Tired of the stress and expense of holiday shopping? Looking for a way for a greener, simpler Christmas? Want to clear out some perfectly good, but unwanted, white elephants that are stashed away? Consider regifting.
Regifting, a term coined on the sitcom Seinfeld over ten years ago, is a verb defined by Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary: “To give an unwanted gift to someone else; to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift.”
Poll Finds That People Think Regifting is Okay
While some may cringe at the thought of giving away a gift that was given to them by someone else, the practice, according to a 2007 poll by Money Management International, found that more than half of the adults (58 percent) surveyed thought regifting was acceptable; 68 percent of women polled already regift or were thinking about it (men, however, were more squeamish about regifting, only 47 percent of men participated in regifting or thought they would give it a try).
The idea of regifting has gained popularity as the economy has tanked and frugality (and green living) trends have skyrocketed. In just two years, regifting has risen in acceptability by seven percent.
But what about the recipients of a regift? The survey showed that most people would not be upset if they found out that their gift was on its second life. Less than 10 percent of respondents said they would be unhappy to learn that the gift they just received was a regift; 18 percent even claimed they would be happy or amuse to be on the receiving end of a regift.
Tips for Regifting
Want to try to give regifting a whirl this holiday season? Here are some tips:
- Make sure the regift is a good fit. Don’t just regift because you want to get rid of a previous gift. Follow the rules of gift giving – regardless of whether the gift is brand new or recycled: make sure the gift is right for the recipient and he or she will appreciate the gift. If the gift doesn’t see appropriate, give it to someone else who would like it or donate it to charity.
- Don’t give away worn, dusty, or broken items. If you have used the gift, or it old-looking, give the item to charity instead. Don’t burden people with “gifts” that they, in turn, have to give away.
- Don’t give the gift back to the original giver. This would be a faux pas that would be hard to explain. Make sure the gift is going to someone unrelated – even not in the giver’s close circle of friends.
- Don’t regift handmade or one-of-a-kind pieces. According to the site, Regiftable.com, don’t give away signed books or monogrammed items. Items that are good for regifting include: good (unopened) bottles of wine, new household items, and inexpensive jewelry. The site also recommends springing for new wrapping paper and gift tags.
Regifting does take a certain amount of courage to do. Those who feel that they will experience guilt, or would be humiliated if it was discovered the gift was a regift, or can’t handle keeping it a secret (or outright telling the recipient), then regifting is not worth the effort.
Instead, keep the gift, give it to charity, or donate it to a friend who may want to regift.
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