When the present-giving season rolls around, regifting can be somewhat of a taboo term.
For those unfamiliar, regifting is the act of gifting something that was once gifted to you, to somebody else. It’s a relatively divisive topic, and depends very much on the individual. Some may regift things they won’t use to reduce waste, or prefer to be frugal with their gifting habits, whereas some may see it as insensitive or uncaring. No matter which side you stand on, there are definitely some rules to follow.
Max Spielmann is here to help you with the esoteric question; “to gift or not to gift”. While you won’t often see presents from Max Spielmann being regifted – thanks to their personalised nature – there’s plenty of other products out there that aren’t quite as lucky. Because of this, they’ve put together this handy little guide of dos and don’ts around the etiquette of regifting, so that you can avoid any awkward faux-pas and unpleasant post Christmas run-ins.
The don’ts of regifting
Don’t list it online – The giver wasn’t even halfway out the door and eBay’s homepage is already loading. No matter how much you may dislike it, trading it in for cash is not a good look. If it’s really going to take up too much space, why not donate instead?
Don’t regift in the same social circle – You don’t want your sister-in-law to find that ugly 70s vase she got from the carboot on your mother’s living room side table. Work colleague? No problem. Shop keeper at the local bakery? Why not! But think ahead to make sure there are no potential crossovers.
Don’t regift anything homemade – Have a heart. You may never wear that crocheted scarf, but we can assure you that a lot of time, effort, and more importantly, love went into that. And if anything, one day it may become a treasured memory.
Don’t give the recipient something they know is yours – Have you been telling your work colleagues about that same vanilla scented candle your distant relative gets you every year? Although candles are quite a standard gift, this is probably not one to be passed on.
The do’s of regifting
Do regift used items – Not all used items can be regifted, but some certainly can. A book you have read and think another person will enjoy, art supplies from your forgotten hobbies, or tools you no longer need. This could be a practical regift and something someone else will get some more use out of.
Do regift if you already have it – Double-bubbled. If you were going on all year about a new kitchen gadget you really wanted and by a stroke of luck you received two, why not offer the spare to someone else who you think will make good use out of it?
Do rewrap it – This may seem pretty basic, but rewrapping your gift in the (new) wrapping paper you have chosen for this Christmas season adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness and care.
Do put some thought into it – When regifting, it’s important to still consider the receiver. Regifting to lighten the clutter around your house doesn’t cut it. Only regift something you think the other person will like, enjoy, and make use of.
Do keep track of who gave it to you – If there’s a couple of gifts shoved to the back of the cupboard on Boxing Day that you think may be best going to a better home, maybe add a little sticky note or some sort of indication to who gave it to you. You wouldn’t want to regift the gift to the original gifter now would you?
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