How to go about Regifting
To regift or to not regift, that is the question? (With apologies to William Shakespeare.) Definitely, regift! I personally have regifted quite a bit. It started about 10 years ago; one of my friends sent me a backpack type handbag for my birthday. It was really nice, made of leather and I'm sure it wasn't cheap. I hated it! But I have another friend who really likes backpacks and has used a backpack, instead of a purse, since we were in Junior High School. That Christmas, I gave it to her and she loved it! She still has it and uses it. These two friends do not know each other; in fact, they live in different parts of the country. That worked out so well, that I have been regifting my "unwanted" gifts ever since.
This has probably happened to you, you have just opened a present, you have smiled and pretended you liked it to spare your friend or family member's feelings, but this "gift" just wasn't something you wanted. Maybe it was a color you didn't like, or the style or size was wrong for you. Maybe it was something you would never use. Or maybe it was something you already had and didn't need another one. Any new bride can tell you the "joys" of receiving three can openers, two blenders and enough toasters to make toast for the whole neighborhood! Whatever the problem is with this gift, you don't really want it.
There are a number of problems trying to return or exchange a gift and truthfully, it might not be worth the time or trouble to do that. So let's say you can't or are unwilling to return that unwanted gift: 1. You could put it in your next garage sale, or 2. You could take it to the "white elephant" event at your club or church or 3. You could regift it! Regifting makes sense and if done properly can save you time, money and keep your closets and storages areas from getting cluttered up with unwanted objects. (I.E. junk!) But regifting needs to be done very carefully or you can find yourself in trouble.
First, note who all was in attendance when you opened the gift. Then note who on your gift list has contact with the person who gave you this gift. This is your list of people you cannot give this gift to. (The exception to this is if someone in attendance made a big fuss over your "treasure" and stated they'd love to have one. Take the hint and re-gift the present to them! You can tell you found them one "just like the one you got.") But normally, you should look at the rest of the people on your gift list for a victim, err, I mean recipient. Is there anyone on your list that you think would like this object? If you can answer "yes" then you have the perfect reason to re-gift. If not, you may wish to donate it to a charity and try to get a tax deduction out of it!
