7 Rules Of Regifting (a.k.a. Passing Unwanted Gifts On To Others)

Written by Lynnette on December 21, 2006 | Comments (0)

Here's another word to add to your spellchecker: REGIFTING

When it first appeared, the phenomenon of regifting took on rather negative overtones due to its association with deception, i.e. the idea that by regifting you were not only deceiving the recipient, but also the person who originally gave you the gift by not being honest about the fact that you didn't want it. However, the increasing popularity of the word and its more recent link to Internet-based auctions has made the phenomenon of regifting more acceptable, and brought with it more light-hearted, humorous overtones. --Source

Despite the fact that regifting is something that has existed since gift-giving began... it took until the year 2006 for it to become socially acceptable.

I love it!

I, for one, have never seen anything wrong with it. Especially if the item is brand new and you would never use it yourself.

But... according to "the official website devoted to regifting", there are a few simple rules one must follow in order to successfully pass on an unwanted or unneeded gift to someone else.

You need to ask yourself these questions:

#1 Is the gift regiftable?... Never regift handmade or one-of-a-kind items.

#2 How is the condition?... If you have to dust it off, it is not regiftable.

#3 Is this going to work?... Only regift items to people who are not likely to see the original giver.

#4 Do you have good intentions?... Be sure that the recipient will appreciate the item.

#5 How does it look?... Always spring for a new card or gift tag.

#6 Can you handle it?... Never feel guilty about regifting once you've done it.

#7 Have you considered your options?... An unwanted gift could be a welcome donation to a charitable organization.

Check out these fun & interesting regifting stories!

Turns out, one of my favorite authors and dog bloggers, Gina Spadafori, thinks along the same lines as I do when it comes to giving Christmas gifts. For an eye-opener, check out her Christmas update: "Giftable? Not Likely".