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I decided to start this thread after another thread RE: restaurant coupons wandered off into regifting territory. What do you think about regifting? I mentioned being miffed that my little sister regifted her unwanted JCPenney gift card to me when it was my birthday. I was annoyed because we don't give each other gift cards. We both feel like they are too impersonal, and we are the closest people in each other's lives, next to our spouses. I was also not thrilled because I don't care for JC Penney. She and I have never given each other gift cards before or since, which is how I realized right away she didn't originally purchase it.
On another occasion, she mentioned liking Bath and Body Works lotions in the apple flavors, so I gave her two as a stocking stuffer at Christmas. Several months later, I received the very same apple flavored lotions as a present. I told her I had given them to her for Christmas, and she repeatedly denied that they were regifts, even though I was positive I gave them to her because I don't like the apple flavors.
I understand the concept of regifting. You receive a gift you don't like, it makes little sense to keep it at your home collecting dust, so you pass along said item to a loved one. I don't think that's tacky in itself. But it develops the tackiness factor when you're regifting something the person wouldn't appreciate, or something inappropriate for the recipient's tastes that suggests it was originally gifted to you. What do you think?
I understand the concept of regifting. You receive a gift you don't like, it makes little sense to keep it at your home collecting dust, so you pass along said item to a loved one. I don't think that's tacky in itself. But it develops the tackiness factor when you're regifting something the person wouldn't appreciate, or something inappropriate for the recipient's tastes that suggests it was originally gifted to you. What do you think?
I agree with this - if done correctly, I don't think regifting is tacky. I've received plenty of gifts over the years that, while I appreciated the gesture and thought behind it, either weren't to my taste or were something I just didn't have a use for, but I could think of another friend who would really like and appreciate that object.
My personal guidelines to this are:
1. If the present is in the original packaging, the original packaging must look new - No one wants to open a present with a box that looks like it's been through a tornado.
2. The object itself must look brand new - no books with a tattered corner, candles that have already been lit (you laugh, but this happened to my cousin once...), clothing with stains, etc.
3. When considering regifting, is this item something I would've thought to spend my own money on for this friend? - Meaning that I want to make sure that I think this is something I would've wanted to give my friend even if I had to spend my own money, because it's something they'd like - not just a stretch I'm making to get this item out of my house.
4. Does the person I'm regifting TO know the person I got the gift FROM? - This one's a biggie. If Lindsay gives you a decorative wreath that you then pass on to Carol, is Lindsay likely to go over to Carol's house only to see the wreath? It's far better to regift among separate social/familial circles to avoid any awkwardness.
Regifting in and of itself isn't tacky - but just like with "regular" gift giving, appropriate thought to both the gift itself and the recipient should be made prior to passing the gift along.
Ditto on the above. My pet peeve is regifting an item back to the person that gave it to you or to someone in the same family. They should always be to someone outside the personal circle of the original gifter. Other than that, regifting is fine.
I don't think that's tacky in itself. But it develops the tackiness factor when you're regifting something the person wouldn't appreciate, or something inappropriate for the recipient's tastes that suggests it was originally gifted to you. What do you think?
I agree with this. I would regift if it's something I think the person would enjoy receiving. I would not regift just to get it out my house.
I'm all for it if it's done discreetly. When my sister got married she received a toaster from our millionaire cousins (note, how to become a millionaire,lol). Inside the box she found the gift tag signed by the original givers. lol. We figured it was a shower present to the bride.
How do you know they spent time choosing a gift and didn't re-gift something to you?
Because I know my family and "best" friends better than acquaintances Even if they did regift I would never know, and as the ole sayin' goes "What you don't know....."
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Even if they did regift I would never know, and as the ole sayin' goes "What you don't know....."
