Regifting--it seems to be one of those ideas that you either love or hate. I for one think it's okay, but only when it's done right. I wouldn't, for example, give someone a regifted item just to knock them off of my list--I think the gift has to fit the recipient. I also wouldn't regift an item that someone handmade for me--just feels a bit tacky.
Otherwise, I'm all for it. In fact, don't tell, but I have two items all wrapped up and ready to regift this year. Gasp in horror, if you must; but it's just part of how I keep my Christmas spending to $100 or less.
What are your thoughts on regifting?
Plan a Christmas that You Can Afford:
I am absolutely pro-regifting! People often give gifts without thinking or without attaching a great deal of emotional investment to the gift – just to give something during the holidays. Often it’s something I will not use or that is just “not me” – I attach a post-it to it saying “not-such and such a family” so I know not to give it to that side of the family to avoid embarassment during a family event, and regift away. I often find I end up using regifts for donations to charitable events such as prizes for trivia nights or in hampers for auctions. I have no twinges of conscience at all, and no-one has ever caught me out (so far!). But I would never regift something a child gave me, something handmade, or something that someone obviously put a lot of thought into.
I am for regifting in some cases, but boy be careful when it is given to teenagers. My child wanted to return some of my “regifts” to the store because she didn’t like them and I really couldn’t do that since I didn’t have the receipt. Oops! I really thought she would like the things I gave her, after all they were small things just to “fill” in with. Actually, my whole mentality that year was off target. I should not have felt that she had to have so much to open, my fault. I am living and learning.
I am all for re-gifting, too, with similar guidelines. I am wondering, though, how many people you give to and how you do it for $100 or less!?
I have 21 people on my list this year. As to how I do it for $100 or less . . . I shop year-round for bargains, check second-hand sources for new (or in some cases like-new items), send away for freebies to use in stockings, give free after rebate items (this works especially well w/ office supplies for teachers) and make quite a few gifts (many from recycled materials). $100 probably sounds cheap rather than frugal, especially when you factor in the 21 people on my list; but I try to only give nice, quality stuff. Here are some of the things I’m giving this year: Bundt Cake Candle Jar Candles Popsicle Soap Safety Pin Bracelet
I’m totally for regifting….I just gave my sister (who lives out of state) a gift basket that was given to me from a church auction. She loved it since there was a stuffed bear, photo album, candle and holders, and picture frame. She collects bears so the gift was ideal. With a household of 10, there needs to be a way of recycling gifts. Go ahead and recycle….:>!
regifting is a great idea, not just to be frugal but to stand up to the consumer throwaway madness our society has so readily embraced (with the help of hundred billion dollar ad campaigns)
Regifting is a frugal and green idea. The item has already been purchased, you don’t like, need, or want it so keep it moving.
If I absolutely can’t find anyone to give it to, I sell it on e-bay.
Yes, of course, regifting is fine. I am planning to give away some non-heirloom heirlooms(something you are given by a family member that you don’t want but that has a real value-crystal, serving pieces etc) to non -family. I saw one article that told people to declutter their houses to make room for new gifts-why not arrange for family and friends to just give less to each other and more to those in real need. I also like the idea of “disposable” gifts- food, candles, tickets- if you know what people will eat or use.
well, regifting might seem frugal but if you regift are you sure it isn’t something someone else regifted? Sounds like these are some items that NOBODY wants.
Yes I regift! Why not? If the present I receive doesn’t quite fit me but will work splendid for another then I don’t have a problem with it.
I look at as my “gift” from the original person was the time and money saved in trying to find a gift for the person I regifted to.
I love regifting just don’t regift in the same circle. Example, if you get something at the office you don’t like, then don’t regift it there. You may want to regift it to friends and family who don’t work with you or don’t know you already received it from someone else.
Zig
I am a day care provider. I get a lot of ‘gifts’ at Christmas time that I just plain do not want or need. I try to keep the junk out of the house as much as possible. I will thank the giver, send a note to the giver, and then within a week it is out the door most of the time. I can not use all of the things I get and I do not know anyone who would want to be ‘regifted’ with this stuff. I often give it to the battered women’s shelter. (I am talking about bath gift sets here and perfume sets, candles, etc.)
I’m all for regifting as well, esp. if it’s something that I know the person will like. The idea of gifts imho is to remember and recognize those special to us with something that shows we know “who they are”–so if a gift I got would be more enjoyed by someone else, I don’t see the harm.
I’ve also started a “free table” at work where people bring books, CDs, clothes, nick knacks, whatever, that they are tired of and anyone can take them. I just did this with my own stuff to begin with but now lots of other people bring things, too. Not “gifts” per se, but a good way to keep items out of the landfill and going to those who have a use for them.
I’m all for regifting but be careful! You could be in for some embarassment if you forgot from whom you received the gift and you accidentally give it back. This happened to a coworker and her family never lets her forget it!
The Japanese have been regifting for generations, so it must be good. I was a teacher who would receive too many boxes of chocolates so they were perfect for regifting(& clean arteries!)
Merry Christmas to you All!!
My girls (5) all read, The Box Car Kids books and loved them. They are now grown with children and grandchildren of their own. This year we are having a boxcar Christmas. Every thing must be used or made by the giver and not over $5.00 used on it, including the paper to wrap the gift.
