On a similar gift-giving topic as earlier today, I’m curious to know how you feel about regifted gifts and whether you do it? Its not just this Christmas season when gifts abound, but at other times too. It just seemed interesting because this is the time when the most gifts are exchanged 🙂
Re-gifting is where you pass on as a gift to someone else, something you received as a gift that may not suit you or that maybe a duplicate of something you already own, or perhaps just something not to your style or taste. I personally don’t feel bad if a gift I gave was regifted because I would rather an unwanted gift goes to someone who would appreciate and use it, than sitting around gathering dust or expiring.
I know not everyone feels that way and I do know some people feel affronted if their gifts are re-gifted. Naturally of course, I don’t expect to receive it back myself, nor do I expect to have it re-gifted right in front of my eyes. Done on the quiet, I’m not fussed. But done in front of me? Not polite.
Do I re-gift? Sometimes, yes.
I sometimes end up with duplicates or a gift that I know I will not use for various reasons. Rather than have it go to waste or lie in the darkened closet for years, I pass it on to someone else who would likely appreciate it more. When I do so, I usually include it as an additional gift to something I have originally gotten the recipient. And naturally, I don’t gift it in the original gift wrap 😛
So, I’m curious. How do you feel about regifted gifts and do you do it? 😀 If you don’t want people to know that you do, use a new handle to comment – no judging 🙂
Paris B
joopah says
December 20, 2011 at 4:14 pmYes, I do regift and likewise would happily receive regifted items :-D. Most often, though, when I know I would not use them, I put them in the donation box.
Paris B says
December 20, 2011 at 4:52 pmI do the same – if I don’t know of anyone who could benefit from it, it goes into the box 🙂 Best way to get things in order 🙂
Bell says
December 20, 2011 at 4:41 pmI never done that before. May be because it’s a habit of mine to stock on everything people gave to me. But my family especially from my maternal side seems okay doing it. They didn’t mind if they get the gifts that they give to people back in their hands.
Paris B says
December 20, 2011 at 4:53 pmI used to stock up too but when things start to expire or just lie away in dusty cupboards, I prefer for them to go to someone who’d actually use it 🙂
Jamilla says
December 20, 2011 at 4:46 pmMy Aunt was a notorious re-gifter! Sometimes, she gave a present back to the original sender!!
Paris B says
December 20, 2011 at 4:53 pmLOL!! Now that would have been a real faux pas!
Jenn says
December 20, 2011 at 4:50 pmI don’t mind, as long as the gift is not a photo frame or expiring chocolates (yes, i have actually received those before! The horror!!)! 😛
Paris B says
December 20, 2011 at 4:54 pmYikes! That’s quite thoughtless too 😛
milktea says
December 21, 2011 at 5:51 pmIt is horribly thoughtless. And penny-pinching *ouch, they pinched too hard*
It is almost impossible to purchase chocolates near expiry date in most large and popular supermarkets. Note that the chocs will have expiry dates that are years away.
Very bad reflection on the mindset of the gift-giver. *thumbs down*
Sheila says
December 20, 2011 at 5:17 pmRegifting is fine with me! I don’t mind giving or receiving it, as long as I feel the other person will get more use out of it than me. For example there are some colours of makeup I just don’t use, so if I do receive those colours, I will pass it on to someone who I know will use (and like) those colours. I feel that’s not only more economical but also more environmentally friendly because of the reduced waste from all of the presents we get but don’t like or can’t use.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:39 pmThat’s how I feel too! Sometimes something that doesn’t suit us may find a better home elsewhere and I’d rather that happen than growing mouldy in my stash or closet 🙂 Plus it makes someone happy and its better all round too!
peach_ says
December 20, 2011 at 5:45 pmI don’t personally regift, but I like to share things I’ve received as gifts and ask my family and friends if they would like something, saying I received it from so-and-so and if they want it. It’s probably the same thing…?
And agreed, I don’t mind if someone regifts my presents. Once I’ve given one to them, it’s theirs to do whatever they want to with it. No hard feelings.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:41 pmHaha yes I guess sharing is a form of regifting too. I sometimes share, but if its a nice little item I think someone will like I gift it – same thing different words 😉
Syen says
December 20, 2011 at 5:46 pmI’m fine with re-gifting – giving or receiving. Better to give it off to someone who’ll love it then sit in my cupboard collecting dust. But my caveat is as long as it’s re-gifted “thoughtfully”. Thoughtless gifts are actually pretty obvious, arent they?
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:41 pmYes! As Jenn pointed out, chocolates close to expiry are a dead give away 😛
Isabel says
December 20, 2011 at 6:11 pmI’ve done it a few times. Initially, it was accompanied by a feeling of guilt which I think is rubbish. That is simply related to the whole “expectations/taboos of society” thing. It makes complete logical sense to give away something that you either have a duplicate of or won’t use at all and it’s a greater sin to let it go to waste.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:42 pmI know what you mean 🙂 Initially I felt a bit weird too but I figured, its new, its unused, its nice (just not my style/type) and besides, the gifter and recipient don’t know each other LOL! 😉
synical says
December 20, 2011 at 8:01 pmNot into gift exchanging. Thus, no problems whatsoever.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:43 pmNot even for other times? Not just Christmas 🙂
synical says
December 21, 2011 at 12:56 pmNot even for other occasions. Very kiamsiap bunch 😛 If nothing else, just give angpau lah (weddings, baby full moon, etc).
