If you've never received a terrible regift, you're one of the lucky ones!
With the season of giving in full force, I thought it would be more than appropriate to mention regifting.
Some of us (I won't mention names) don't seem to understand the meaning of regifting.
You know what regifting is...when you ever so thoughtfully - or not - take your old gifts... items that you didn't like or clothes that didn't fit or were just plain ugly or ratchet or even deliberately thoughtless, because someone simply didn't take the time to think up a perfect gift.
Like that extremely putrid smelling perfume set...
Or those ugly socks that a percentage of the proceeds went to some charity, according to the tag...
Or that LED Christmas tree sweater...(seriously?)
Regifting can be treacherous, especially if you are on the receiving end.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving and giving in general, let's talk about what regifting is NOT.
#1. Regifting is not reusing or recycling
Regifting is not giving your son's first grade teacher (or anyone else, for that matter) your used Michael Kors purse.
Personally, I don't mind the fact that your perfume has totally saturated the purse's material now and there's a tiny piece of ABC gum gluing together that little inside zipper pocket. I'm not too proud, I'll take your Michael Kors purse if it still looks nice on the outside.
The problem is, not everyone is like me. I have a friend who complained all the time that her mother-in-law always gave her used designer purses for every occasion.
Not everyone appreciates reusing and recycling like I do.
#2. No regifting in the same packaging
Several of my friends have shared stories with me about their regifting experiences gone bad. Two that stand out in my mind make me think, Well, you deserved that! You cheapo.
I think one was a fruitcake or something else equivalently yucky, definitely a baked good. My friend kept it in it's original gift packaging and regifted it quickly to a neighbor, so it would still be fresh. It just so happens that there was a card inside for my friend, which totally made her feel like a fool when her neighbor said, "I don't blame you. I would've given it away to someone else, too. I'm not fond of fruitcake either."
Regifting FAIL.
Next up, a friend who wasn't keen on a pair of socks she received in a tiny little gift bag. Little did she know there was also a $200 Visa gift card stashed in the tissue paper inside, at the bottom of the gift bag.
When her friend opened it, she was amazed that she had received such a wonderful and thoughtful gift!
Thank you, thank you so much! I needed that!
#3. Don't wait forever to regift
Back in my working days, I remember overhearing a story about regifting. A gal at work was given a $100 gift card from her dad.
It just so happens when she tried to spend $50, it was declined. After calling the company that issued the gift card, she was told it was 5 years old and the annual $9.95 fee had been taken out, leaving a grand total of a little over $40.
Her father ended up admitting he had received it as a gift 6 years prior.
Another person had received one of those humongous boxes of chocolates with the different ingredients in the centers. That's one of those gifts you really can't go wrong giving - unless, like hers, the expiration date was from back in the 1990's!
#4. Keep regifts away from the same crowd
Anyone who has heard - or told - a regifting horror story knows about passing the love around. I've heard of families regifting the same presents and them coming all the way back to the original person who bought it - and even back around again.
But, the one that wins the trophy is the retiring co-worker who regifted the wine set that he received for his retirement present to his ex-boss at work for Christmas.
It also happened on Friends, if you watched that show. It's just not a smart idea.
#5. Don't be like Oprah
Whatever you do, try not to make your entire holiday season about regifting. I just imagine Oprah, up on the stage, arms wide open, "Regifts for everyone here!" at her famous Oprah's Favorite Things show.
Unless you are a total scrooge, and even if you are flat broke, you're better off baking something than regifting to everyone you know.
I'm just saying...please don't regift irresponsibly!
