Regifting Etiquette

I'm a re-gifter! I often get duplicates if gifts for my children, and I get the duplicates for last minute birthday parties. I also re-gift clothing that doesn't fit and can't be returned/exchanged. What else am I going to do with 3 of the same storybook or a shirt that is 2 sizes too small?

I am sure I have regifted- I can't think of a specific situation right now but still, I am sure I have. I like to think I've done it tastefully and discreetly.

One time I was in a Secret Santa type of gift giving situation with a larger group of people (about 20) from work, and I got a tacky regift. I couldn't believe it! While I can't remember who I picked to give a gift to (or even what I got for them) I know it was new, and everyone else received nice gifts, too. I will never forget the girl who "bought" me a gift or what she gave me. It was a stuffed rabbit, the size of my hand, and it had a ratty old tag on the bottom of it... with HER name written in marker in child-like hand writing. Clearly something she picked out of her old toy collection... needless to say i was pretty disappointed. So the unwritten 6th rule should be to carefully inspect everything you intend to regift... any tags, any attached cards that could have someone's to or from name on it. Yikes!

I've regifted - and like the girls about - I kinda felt guilty about it.

It makes me feel cheap.

I try not to do it and generally do it in case of emergency only.

such cute ideas, and huge fan of seinfeld loved that!!

this is how I re gifted this year, my son was turning 2 and hes born dec 19th (Im the 22nd) so its a busy month for us, since we celebrate hanukkah and christmas. instead of buying everyone there a separate christmas gift when we saw them next or having to come up with a way to waste time while the kids played @ Go Bananas, I decided to check out my closet for every gift I got last year that I never opened, or other items that Ive bought and never used. I gifted them all and put a simple hint on each one with an age group, gave them all tabs with their names on it and made a very easy yet fun game where you could win that prize if you put your name in the hat and so on..

not the best idea! But was fun for us adults for 2 hours of potential boredom!

I know for a fact that two friends of mine are queen regifters and it is so not cool to be on the receiving end - possibly because what is regifted is so obvious. I prefer not to get anything at all than to get something someone else doesn't want. If you don't want it, there's a good chance that I wouldn't want it either...
However, I can see how it may work sometimes if you end up receiving two of something really nice and know FOR SURE that the person you're giving it to would love it.

I think that all the comments on regifting are a bit harsh. I don't see how it's nicer to keep something hidden in your closet year round than to give it to someone else. There is one other rule that I think should be mentioned though, and that's to regift outside of the social circle that you received the gift in. Otherwise, it's more likely to be discovered.

I was re-gifted this year!I can tell you it doesn't feel very good.I sent my friend a really cute hand bag last year and guess what I got for Christmas this year from her the same bag came back to me! So she totally forgot that I sent it to her last year and I know she would feel stupid if she realized what she did.Its a very awkward situation.

I can't say i've ever regifted anything (and yes I have gotten gifts I thought who on earth would think I'd like this??). I do think there's things that can be regifted. Example, books are a great one. I have tons of books I have only read once and know of people who would enjoy it. Plus if you are like me, most of my books don't even look touched. I think as long as you are regifting with thought for that person then its okay, if you are doing it just to get rid of the item.. that's a little selfish.

I don't like re-gifting myself. If I get something I wouldn't use I just keep it in the closet until I hear about someone else wanting something like it and just give it to them at anytime. But I can usually find a use for anything I get for occasions.

I personally feel the same about it being a bit "mean" or insulting as well. HOWEVER, my grandma spends the entire year ordering things through various charities, catalogues, etc for her 13 grandchildren and then at the end of the year just puts whomevers name on gifts....all of which are useless gifts (as harsh as that may sound), like religious figurines (im not religious at all!) or thousands of xmas decorations. I cant really re-gift these items as theyre not really for anyone lol, so I just donate them to charity...at least I feel a little bit better about it :)