Good news! The rules of game have changed when it comes to re-gifting. Many of the historic taboos associated with re-gifting are, in fact, history. New times and circumstances call for revised guidelines for giving and receiving, so let’s examine a modern manners approach to re-gifting.
DO
1) Change your perception of re-gifting. It’s no longer verboten. Under the right circumstances, it can be thoughtful, practical and green.
2) Keep a gift log so that you have a good record of the gifts you receive and from whom you receive them. Your #1 goal is to avoid re-gifting an item to its original source.
3) Think of the broad circle of friends and family of the individual who gave you the item that you are re-gifting. If there is any possibility that the re-gift recipient will recognize the item and identify its original source, don’t re-gift it to that individual.
4) When re-gifting, exercise the same level of concern for matching a gift to a recipient as you do when shopping for a new item. A re-gift should match the interests or needs of the recipient.
5) Re-gift only if an item is in its original packaging and has never been used. Even if the item has never been used but the packaging appears to be damaged, soiled, torn in areas where original seals or tape have been removed or has other flaws, don’t re-gift it. If, logically, the item can be removed from its original packaging and placed in a new, generic gift box, then it may be a candidate for re-gifting.
6) Get a second opinion. Ask a family member or trusted friend to look at the proposed re-gift item to confirm that it is in pristine condition and has re-gift potential. And, note to self, in future never re-gift to this advisor who now knows your penchant for re-gifting.
7) It is better to attend an event empty handed and send a gift later than to re-gift an inappropriate item because you feel pressure to arrive with a gift.
8 ) If you have an item that you want to get rid of but it is inappropriate candidate for re-gifting, donate it to the PTA white elephant sale, neighborhood tag sale or to a charity.
9) Think about sponsoring a “Re-gift Drive” to collect new/unused items and donate them to a community organization or to a family that has lost its home or belongings in a fire or natural disaster. Considering starting a family, office or group tradition where one or more holiday or birthday gifts are donated to a local shelter or charity.
10) Be a thoughtful and cautious re-gifter and you won’t go wrong.
DON’T
1) If you are not 101% certain who gave you a gift, don’t re-gift it.
2) Never re-gift one-of-a kind items, souvenirs from travel, corporate logo items, tradeshow giveaways, etc.
3) Don’t re-gift an item from a special, elderly or difficult family member who visits, or may visit, your home. They may ask to see the gift on their next visit or they may ask you to show it to another relative or visitor when they are in your home.
4) If a potential re-gift item does not fit the occasion, price range dictated by the relationship of giver and receiver, the likes/dislikes of the receiver or other standard criteria for gift selection, don’t re-gift that item. Just because you have something that you don’t use and would like to get out of your pantry, closet or bureau drawer, don’t re-gift it unless it is an appropriate gift for the recipient and the occasion. Why re-gift a cooking/kitchen gadget to a non-cooking friend or a item of clothing to a family member who cares nothing about fashion or wardrobe? A re-gift must be a good match for the recipient.
5) Don’t re-gift odd or out-of-date books, CDs, DVDs. Passing along a favorite book or CD to a friend after you have enjoyed it is different than re-gifting and pretending that the item was recently purchased.
6) Don’t re-gift a gift bag unless it is in pristine condition. And if the bag came with a gift tag attached, remember to check to see if your name is on the tag before re-gifting.
7) Don’t place a re-gift in an unrelated store logo box with the intention of suggesting that the re-gift came from that store.
8 ) If you’re caught, challenged or questioned (which a courteous recipient would never do), admit to your re-gifting transgression. “Yes, I wasn’t able to use this item, but thought because of your interest/talent in this particular area that you would enjoy it.” Or plead the recession defense: “I wanted to give you something special, and I couldn’t afford to shop this year.”
9) Many people admit to re-gifting, so you may be on the receiving end of a re-gift at some point in future. If you are the recipient of what you know is a re-gift, accept it graciously and assume that the giver thought you would enjoy the item. Don’t embarrass the giver. Consider the experience a joint, go-green effort to reduce the junk that goes to landfills. If it is an item that you know you will never use, enter it into your gift log, find a temporary home for it in your re-gift closet and wait for a perfect re-gift opportunity down the road.
10) Don’t have a closed mind to the concept of re-gifting. Consider the possibilities. After all, your dust-collecting, under-appreciated oddity may be someone else’s treasure.
Check out other re-gifting tips on Fox5 TV Holiday Survival Guide: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/money/regifting-rules-holiday-survival-guide-111909
