The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Regifting: Naughty or Nice?

14 Comments

January 7, 2010 by Kathy McManus

Candles, knick-knacks, stationery, soap. Food that’s expired beyond all hope.

If you received it this past holiday season, there’s a good chance it was regifted. According to a recent survey by The Russell Research Partners, 68% of Americans say they’ve already done or have considered doing some regifting— the act of receiving an unwanted present and passing it off to someone else as new.

Regifting sins abound. The picture frame engraved with someone else’s memorable date. The carefully wrapped kitchen appliance with food stuck to it. The half-used gift card.

Long considered naughty, not nice, regifting is getting a makeover. Citing global warming and a need to recycle, the author of a new book about regifting enthuses that the practice should be “resurrected once again as a wonderful and responsible way to wage the war against the waste of unwanted gifts!”

But deep sentiments about the ethics of regifting circulate the web like virtual fruitcakes. “Hate regifting!” wrote a recipient. “It says you do not care about me enough to spend $20 and a little time.” “You lied,” said another, offended by those who’ve fobbed off the unwanted onto the unsuspecting. “I don’t want liars around me.”

Relax, one regifter said. It’s really about the economy. “I don’t have any money to buy a ‘new’ gift in the first place…Thoughtless? Hardly. Desperate times.” Another declared that “regifting is OK when the gift is something that you think the recipient will actually want.” “Giving a gift should NOT be a social burden,” one person summed up. “If we didn’t assume these burdens and gave a gift when we meant something by it, society as a whole would be taking a baby step toward consumerism recovery!”

Tell us what you think: Is regifting the new responsibility, or the old cheapness?

14 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

• February 17, 2010 by JCH

  IT is ok to regift just as long as you mean it with a good heart maybe your finacially strapped and you have a over abundance of something be glad you got a gift anyhow you could have gotten not a thing. Plus you won't be stuck sinking your ship more if you already have bills to pay. Plus if you cant use it but it is a wonderful gift at least your a blessing to others... Plus if you have bought something with some one in mind well at least it really did come from your heart.

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• February 20, 2010 by Sandy DeWitt

  OK, I admit it; I "regift". I am a middle-aged woman with many acquaintances who like to give gifts. The problem is: so many of them believe scented candles, soaps, and perfumes are appropriate; and they would be, if I wasn't allergic to them. So I can either store them in the garage where they won't affect me too much OR I can pass them along to someone I know will appreciate them and make his/her day special. Passing along something nice doesn't mean I appreciate it less; rather, it means I can make someone else feel better for the day. it makes me feel special when people remember me with presents as it does anyone else. So if someone in my neighborhood or office needs a lift, sometimes I can supply it with a "regift" of something I know they will like.

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• February 25, 2010 by Veronica Smith

  I happen to be in the gift business,and specialize in gift baskets.I ask my customers to answer a few questions about the person for whom I am making the customized gift basket .This insures that the person will like/and keep the gift. SO I think the real issue is to be considerate when giving gifts.Don't just give anything to anybody.This will eliminate the need to "regift".

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• February 27, 2010 by farah safi

  muahhxxx

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• March 12, 2010 by Josie Wales

  I have just 'celebrated' my 40th birthday, and one of my dear friends came around today to give me a present. Bear in mind that I had previously bought him 'jokey' gifts and made the effort to go around to his house to help celebrate his birthday....so, I was looking forward to getting something silly/funny, and I was expecting to laugh about what he'd bought. He passed me a carrier bag from a men's upmarket clothes store, in which I found a 'Fragrance Diffuser' in the scent of 'Herb Garden'. He said 'Oh, it's a Herb Garden when I was 'opening' it...so I was a bit confused to see some small glass jar with scented oil,etc. My fella pinted out after her left, that he was suspicious that the present was a regift, and when we checked, it's not even current stock! Now, the moral of the story is that if he gave me a creme egg instead, it would have meant so much more because it would demonstarte that he not only knew me well, but thought about what I liked, and bought a meaningful gift. I know he meant well, and will be embarassed when I ask him if he can go and get me another one for Mother's Day, but I would rather he didn't bother getting a present at all - previous people have commented that there is a social expectation, but that's only if you allow it. I really though the world of this guy, but now I think a lot LESS about him and I know that's the parallel opposite of what he was trying to achieve. I hve learned from this incident that the only thing that's important is the FRIENDSHIP....nothing else!

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• April 19, 2010 by Cynthia Withers

  I am the type of person that when a gift is given I keep it. A gift is something special someone gave. They spent their time to pick it out for you. If you don't like the gift that received, than pack it away or give it to someone who is in need. The person who gave it to you will understand that if you don't need it, that it is alright to give it to someone who does. It may make the person happy to know its going to someone in need. It its a gadget, just keep it with your other knickknacks. You know you have a junk drawer. So either fill it up or help someone out.

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• May 10, 2010 by JAM

  Giving a gift to someone should show that you've taken at least a minute to consider the person and what s/he might like whether you've purchased it yourself or given it as a "regift." If you pick just any ole thing out of the closet to give to someone, it's obvious that it's a regift and tells the person receiving the gift that you couldn't take one minute out of your busy life to consider him/her. The best gifts- regifted or not- are the ones that show you cared enough to think about the receiver. To give responsibly ask yourself this: "Will the receiver understand why I'm giving this to him/her, and can I explain why I thought this was a good gift to give?"

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• May 12, 2010 by jules

  I think that gifts shouldn't be re-gifted because the gift was originally meant for that person not someone else to have. Also that its not how much or what the gift is, its the thought that counts.

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