Santa is almost here and the Christmas tree will be surrounded with presents. All the children will love the excitement of opening their gifts. There will be stockings to empty, food to eat and toys to play with. A paradise if there was ever one created. Unfortunately for adults there will be the mental anguish of "what do I do with that?" Here is where re-gifting come in.
No one wants to admit that they do it. There is no Re-gifters Anonymous quite yet, but over 20% of all gift recipients already take advantage of the practice. Because it is so popular an examination of the proper mores surrounding re-gifting is in order. After all, if we are going to get rid of those unwanted gifts by tranferring them on to our unsuspecting friends and family, it should be done with a well thought out plan.
Hide the Fact That it is a Used Gift
Make sure that there is no way the recipient can tell the gift is used. Remove any tape, excess wrapping paper and any identification marks. Also, if the gift has been opened, make sure to reseal. However, make sure to remove all plastic sealing if any of the plastic seal has been ripped or torn. As the original recipient, one will want to look at each gift with a potential of re-gifting. Special care in opening the gift the first time is warranted.
Regift Quickly
No one wants to receive a gift weeks after the Holidays. The experienced re-gifter might already have a list drawn up with names and potential regift ideas. This makes it easier to redirect the unwanted gift quickly and painlessly. It also encourages the recipient of the re-gifted gift to believe that serious thought went into the gift giving experience.
Do Not Give Office Giveaways as Gifts
If you work and receive free giveaways or tokens of appreciation from your clients, Do not use them as part of your re-gifting strategy. This is in extremely poor taste. Not only does it show a lack of thoughtful consideration for the intended recipient, it is difficult to explain to a co-worker why he or she is receiving exactly the same as what they received from their own clients.
No Clothing
Do not re-gift used clothes. While your best friend may have stated that you looked great in that blue sweater, he probably does not want to receive it as a gift. This is especially true for undergarments. Also, one must ensure that a re-gift gift is not going to the person from whom it was originally received. It is painfully embarassing to give something to someone who first gave it to you.
Watch What Happens.
Finally, make sure to measure the response of the recipient when they open their gift. If there is a smile and gratitude, then success has been achieved.
Re-gifting is now part of the holiday culture. To participate well the simple rules listed above should be followed. And if it is too difficult to adhere to them? Well, there is always eBay.
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