Thoughts on regifting...

[blueidealist24]

What do you guys think about regifting Christmas gifts? I was curious about this since my aunt and uncle regifted us two years in a row, and we think they have been giving regifts to our other aunt and uncle as well because some of the presents look familiar. The gift we got this year was actually STILL IN THE OLD BAG with the tag TO them, from the other aunt and uncle!! As if they wouldn't even think to remove the tag from the bag!!

 

From a financial standpoint, especially in a recession I can see why people do it, but this aunt and uncle are quite well-off (or at least appear to be). It's a bit funny but also sort of offensive, like they can't be bothered to go out and by a new present.. although they also gave us gift certificates that they obviously went out and bought.

 

Anyway, do you regift? Would you be offended if you got one?

 

I myself have never regifted anything and probably wouldn't since I'd be afraid the person I got it from would somehow randomly be there and see it.

[annie24]

I've regifted. I think that they key is to give something you think the other person would like, and then to make sure that there is no way the gifter and the recipient know each other. That's funny about the old tags. A friend of mine was given these glass tacky picture frames for her bridal shower from her sister in law. And inside the box.... Was a card dated 5 years ago that was a wedding present for the sis in laws wedding!! Too funny! I thought she should give it back, card and all, in 5 years.

[blueidealist24]

Well, at least it was a decent present. It wasn't something awful, haha. But if we bring it to the cottage the people they got it from (the other aunt and uncle) will totally see it.

 

Last year, they gave us a thing that everyone had laughed about/said was ugly the year before (my aunt got it from a friend). As if we wouldn't remember.

 

In their attic there's a bunch of old stuff, pretty sure it's old presents they've saved to regift to other people lmao. I actually haven't seen many of the things we gave them being used in their house, except some dishes.

[annie24]

My mom gave a family friend a necklace, who gave it to my aunt, who gave it back to my mom lol. The key is to give outside the social circle! Ie, not to mutual friends or family!

[catcountry]

I regifted once and only because it was something I never used and fit into the theme of a gift I was giving someone else. I think regifting is okay as long as the regift is a good match for the new receiver.

[Jennifer89]

I would re gift something, but I wouldn't make it obviose.

[browneyedgirl36]

I'm not sure if I've ever re-gifted -- maybe once -- and I would only do it IF the item was something I definitely couldn't use (or that didn't fit me), I couldn't return it, and I knew someone else would really like it. I think in that case, it's OK, but people who re-gift simply because they're cheap or don't want to be bothered with going out and buying a gift? UGH. My feeling is, if you're short on money, don't give me anything! Just give me a card, or call and wish me a happy holiday, or bake me something (I always love baked goods!)

 

Not exactly re-gifting, per se, but a few related examples:

 

A friend of mine, when she got married, got several toasters as gifts. Since she only needed one toaster, she kept the one she really liked and returned the rest. Well, tried to, anyway. When she went to the store to return one of them, she was informed that the toaster had been "a free gift with purchase" and as such, it was not returnable. My friend was a little peeved at the person who gave her the "free" toaster!

 

My mom had an aunt who used to give away her used stuff as gifts -- she'd wrap it up and give it just like it was new. This would have been cool if the stuff was antique or "vintage," but it was just....used, and obviously so. She didn't have a lot of money, and she wasn't quite all there mentally, and she definitely meant well. She once gave my sister a very interesting purse that had clearly seen a lot of use! My sister was appalled, but my mom and I got a kick out of it.

 

Then, there's my ex. A few years ago, he gave me a bottle of wine for Christmas -- nothing fancy, just a bottle one could get for $10-12 at the local grocery store. That didn't bother me -- we weren't together at the time, so I didn't expect any gift at all, really. What bothered me was that, not only was the bottle of wine covered with dust, BUT...inside the bag with the wine was cat hair that was clearly from one of his cats! My ex tends to store a lot of wine in his garage, and I KNOW he either re-gifted a bottle of wine he'd gotten some time before that OR he'd just found an old bottle in his garage (hence the dust) put in in a previously-used wine gift bag (hence the cat hair) and had given it to me. This year, when he gave me wine again, I giggled (he had no idea why). The bottle was NOT dusty, and there was no cat hair in the bag, though!

[pinkelephant]

i regift. but secretly as i don't want to hurt people's feelings. i'm broke and my family/friends always give $100+ gifts, so it's not like they're bad gifts or anything. and everybody enjoys them.

[Firiel]

Ha ha, my family re-gifts all the time. My grandma is notorious for it. She is known for two particular examples. One time, she re-gifted a calendar as a Christmas present. However, it was a calendar she had received the previous year, so it was for the wrong year AND she gave it to the same person who gave it to her in the first place! The other time, she re-gifted a box of chocolates, but forgot she had opened it and eaten two already.

