A horrible gift is an opportunity for an awkward moment. Do you tell the gift giver the truth? Or do you just stash the gift in the back of your closet where it will never be seen again? Luckily, there is another option…re-gifting.
Re-gifting is defined by the Webster’s New Millennium™ Dictionary of English as “to give an unwanted gift to someone else” or ”to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift.” The term was born during an episode of Seinfeld and finally gave a name to a practice that had been done (in private) probably since the dawn of gift-giving.
How to re-gift the polite and discreet way
Don’t mention it.
No one wants to know that they are the unlucky recipient of something that you thought wasn’t good enough for you. If you tell someone “I don’t want these ugly pot holders, so I’m giving them to you” even someone who wanted pot holders would hate you. Don’t spoil the moment; keep re-gifting discreet.
Remember who gave you the gift.
Avoid an embarrassing moment by always keeping track of who gave you the gift that you are trying to re-gift. No one wants to receive at a later time the untouched gift that they gave to you. Also, try not to re-gift to someone who may bring the re-gifted gift around the person who originally gave it to you. That means, don’t re-gift to your niece when your sister is the one who gave you the gift.
Change the wrapping.
Not only is this necessary to ensure that the gift card addressed to you is no longer attached, but also the key is to make the re-gifted gift look as new as possible. If there is a large lapse of time in between when you received the gift and when you are giving it away, it is important that the box or wrapping paper is not wrinkled, worn or torn. Also, some people like to personalize the gifts underneath the wrapping paper so make sure that if you’ve decided to re-gift a picture frame that there is not a picture of you and your aunt in it when the re-gifting victim receives it.
Avoid re-gifting these items completely:
Handmade items, one-of-a-kind items, items that you won, freebies, signed books, cheap cologne, monogrammed items, cheesy jewelry, fruitcake, socks, hair products, scented candles, fancy soap, random books and DVDs, random books and DVDs that were bought on a street corner, pens, discontinued items…Basically, anything that you wouldn’t be happy getting. Also, avoid looking like you didn’t put any effort into choosing the gift that is not completely impersonal when you choose to re-gift. However, if you have a friend that collects fancy soap or scented candles, by all means re-gift it. As long as you didn’t receive it from that person.
Don’t re-gift items that have been discontinued for a long time.
No one wants a gift that has been sitting at the back of your closet for the past 3 years. Also, don’t re-gift expired items.
Don’t give half empty gift cards.
This can be completely avoided if you don’t re-gift items that have been used in any way, shape or form. Don’t give someone a $20 Amazon.com gift card with only $13.77 on it. If you have to re-gift gift cards, only re-gift one that has not been opened, and that hasn’t expired yet.
Do regift Wine.
Anybody would love to receive wine or champagne, as long as it’s not cheap and you’re not re-gifting to a recovering alcoholic.
Don’t re-gift hand-me-downs.
A hand-me-down is something that you’ve already used but that you’d like to pass on to someone who would enjoy it more. A re-gift is a new, unopened gift that you’ve received but have never used and don’t like. The key words here are never used.So no, you can’t re-gift the sweater that your sister gave you that you wore twice and removed the tags from. And when you pass along a hand-me-down, the recipient should be aware that the item is being handed down to them.
Re-gifts can be inside jokes
If you want to re-gift a self-help book that you think your best friend would get a kick out of, that’s perfectly fine as long as the person is aware that the gift is being re-gifted.
Don’t re-gift something you’ve owned for a while.
Your best friend will most likely realize where her new wall clock used to hang. Just don’t re-gift used items and remember the difference between re-gifts and hand me downs!
Sell your re-gifts on eBay
If you hate a gift that everyone you know will surely hate to receive as well, sell it on eBay to someone who actually wants it. If it’s truly horrendous and doesn’t sell, consider donating it to a charitable organization. It’s true that one man’s trash may be anothers treasure. Then share your re-gifting story on Regiftable.com.
Remember, gift bags in good condition can be re-used, wrapping paper can not. Only re-gift a gift to someone who would actually appreciate it. Don’t do it just because there is an occasion coming up and you need a gift fast. If you need a fast gift, getting a gift card is a better option. Especially Vanilla Visa or American Express ones because the recipient won’t be forced to spend it at a specific store.
Happy gift-giving!
