[Apollo81]

How do you feel about re-gifting:

(1) new items (unopened or never use)
(2) like new items
(3) used items

In each case, when would be an appropriate occasion? Who would be an appropriate, inappropriate recipient?

[kenrexford]

Jlall, on Sep 17 2007, 06:30 PM, said:

There is never an appropriate time for this. It is insulting.

Unless you are in the Shire.

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Sep 17 2007, 06:30 PM, said:

There is never an appropriate time for this. It is insulting.

Of course if no one knows you did it, then it didn't really happen.

[cherdano]

Well I guess if someone brought a bottle of wine when he came over for a party (well just in case I ever get selected to play for my country let me add that this is just hypothetical of course, I never have parties and of course I never drink nor would I tolerate consumption of alcohol at my place) and I am about to move overseas getting rid of all my stuff then it would be ok to pass on that bottle to a friend. But a personal gift...

[Elianna]

I don't know about when it's right to regift, but my guess is that it's not appropriate to discuss it in a place frequented by people who have given you gifts recently.

Also, probably inappropriate to be giving away wedding gifts within a month or so of the wedding.

My advice: keep them in storage for several years, until you make new friends who were not in attendance at the event (and did not see the registry) and give it then, if you must.

[jillybean]

My mother in law does this regularly and I hate it. However, re gifting could be the perfect answer to disposing of all that clutter in the house. I wonder if MIL would rather see that silver teapot again at Aunt Liz’s or at the local flea market?

[Gerben42]

I've only been regifting some bottles of wine and things like that. Now I'll probably drink them but before I didn't drink any and Dutch bridge tourneys have a lot of wine prizes.

When there is no prize I want (when I messed up again and didn't make it into the cash prizes) I sometimes pick something I know I might give someone else.

[mike777]

I always thought books are a great re gifting, i guess not after reading this post, no one even comes close to talking about regifting books.

In fact the posters seem to say they hate regifting (books) if you read it literal/

[gwnn]

Re-gift only if the two people concerned are from different continents and have no common acquaintances except you and speak no common language.

[Al_U_Card]

Get with the times! Sell it on e-Bay and send the cash!

[keylime]

Regifting, definitely a divergent set of views in my household on this.

Candace, she'll regift...to the point that she recycles the boxes, the fluff, and the ribbons. It's almost an abomination in my eyes; to me, someone had some thought about giving me something, and granted, a six pack of yellow socks doesn't excite me much (yes I did get this one year), but for me, it was just as special as a full-blown Kenwood stereo system when coming home from a temporary duty in the Air Force (I walked in and almost fainted; I miss that system).

Maybe 15-20% of the time, after I've had the gift, I'll donate it to charity - I'm certainly one of the lucky ones in the world and I do live a charmed life admittedly. Admittedly, part of the rationale is the fact I grew up quite poor, and that my birthday is at the end of the year.

[Apollo81]

Elianna, on Sep 17 2007, 10:55 PM, said:

I don't know about when it's right to regift, but my guess is that it's not appropriate to discuss it in a place frequented by people who have given you gifts recently.

Also, probably inappropriate to be giving away wedding gifts within a month or so of the wedding.

My advice:  keep them in storage for several years, until you make new friends who were not in attendance at the event (and did not see the registry) and give it then, if you must.

Believe it or not, this is not related to the wedding. We didn't put anything on the registry that we didn't want.

If you must know why I'm asking, I have some new items (no item over $30) that were given to me a few years ago (2004, 2005) at Christmas that I can't use. I've never had what I considered an opportunity to get rid of these, so it looks like I am going to throw them out (or maybe take them to the sell it on Ebay store) when I move soon. This got me thinking about regifting in general, since I think at least one of these was probably a regift to me.

[han]

It is never inappropriate to re-gift.

[helene_t]

I certainly wouldnt feel insulted if something I gavce to someone was passed on to someone. On the contrary I think it would be an act of showing that the item is perceived as valuable.

[han]

My neighbor seems quite happy with the watch that used to belong to my great grandfather. Similarly, I enjoy looking at the framed picture of my neighbor's ex-wife.

[sceptic]

Quote

There is never an appropriate time for this. It is insulting.

I have to strongly disagree, my wife brought me an ornament she had wanted for years for my birthday, my brother now has it and my wife wont let me forget it

[bid_em_up]

Apollo81, on Sep 17 2007, 01:31 PM, said:

How do you feel about re-gifting:

(1) new items (unopened or never use)
(2) like new items
(3) used items

In each case, when would be an appropriate occasion? Who would be an appropriate, inappropriate recipient?

1) Nothing wrong with it, just make sure you don't give it back to the original giver.

2 & 3) are dependent on the item, the recipient and the occasion. Is it a close friend that wants the item? It's probably ok. Is it your boss? Not ok.

Noble, you don't specify what types of items they are, but if you have items that you need to "dispose" of and are unsure of a means of doing so, always remember that there are those in the world less fortunate that you (or I, or most if not all of us) and that donations to Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. are tax deductible. This, of course, assumes they are items that can actually be used by others (i.e. not gag gifts). When I moved from my house that I had lived in for many years, a lot of the stuff that I accumulated over the years was 'disposed" of in this manner.

The eBay stores work also, but they usually want somewhere around 50% of the sale price + fee coverage, which for me at least, has made the use of them unfeasable.

[barmar]

Regifting just to get rid of something you don't want seems to be in poor taste. But if you sincerely think that something you own would be appreciated by the recipient, and you wish to give it to them, I don't think it should matter so much that you received it as a gift.

However, not everyone shares the same opinion about regifting, as is obvious from this thread. If you give it to someone who thinks it's wrong, and they find out, it can be embarassing. Also, the original gifter may not appreciate finding out that you gave away their present. Of course, they might also feel slighted if you sell it on eBay or a garage sale, or toss it away, so you may be screwed no matter what.