General

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

kabin — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:48:20 GMT

My circle of friends is small and I don't usually regift an item. If I don't like it I donate it, but not before I have had it for a while. OTOH, my neighbor thinks nothing of regifting. Fine. But, this got to me a little bit. I used to work in a book store and often I take something that I received in shipping, damaged of course, make it usable, and give it away.( I was allowed to do that, so it wasn't stealing. My boss knew.) Well, one time I gave her a tile that was very pretty, just the feet had fallen off, but could still be used to set something hot on. Anyway, it wasn't a gift gift, it was just a "you like this so you can have it type of thing." I went over there one day when she was packing up her vehicle to go to a craft sale, or fleece, as in sheep, fair and she had packed that tile. Not to give it away, but to sell it. I couldn't believe it and I did feel a littlle bit offended. I told her when I gave it to her where it was from and that it didn't cost me anything. But still, if I had known she would be trying to sell it I don't think I would have given it to her. Guess that's just how I feel about things like that.

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

chamomile — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:52:09 GMT

Babs, I love the slipper regift. Maybe somebody finally got cold feet? : )

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

Gingerbread — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:30:53 GMT

I don't have problem with re-gifting -- giving or receiving -- it's the ultimate tightwad kind of thing . Hubby won some lovely gifts at the Company Christmas Party a couple years ago. They were really nice things, but we had absolutely no use for them and we re-gifted them. Our SIL was thrilled with his Portable DVD Player from the Christmas Party haul. He's in the Army and it was a perfect item for his Dec. birthday since he was getting ready to go on a hardship tour and could really use it where he was going. We told him how we got it because that expensive of a gift was completely out of character for gift-giving for us.

I have a couple really close friends and my sister, and we always exchange gifts that are from one of these three frugal choices: found at a thrift store, garage sale, or re-gifted. Sometimes these things are "new" (still in the box), sometimes not. These have been some of the best gifts I've gotten over the years, like my wooden noodle drying rack and 1/2-size loaf pans.

~Gingerbread

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

mamasjob — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:41:19 GMT

I like to think of it as "gift recycling" lol. I do find myself doing this but usually for office/organization gift exchanges, hostess gifts for a Christmas Party or I even put some things in my mom's Christmas stocking. And nothing that I had worn or used--just things that are new and hopefully have tags! lol. Why have things sit in a closet when someone else can use them or you can donate them?

I have recycled fingertip towels (wrong color) to my mom for her bath (perfect color match for her), scented lotion and soap (my skin sensitivity can't take it) to a good neighbor, a Santa figurine (glass--not good at my house with 2 little boys) to an office gift exchange.

Last year, we received some books and puzzles the boys already had. The toys were donated to the local shelter.

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

babs — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:27:25 GMT

I have regifted gift cards that we wouldnt use. Last year , we recieved one for a resterant that we didnt like. I gave it to a friend for Christmas. I knew that she and her husband went there to eat. I dont see anything wrong with it. Babs

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

babs — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:25:48 GMT

Chaomile, good idea with the tree to regift with new things on it. We had a regifting that went on for years in our family and friends. One year someone gave my Aunt a really ugly pair of furry red slippers. The next year she gave them to someone. This continued for years. You never knew when they would turn up. The size of teh box always changed. Sometimes, it was a birthday gift or Easter basket, Christmas. Sometimes they would be mailed to the next person. Finally, we stopped. Not sure why Babs

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

chamomile — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:50:57 GMT

I "regift" in the sense that latte does, by donating things that I don't want to look at . Once my mom gave me a hand made lace yoke that a deceased relative of ours had made. She had framed it.Every time I looked at it, I thought 'it's the yoke of domesticity'. It made me feel choked. Off to the donation bin. Ditto with the poorly done oil paintings from my late grandma...memories will do just fine. I have one abrasive difficult relative who always gives me a check for the holiday. I don't feeel good about taking her money, so I always donate her gift to charity.

I once got a lovely scented candle from a teacher who I'd done a lot of volunteer work for. She had received it from a co worker - I knew, because she'd left the tag in the box.

My best gal pal gave me a little potted pine for Christmas last year with tiny ornaments and earrings hanging from it. I am thinking of 'regifting' that back to her this with new little gifties - maybe start a tradition.

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

My Family's Interests — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:52:50 GMT

I have regifted occasionally but that is more bath baskets, candles, household knick knacks generic stuff etc. Mostly too gift exchanges or hostess gift to people you don't know. Years ago when visiting my dh aunt in Calgary (12hrs drive from here) , she was mentioning a story about my sil regifting a candle/soap basket as a hostess gift to someone close by when she was out visiting just before us and turns out the card to her was at the bottom of the basket! now as she was telling us the story, I noticed the candle I had given her for xmas in dh aunt's china cabinet! (it was a nice but unique candle). In her defence, she is a teacher so she used to get more baskets of bath stuff etc then she could ever use. Now her classes go together in one gift certificate for her instead. parents idea.

Many years ago Kotex had a free promo where you could get a very nice cotton scarf (90's scarves were in) in blues etc. I had one. I was working in a club one night and a guy had one tied around his head. He had got it as a xmas gift. I did end up telling him where it was from!

I will bring new gifts that my kids get that they don't need or want (if grandparents don't mention it) to the consignment store or bring to santa toy drive. The consignment store money just goes back into more stuff for them. For example my dd doesn't play with dolls, she dresses up animals, put them in the stroller etc. Always has been this way. She got a baby doll at her birthday party sat that I will save to give to santa toy drive next year though I would do it this year but to be nice since it is from a friend I will keep it for a while. She also got a growing susie doll, grows from baby to toddler, comes with everything..potty chair, hair extensions for ponytails etc, eats, talks, poops etc from a friend. Not a cheap toy but I dont' think she will ever be interested in it. so I will store it for a few mths and then worry about what to do with it. She wants a dog (not happening) for her birthday so I got her a plush dog that barks, sits, walks etc.

Re: Thinking of re-gifting?

latte4me2day — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:35:29 GMT

shhhhhh! i regift things that i know i wont use, and that someone else will enjoy or get use out of.........for example thsi cross necklace that my ex mother in law to be gave me......it just reminds me of horrible times, not because its a cross with jes*s on it, but because of who it was from, i have no use for it (im fond of my macrame or leather choker necklace only) nor will i wear it, but i have my step mom who (cuse me here a bit on my term for her) is a religous natzi nut who will love it an appreciate it,..........regifting is fine as long as it doesnt go back to who gave it to you! for instance, something i had given my stepmom when i was 12 or 13, got regifted back to me when i was 18

Thinking of re-gifting?

Gigi — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:50:59 GMT

I rarely re-gift. My fault has always been buying in advance. Unfortunately, there are times when it does not work out and I am stuck with an extra gift.

If you are thinking of re-gifting, here are some rules:

http://regiftable.com/Regifting101/Default.aspx

Have you ever re-gifted? Has it worked out? What do you think about re-gifting?