An etiquette expert weighs in on how ( and when ) you could regift .
Edmund Barr
We ’ve all been there — you open a nicely enfold giving on Christmas cockcrow , smile , and say ' give thanks you , ' even though you bang you wo n’t ever use the gift . But is it ever okay to give that present to someone who in reality will apply it ? The theme of regifting has been taboo for years , but it ’s becoming more acceptable — and there are actually a few reasons you should consider it this year .
Credit:Edmund Barr
We chatted withValerie Sokolosky , generator and etiquette expert , about why she says it ’s hunky-dory to regift presents this time of year . " We ’ve all receive lovely — even expensive — gift that we merely ca n’t practice , already have , or wo n’t meet our life style or decor , " she say . " Why not deal the fairness with someone who can or does appreciate it ’s use ? "
Using reuse product is on our list ofChristmas decor trend this twelvemonth — but reuse is n’t just limited to vacation decorating . Thousands of undesirable gift end up in the landfill each year , adding up to more than5 billion pounds of vacation waste . And undesirable items that are n’t thrown away can end up tucked away inside a closet for years .
The holiday are a financially nerve-wracking time for many hoi polloi . Rather thanstretching your budgetto buy something newfangled for each person on your inclination , it ’s perfectly satisfactory to regift item you ’ve received but never used . Or , consider gifting items you own that have maudlin value , like a well - wear book you used to read your shaver . A dear dedication on the front covering can transform this used gift into something they ’ll appreciate eternally .
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Jason Donnelly
Regifting Etiquette
So how should you go about regifting your gifts ? While there are no hard and dissolute prescript , there are a few thing to keep in mind : Sokolosky shares her serious re - gifting etiquette to relieve you from making any holiday faux pas this season .
1. Be Sure It Makes Sense
Sokolosky ’s number one confidential information is to make certain the gift makes common sense . " Just as any talent , make certain it is something you would have thought to buy for the individual , " she say . Know the recipient well enough that you ’re certain it will be meaningful to them personally . " One year I received two top of the line of descent juicers for fruit and vegetables . I re - invest one to a friend on a extra dieting bonk how helpful that would be for her . Indeed — it was ! "
2. Presentation Is Everything
Once you ’ve decided on a recipient role for your natural endowment , double condition the promotion . There ’s nothing worse than find a gift , only to find someone else ’s name on the original gift tag . Before you give your gift , be sure to take off any talent tag , personal note or store tags . Then , repackage the gift in a new boxful , with fresh wrap and a Modern box . " Be majestic of giving it , " Sokolosky says .
3. Think of It As a ‘Renewed’ Gift
If you ’re not specifically ask about a gift , you do n’t have to assure anyone it was regifted . While some people say you should allow someone know you ’re give them a regifted nowadays , whether you do or not is totally up to you . As long as you ’re giving them something relatively Modern and unused that you live they ’ll appreciate , it does n’t matter whether you paid full price , stupefy it on sale , or were given the token as a gift . " If you come from the heart with an attitude of allowing someone to bask a endowment you do n’t need or it ’s not a fit , then your regift is more a reincarnate giving , " Sokolosky says .
4. Don’t Regift within the Same Group
A good rule of thumb is to separate family and friend giving . If you receive a gift from a family member , you’re able to in all probability give it to a supporter without anyone in the family knowing — and vice versa . If you know immediately that you want to regift something you ’re given , snap up a sticky banker’s bill and write down the name of the person who give it to you , along with the appointment . This will see that you do n’t give the gift back to the person who gave it to you in the first place .
5. Be Honest
While you ’re surely not obligated to tell either party that your giving is regifted , you should be prepared to be honest . If your aunty comes over and asks about the blender she bought you , let her know you really appreciated the motion , but you gave it to a friend or family phallus who could use it more than you could .
