regifting guidelines

1- if a present looks shady and you even get an inkling that you dont want it, never open the packaging.
2- wait 6 months to regift
3- if it comes from a friend give it to a relative and vice versa
4- books - always check in the inside front or back page for a message from the gifter or it could get embarrassing
5- same as above check other presents for gift tags or messages
6 - DONT GIVE THE SAME GIFT BACK TO THE SAME PERSON golden rule

I've been the victim of regifting! At our wedding, when we opened the box of a crystal bowl, inside the box was a wedding card for another couple - the people who'd given it to us, who'd gotten married about five years before. I guess they forgot they opened the box and tucked the card inside!

I do regift occasionally, but with certain rules. I only regift if the item is still in the original packaging, and everything is still in pristine condition. If the box has torn from paper being taped to it or what not, then I don't consider it up for regifting, and will try to find another way to deal with it - returning, ebaying, yard sale selling, etc.

I only regift if it's something the person would love and use. There are some perfumes I can't use (most of them actually) because of my asthma - I have family with the same problem, so obviously I wouldn't pass that along to them. Same with liquor not going to non-drinkers, really it's just common sense. If you wouldn't BUY it for that person, don't regift it for them.

If it expires, like fruitcake, never regift it!

Be careful regifting gift cards. Keep them in a drawer or box so you don't accidentally regift one you've used. My husband once got a $100 gift card as a gift that only had $46 left on it, obviously a regift!

I am a serial regifter, but I choose to use an altogether different approach from what is typical. If I receive something I will never use for a holiday or birthday, I give it away throughout the year, but not typically to anyone I personally know. Toiletries can be "regifted" to shelters. Clothing can be "regifted" to nursing homes and shelters as well. Food gifts can go to church pantries. I regift jewelry and similar things to the Cinderella project. Any toy someone gives me gets regifted to children's toy drives. Though it's not the same as traditional regifting, I still get the same "feeling" out of it that I would if I gave an item to a friend or family member.

I'm not, but my cousins are notorious for doing so :)

One year, my cousin gave me a box of chocolates. It was a sweet thought, but two of the chocolates were missing. They were six, so I didn't suspect foul play.