It depends on the item, but I usually either ask around to see if anyone wants it, or Freecycle. I usually have wishlists, so I haven’t exactly gotten anything I resort to regift. But I’m all for it when it happens.
electronicfly says
December 20, 2011 at 9:32 pmI agree with you. Regift away, just not until I know. Or, if you know I will find out anyway, then ask me first, coz I will definitely say go ahead one anyway, but it feels like you care so much more.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:45 pmTrue! I’d rather not know if its been regifted. I don’t mind, but some things you just don’t need to know 😛
Lisa says
December 20, 2011 at 10:32 pmI will only regift the item to another if I think that it might be of use to the person intended for or if the person might be happy to receive it. If there’s no one I can regift it to, I usually send the item to the recycling center or perhaps the salvation army.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:47 pmYup good call. Regifting willy nilly is about as good as gifting thoughtlessly!
giddy tigress says
December 21, 2011 at 9:46 amI don’t do it often, but if I do, like you, I would just give it as an additional gift on top of something I made/bought. Or I would not gift wrap it as a gift.
But I have discovered someone regifted something (for my kids) and they blatantly discussed about it in front of me! I felt that was uncalled for.
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:51 pmYikes! That isn’t nice at all! I don’t mind receiving a regift but its definitely not nice to talk about it or better yet, leave their original name on the gift tag when giving it to you. Happened once. They were embarrassed not me Haha!
LeGeeque says
December 21, 2011 at 9:53 amI think it’s perfectly fine providing you don’t give the gift to the person who first gave it to you initially – like you’ve said! 😀
I do think society’s getting a little bit wasteful so regifting is a way to ensure we don’t have more stuff ending up in our landfills. One man’s thrash is another man’s gold! 🙂 I’m all for it!
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:52 pmYeah! Imagine receiving something a year later and thinking “Hmm… didn’t I give this last year?” You’re right too about there being too much excess and not everyone has the same sort of expectations/stuff we have/get so sharing the love is a good thing 🙂
Fanny says
December 21, 2011 at 11:48 amI do re-gift things that I do not use. I will either add somemore thing(s) together as a gift with a nice wrapper 🙂 or I will just ask if anyone would be interested to have it home. Otherwise, it will go to the donation box (but sometimes I do wonder if the donation boxes do really donate it out).
I agree with Le Geeque – one man’s trash is another man’s gold! 😉
Paris B says
December 21, 2011 at 12:54 pmYes yes, change the wrapper – good tip! 😉 I have the same suspicions about the donation box but I figure, so long as someone gets some use out of it, its not wasted 🙂
watercoloursky says
December 21, 2011 at 4:20 pmThanks for the welcome back! Hmm…I figure as long as I don’t know or find out about it then its fine, although that depends on who the recipient is. If someone really close to me regifts something I would be more offended, especially if I thought we were the type to be honest to each other about gifts. If its someone more distant I would understand if they regifted since I may not know their taste that well.
Same applies to me…if its someone close to me I won’t regift as I would really feel bad and also afraid they would ask me later on to see the gift lol 😀
nicky says
December 21, 2011 at 5:15 pmyes, i do re-gift. but on my part, i never assume what ppl want as i dont want my gifts to be a ‘burden’ to them.. i usually give cash for birthdays/ weddings or if that person is close enough to me, i’d ask him/her exactly what they want.
Tine says
December 21, 2011 at 8:32 pmI’m all for receiving regifted pressies (a present’s a present), and for regifting items. We already have way too much stuff piling on landfills; don’t need to add to that if we don’t need/want the stuff we were given in the first place. One woman’s makeup junk is another woman’s new item in the makeup bag/dresser 🙂
JUST DON’T regift the same present I gave you in front of me. You know what I mean lah 😛
Grace says
December 23, 2011 at 2:09 amI have received a gift from a very nice co-worker yesterday – a baking dish in shape of heart. She forgot to remove a card which was inside “01 DEC’07 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! GOD BLESS. BRO HENRY.” I am ready to return this gift to her – your thoughts?????
Paris B says
December 23, 2011 at 11:12 amGosh! Now that is a right faux pax 😛 You could opt to keep quiet about it and keep the peace, or just show her the card and tell her that she may have forgotten to remove it 😛
Mari says
December 24, 2011 at 1:08 amYes, I do re-gift, but I usually do it with my mother and she gets actually happy. I did it once with my coworker and she enjoyed it too. But I do explain the situation first, so I can see how well they react to it. People usually don’t mind if you re-gift something, mainly if it’s an expensive item.
I must confess I like brand-new stuff (that I bought myself!), but I like receiving gifts, no matter if they are re-gifts or not.