and GOTH got a Hannah Montana t-shirt and a pink t-shirt she will never wear at a family party. I put the shirts in a bag, added a stuffed toy and some play-doh and gave it to her friend who spent the night last night. She LOVES the clothes. My daughter is happy because she was able to get something for her friend and I’m happy because this friend can always use some new clothes. So I have no issues with re-gifting, just make sure you re-wrap the items first. Next on my re-gift list is some English Leather cologne. Can we say….”hey nephew whom I don’t like, gotcha something”

By My Two Cents

December 22, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

There is nothing wrong with regifting if you can’t use the item. Just don’t give it in the same circles from which it came. It would be my luck the regifted toaster or electrical item would not work and the recipient wanted to return the item. Merry Christmas, y’all!

By lovelyliz

December 22, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this

There’re junk gifts and then there are junk gifts. That stale hot cocoa mix doesn’t belong at Goodwill. Neither does the $10 perfume that you are going to tell the I.R.S. is valued at $50. The earrings that are already tarnishing won’t do them any good wither.

By How Cheap???

December 22, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

Once I had a friend to give me something that was used as a gift. I know it was used because I complimented them on it when it was in their house. Then that person tried to lie and say that they just purchased it and I know for a fact they didn’t because I saw it in their house. Now if someone gave you something that you never took out of the original package and you want to pass it on to someone else, then that’s a different story. I would NEVER give someone such a tacky gift…something used! That’s just downright tacky! ESPECIALLY when I have given this person a brand new gift…which by the way that very person was with me when I purchased their gift, but didn’t want the new thing I was buying…they wanted something more expensive…that was the LAST time I purchased that person anything!!!!

By SAR

December 22, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

I personally do not regift but I don’t really care if someone else gives me a gift that’s a regift. Really, what’s the difference between doing that and buying me something on sale that’s in a discount bin or on a table that I saw while doing my own shopping and it’s something I would never buy for myself or actually use. People feel under pressure to have some cheap piece of junk for me to unwrap no matter how many times I say not to. I have asked family members over and over to make a small donation to a pet shelter in my name if they insist on giving me something but they won’t. They feel I have to have something to unwrap, even if it is a cheap gift I will never use.

By Merry CHRISTmas!

December 22, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this

I have regifted in the past & will continue to do so. I’m sure I’ve received re-gifted items in the past. I have a box of “misfit gifts” in my garage that I use whenever I can year round. This year the items are so misfitted, I don’t even want to pass them onto anyone else!

But if I can find something that will fit the person I need to get a gift for, I will be passing it on nothing wrong with that.

By finally

December 26, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

OF COURSE regifting is the best thing, I am sure I have received some regifts in my day, the 1980’s beaded necklace with the rusted clasp and the tag so faded that it couldn’t be read 2 years ago for my birthday. I regifted a throw blanket to my grandmother that I got from one of my elderly friends and she adored it. We all have gotten the puzzling gifts which usually end up in the donation pile for the thrift store. I have to agree, if it would be useful to someone else, pass it along, but be sure to check for gift cards included from the orig recipient or notes written in the pages of a book. I wouldn’t regift food items but anything else is fair game.