 

Both of these examples were from when she was still fairly young (60ish), so it's not like it's dementia or Alzheimer's or anything.

[annie24]

Early onset Alzheimer's? Those gifts are funny. Lol.

 

Reminds me of.... I think it's Jimmy Kimmel where parents videotape their kids' reactions to bad gifts. Like a potato , or a half eaten sandwich. Lol!

[superfan]

I don't have a problem with regifting as long as the item you are regifting is something that the person would like and/or want. I have done it before (regifted a bottle of red wine that I recieved unopened of course because I can't drink red wine, or other examples like that).

 

I would not be offended if I knew that my present had been regifted. In fact, many of my friends have told me beforehand that it was a regift. I am fine with that as long as it is something they specifically gave me because they knew I would like it. I think to imply it has to be something new that you have bought is a bit snobby.

[quirky]

I have never regifted. I don't like the idea of it..is it that common? It's seen as cheap and tight in the culture I grew up.

 

This year at work we exchanged presents, we all brought in something we didn't want any more. I thought that was a great idea.

 

I am very poor but I always try to buy something new, even small.

[annie24]

How would someone even know that you regifted? If someone gives me a box of tea and I don't drink tea, and I know the recipient likes it, why not give it to her , instead of buying another box of tea? I'm not cheap, I just like for things to he used.

[quirky]

I agree with you about things being used ! I would probably give to a charity shop what I don't like.

 

Plus I tend to buy presents for few and close people, probably 8 people every year, I wouldn't get any pleasure giving them a present if it was a regift, quite the opposite..every year I wish I could spend more money on them.

[superfan]

I have never regifted. I don't like the idea of it..is it that common? It's seen as cheap and tight in the culture I grew up.

 

This year at work we exchanged presents, we all brought in something we didn't want any more. I thought that was a great idea.

 

I am very poor but I always try to buy something new, even small.

 

It is common enough that you probably don't realize that it is done half the time. I see nothing wrong with regifting something, but I wouldn't advertise that I was doing so. With my close friends, I would tell them, but if it was someone maybe at work, or a relative that I don't see very often I would not tell them it was a regift.

 

When it comes to regifting something, it's always something that IS brand new (was given to me) and for whatever reason, my husband and I couldn't use it or didn't want it. It is therefore still NEW. I don't see it as cheap or lazy. If it is something I know someone else would want or enjoy, why not give it to them instead???

[journeynow]

I have no problem with passing on a gift that doesn't suit you, as in "Would you like this?" It's offered rather than bestowed on them. However, giving an item for a special event (birthday, holiday, graduation) as if it was chosen BY you with the recipient in mind (when it is actually a castoff) is kind of cheap and insulting.

[lavenderdove]

I don't think there is anything wrong with it as long as you don't just pass on any old thing to anybody without considering whether the person would like it or not. And you do have to be careful not to offend anybody in the process.

 

I would personally be thrilled if someone re-gifted to me something that i would like. No problem with that. But if they just re-gifted me another white elephant, or without any thought to whether it was appropriate for me or not, that would be tacky.

[itsallgrand]

I've regifted. I think that they key is to give something you think the other person would like, and then to make sure that there is no way the gifter and the recipient know each other. That's funny about the old tags. A friend of mine was given these glass tacky picture frames for her bridal shower from her sister in law. And inside the box.... Was a card dated 5 years ago that was a wedding present for the sis in laws wedding!! Too funny! I thought she should give it back, card and all, in 5 years.

 

Exactly my thinking on it.

 

In my family there is a running gag which is based on truth that we all seem to get a great kick out of getting wonderful things for the very least we can. Those who have become part of the family either through marriage or adoption have even commented on it - "do you guys notice how much you talk about deals?!" lol.

 

It's seen as a great score for everybody is you can manage to get something that is thoughtful, on key, and personal all while spending as little money as possible.

 

Sometimes it gets ridiculous tho, as when we put a limit on a gift exchange (say 50) and there is WAY more than 50 dollars worth of presents for each person, because it was a game to see how much good stuff you could get for 50 - either through deals, or regifting, or whatever.

 

I regift on occasion, but am much more about the bargain hunting. Why spend more if you can get them the thing they really want or would like for half the price?

[Trinity11]

I don't think there is a problem with it unless its a meaningless gift. What I mean to say is, if you think that the person you are going to give it to would truly love it, then waste not want not.

If you are simply palming off what you don't want/need, then give it to someone who really needs it ie charity (and be sure to do your research on them).