The gift that won’t stop giving
Amy over at Amy’s Humble Musings has some interesting insight into the character of a person. One of her observations,
I think you can tell a lot about a lady by how long she takes to get ready, what the inside of her microwave looks like, and if she regifts.
made me wonder just what you can tell about a person who regifts. Is that a good or bad character trait? Do you return that not-so-much item for something you like better, or do you put it up on a shelf for a just-in-case gift? I tend to do the latter, simply because I am a notorious procrastinator an never seem to make it back to the store. Do you think it’s rude to the giver to re-gift? I think I have actually been re-gifted with my own original gift before. I wasn’t offended, I was pretty proud of the person to be so thrifty. Now, one caveat. If it’s just some white elephant from your house you don’t want anymore, that is NOT regifting. One of my husband’s family members, who shall remain nameless here, decided one year to unload a bunch of stuff that didn’t sell at her garage sale. FYI — if no one else jumps at your offer of a white elephant exchange, do not wrap it all up in nice paper and announce you have a little something for everyone (after the adults have decided to do a kid-only gift exchange). That is NOT regifting. It will be thrown away with absolutely no guilt and maybe not even before you leave!
So, in your opinion, regifting — is it thrifty or cheap?
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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December 14th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Hmmmmm…. I only take 15 minutes to get out the door, my microwave is often filthy, and I have regifted but I don’t make it policy.
I guess it depends on the gift and the recipient. I have bought items secondhand for gifts though.
December 14th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Regifting? Well … I have done it.
December 14th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
Sometimes I hand my gifts on to Andrea
If someone received something new and knew they would not use it, then I don’t see any reason that they should not give to someone who they believed would use it.
So, I guess I would probably differentiate between habitual re-gifting and genuinely passing on a gift.
December 14th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Sorry I am from the “if someone cares enought about you to get you a gift, you should keep it” frame of mind. Maybe because I don’t get a lot of gifts, maybe because I never got anything really bad.
I do make an exeption for “obligation” gifts though. You know, the ones you get because they had to, not because they wanted to. Like co-worker gifts or boss gifts.
December 14th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Tammy, I think obligation gifts are probably the only gifts I regift — they’re the only ones people haven’t thought alot about. Also, my love language is small gifts, so it’s my goal in life to get people juuuuuust the right thing. I generally only regift if my item is just right for that person - and obviously not for me.
December 15th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
I regift obligation gifts. Even if I don’t like it and won’t use it, I don’t think I have ever regifted a genuine gift.
If someone gave me back a gift I gave them, I would probably like it. I try to give stuff they like or things I would like if I were them, so…