I often regift an item that I would never use or want, but know that someone else would love. If I’m ‘iffy” at all about an item, it goes into my “to donate” box.
I’ve also had a long standing tradition with 3 friends who gather after Christmas with gifts that we simply don’t want or won’t use, and if anyone is interested in an item, they are free to take it. I’m gifted every year with chocolate covered cherries(my aunt cannot be dissuaded from giving them to several familiy members), which I hate, and one friend’s husband loves.
I don’t see anything wrong with regifting if done for the right reasons, with the appropriate thought process given to any other gift giving.
Yes, I re-gift….why? Take this week as an example. I am Jewish. I am also a excessive volunteer including Brownie Girl Scouts. I also happen to be Jewish. Monday night a family who “has tons of Jewish friends” gave me a “Hanukkah” gift. It was a Christmas music box (Christmas tree that played “Away In The Manger”)! Each year I get tons of Christmas specific gifts from well meaning people…I can either trash them, or pass them to someone who will enjoy the gift! But, I agree…I do not re-gift hand made items!!!
What a great topic! I do regift, not as often as I should and I think its because I don’t want the giftee to think I am a cheap skate. What I end up with, is rubbermaid container’s full of gifts, that I don’t kno what to do with. I do give alot of things to charity, in hopes that someone will be happy with my stuff ..
Peace
If you can pick up sale items throughout the year and stash them away for Christmas it makes gift-giving cheap. Last year in February I picked up a lovely flannel PJ set for my niece for $3 (was $16) and tucked the set away for the following Christmas. This is harder to do for my kids because as soon as I buy it I want to give it to them!
Re-gifting is perfect for Secret Santa, office parties where there’s a gift-share game, white elephant presents, gag gifts (in extreme cases – remember Viola from Mama’s Family?!) and stocking stuffers as long as it’s not going to the person who gave it to you.
You can also unload your unwanted presents on eBay or Craigslist and use the funds to buy the christmas presents you would really want to give.
As always, the best gift is the one given with thoughtfulness toward the recipient – so I’ll re-gift with care as to whether that person would want or need the item.
I only re-gift items that are still new because I have relatives that love to give pre-owned gifts and clothing as presents and I hate that.
My daughter was recently the recipient of an obvious re-gift for her baby. We were both appalled at the gift. First of all there was no card to accompany it and there were 2 items that were ugly, did not match and were 2 totally different sizes, 2 sizes apart. It was obvious that the gift giver just wanted to “get rid of” these things and would never have put them on either of her 2 children and didn’t give a darn about my daughter or her baby. It would have been much better received had she just gave her the items because she could not use them, then to wrap them up as a gift. This really reduced my opinion of this person with this distasteful exchange.
I believe in re-gifting but I do it tastefully. For example, if I receive a sweater and it does not fit or is not my style and I know someone it will fit, then I’ll add a little something to it like a scarf or a pin that matches it. It shows you put some time and personalization to the gift without spending a lot of money and wasting a perfectly good sweater. It is also important to include a card.
Whenever anyone mentions re-gifting, I have to laugh about my own experience with it. I have a friend, Sue, who doesn’t realize that she has twice now given gifts to another friend, Ann, of us both that are gifts that I have given Sue! She doesn’t know that I have actually seen what she gave Ann and I’ve immediately recognized both times that it is something I gave to Sue originally! I can just imagine how embarrassed she would be if she realized that we both know she is re-gifting. So be careful and don’t re-gift anything that was given to you by a mutual friend or family member that knows the other friend/family member if there’s any possibility that you could be caught re-gifting. It’s just too risky!
As long as you tell them it is a gift that someone else gave you…go for it.
I generally regift when appropriate as well, although I will sometimes regift totally bizarre gifts as a “joke” gift. Once I got a ceramic chicken cookie jar which is so inappropriate for me. That chicken worked its way around the family for five holidays in a row before it was “accidentally” broken.
I love the fact that everyone is pro-re-gifting. I think these are all good advice. I will make a little summary:
1. Don’t embarrass yourself or others by regifting where they might recognize their own gift.
2. Regift things people can use. Don’t just slough off your white elephant to be someone else’s PITA (pain in the a**).
3. If you’re uncomfortable with being “cheap” you can still declutter your house by giving “extra” gifts to shelters or garage sales for charity, etc.
I would add, never regift something obviously used (Duh). For myself, personally, my Christmas frugality has been moving toward smaller gifts and consumable gifts, as much because my friends and family do not need extra “junk” any more than I do. Mix CD’s, photographs, letters, food, and “smell-goods” circulate widely among my group.
I also appreciate that others regift. My in-laws will be the recipient of some lovely gifts I found at… the thrift store (SHHH!). As the last poster said though, I don’t regift obviously used items, the things I found are virtually brand new.
I’d say an exception to giving obviously used goods (as in, bought from a thrift store such as Value Village) are items such as puzzles and books. In our family, we often say, “Don’t buy them new!” because we agree that puzzles & books are expensive when new, are still enjoyable used, and can be donated again when finished.
I am pretty sure one of my wedding gifts was re-gifted!
Just one note of caution with regifts. Make sure the thing hasn’t been recalled for safety problems (I know that covers a lot of toys nowadays). See the Consumer Products Safety Commission web site, http://www.cpsc.gov, before you pass it on.