Re-gifting is an art. If done improperly, it is considered tacky and rude. If done properly, however, your friends will still like you and your resourcefulness will be admired. Here are some things to keep in mind when re-gifting:
- The recipient — Obviously the recipient should be your main concern whether you are gifting or re-gifting. Only re-gift an item if you know the recipient will genuinely love it.
- Be upfront — Be honest about what you are doing, and tell the recipient it was a gift from someone and you simply have no use for the item. Tell the recipient why you thought it was the perfect fit for him/her — be specific.
- Certain items should never be re-gifted — These include, but are not limited to: used items (these are hand-me-downs, not re-gifts), small appliances or electronics that the recipient would be puzzled to receive.
For more information on re-gifting, see 12 Rules for Re-Gifting Without Fear.
Last year I committed the worst regifting faux paus, ever. I gave a gift to my mother, that she had given me the week before, in front of all my siblings! As if that was not enough, she held the dang thing up and announced it loud and clear to everyone what I had done. She’s like that. I just figured that I didn’t need it, and she obviously liked it, so I gave it back to her. Um, I’ll never do that again.
Karen, Ouch! That sounds like a serious offense! Did she re-gift it back to you?