Regifting 101

Did you know that we have a National Regifting Day? 

It falls on the third Thursday in December. Even though we missed the national holiday last week, I am sure that you are pondering regifting as we fast approach Christmas Day. If we lived in Canada, regifting is a week long event, and we are in the midst of it today!

Regifting creates quite the stir in conversation: either you hate it or you love it!

• 25% believe that regifting is becoming more accepted because it is a way to save on holiday expenses.
• 14% believe that regifting is becoming more accepted because it is a method of recycling
  
  Lest you think the well-to-do abstain from the practice, know that one third of households with annual incomes between $100,000 and $150,000 recycle unwanted presents.
  
  If you choose to abide by the practice, here are some tips to keep you from embarrassing yourself:

Regifting 101:

Is the gift regiftable?  Never regift handmade, one-of-a-kind items signed books or monogrammed items.  Don’t regift free promotional items.  If it was free in the first place, it's worth even less in round 2.

How is the condition?  Don't confuse "barely used" with "brand-spankin' new."  If there are any signs of wear and tear -- a broken seal, scratched part, dust, mismatched twist ties on cords, or even missing shrink wrap -- the item's not fit for regifting. Only new, unopened gifts in good condition should be considered for regifting. 

Keep track of the flow chart of gifting: There's no bigger horror than giving a gift back to its original giver. Avoid this by keeping track of each gift’s past. To play it safe, its best to regift in an entirely different social circle than the one from which original item was bestowed.

Wrap it like it's new: Regift the gift, not the wrapping paper, bow, or the card. Think of it as providing a makeover, and presentation is everything. Triple-check for all telltale regifting signs: Gift tags stuck in the bottom of the box's folds, gift receipts, an actual picture of someone you know in the frame. Finally, before you present it, step back and re-evaluate the regift from the recipient's perspective to make sure it passes the test.

Can you handle it?  If you don’t plan to announce the gift as a regift, ask yourself if you can keep the secret.  Never feel guilty about regifting once you’ve done it.