So Christmas and Hanukkah, or as some celebrate Christmakah, is over. The stores are packed with not only those looking for a great sale, but those returning gifts that were bought either with a lot of thought or very quickly by their friends or family. Either way, the subject of regifting comes up.
There are a few reasons to regift items:
1. You are too lazy to wait on line to return the gift.
2. You project ahead that you will be too lazy or have a lack of time to buy a birthday gift for the next party you are invited to.
3. You have to save your spare change for groceries and can't be thinking about buying gifts for others, so you need to give the gifts you already have.
Let's clarify the meaning of regifting. It is not giving something you have already used like in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Chevy Chase's aunt wraps up her cat and gives it as a gift. We are talking about regifting an item that was given to you and is not used by the giver or you (the receiver).
When to not regift.
Example 1. We had a Christmas party and everyone brought wine. That is 20 bottles of wine we received with no tags to say who they were from. So that means we cannot regift these bottles to any dinners we show up to involvimg any of the guests from our party.
Example 2. If a friend or family member gives you a gift that they expect to see used by you. For example, I received a kitchen item that I do not need by my dad. And although I appreciate his thoughtfulness it will most likely lie in my cabinet...that is until he comes to visit. He always ask me about the item, so this is a case when not to regift.
All in all, don't feel guilty about regifting once in awhile, everyone does it. It's a trend!
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